The Business Ethics Blog

I just watched the new DVD version of Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.

I reviewed the theatrical release last summer (short version: “Great movie”), so here I’ll just say a few words about the Bonus Materials on the DVD. The bonus materials might not be of interest to everyone interested in the movie itself, but anyone with more than a passing interest will enjoy them and learn from them. For anyone teaching Business Ethics, they’re fantastic.

The first Bonus is a commentary by Writer/Director Alex Gibney. Gibney does a little too much talking, for my tastes (I’d perfer to hear at least SOME of the film’s dialogue, with the commentary adding only occasional insights), but over all Gibney does a good job of telling “the story behind the story.”

Also included are a number of deleted scenes (scenes shot for the movie but not included in the theatrical release). One of the most revealing is a speech by Ken Lay, apparently given just after the collapse of Enron. It reveals a side of Lay not revealed in the movie, including some glimmers of compassion for the Enron employees who lost everything.

Also useful is a “Where are they now” segment, which provides a relatively up-to-date accounting of who at Enron was charged with what crimes, etc. (For further updates, the DVD refers us to this website: The Fall of Enron.)

Other Bonus Materials:

• “We Should All Ask Why?” Making The Enron Film
• A Conversation with Bethany McLean (co-author of the book)
• A Conversation with Peter Elkind (also co-author of the book)
• HDNet’s Higher Definition: Highlights from the Enron Show (an interview with Bethany McLean)
• Firesign Theatre: The Fall of Enron (video of a radio show’s skit spoofing Enron)
• Alex Gibney Reads Enron Skits
• A Gallery of Enron Cartoons
• Fortune Magazine Articles (unfortunately, you can only read them on-screan, not download them in, say, PDF)

Overall, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a very entertaining DVD, whether you’re merely curious about what really went on at Enron, or looking for a terrific starting point for classroom discussion.

Update: List of other movie reviews on this blog.