Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is an American comedy film which was released on July 9, 2004. It stars Will Ferrell as pompous TV news anchor Ron Burgundy and Christina Applegate (as Veronica Corningstone), David Koechner (as sportscaster Champ Kind), Steve Carell (as slow-witted weatherman Brick Tamland) and Paul Rudd (as field reporter Brian Fantana).

Fred Willard and Chris Parnell co-star as high-ranking executives of the station. Bill Kurtis narrates.

It was written by Ferrell and Adam McKay, and directed by McKay.

The movie is a tongue-in-cheek take on the culture of the 1970s, particularly the then-new Action News television-program format and real-life Southern California anchor Harold Greene. It portrays a San Diego TV station where one female reporter (Applegate) struggles to become the first "Anchorwoman".

This movie contains more Frat Pack members than any other, with five making appearances. It also contains Steve Carell, who is usually considered to be the seventh and newest member.

A spin-off of the film, Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie, was released in 2004. The "alternate film" was compiled from sub-plots and alternate takes.

Characters

Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy: A five-time "local" Emmy award-winning journalist, he is the main anchor for the KVWN Channel Four News Team. Always confident and well-dressed, he is nevertheless ignorant, egotistical, and not very intelligent but also remains the rock for the entire group. He develops an infatuation with newcomer Veronica Corningstone, initially having trouble wooing her with tried and true measures that allegedly won him many bimbo-type women in the past. He has a great fondness for a good glass of scotch whisky, poetry and his best friend/pet dog Baxter, and can play the jazz flute. He refers to his fists as Jack Johnson and Tom O'Leary, calls his arms Guns, and is most definitely not afraid to throw down in fisticuffs.

Christina Applegate as Veronica Corningstone: Is hired for Channel Four from Asheville, North Carolina to comply with newly instituted "diversity standards". Corningstone has a strong ambition to become a network anchor and desires to be taken seriously in the male-dominated newsroom culture. Burgundy develops an infatuation for her, culminating in a love affair, which provides most of the conflict in the movie. At the end of the movie she becomes co-anchor with Ron for the first world-wide news network.

Paul Rudd as Brian Fantana: Is a lustful field reporter for the Channel Four News Team. He is arrogant and narcissistic and absurdly overestimates his personal qualities. People call him "The Bri-Man". Adam McKay comments on the DVD that though Fantana fancies himself as something of a ladies man, he has in fact never slept with a woman. At the end of the film, it is explained that he goes on to host the Fox Network's Intercourse Island. Fantana considers himself the stylish one of the group, and yes he does have a nickname for his penis.

David Koechner as Champion 'Champ' Kind: Is the sportscaster for the Channel Four News Team who seems to have hidden feelings for Ron Burgundy. He is the most overtly chauvinistic member of the news team. At the end of the film, it is revealed that Kind, whose signature catchphrase is "Whammy!", ends up becoming an NFL commentator, but gets fired after being accused of sexual harassment by Terry Bradshaw.

Steve Carell as Brick Tamland: Is the mentally-challenged weatherman for Channel Four News. With an IQ of 48, he has a habit of stating unrequested or irrelevant information. Tamland is not bright, but good hearted and loyal. At one point in the movie, Brick wonders what love is and upon questioning he admits to loving several objects in the room such as carpet and lamp. During the battle scene, Brick starts with a hand grenade and eventually ends up killing a guy with a trident. After the battle, Ron advises Brick that he is "probably wanted for murder" and to "find a safe house or a relative close by" where he can "lay low for a while". At the end of the film, it is explained that Tamland eventually gets married, has eleven children, and becomes a top political advisor to George Bush.

Vince Vaughn as Wes Mantooth, (Uncredited): Is lead anchor of the competing KQHS Channel Nine Evening News Team and Burgundy's rival. Mantooth is consistently irritated by his being second in the ratings, causing him to ultimately initiate an anchorman battle against Burgundy and three other news teams. He ultimately draws up Burgundy on a ladder from a bear pit, explaining that while he hates him, he nonetheless respects him as a journalist. In one of the deleted scenes for this movie Wes admits to being Burgundy's sibling.

Fred Willard as Ed Harken: Is the news director of the Channel Four News station. His youngest son, Chris, who does not appear in the film, is apparently very ill-behaved. It is revealed that Chris goes to a Catholic School and has shot a bow and arrow into a crowd while on LSD, was caught reading German pornography in school, and took a marching band hostage with a gun. Ed's assistant is Garth Holladay.

Chris Parnell as Garth Holladay: Is Ed's assistant at the Channel Four News station. Ron Burgundy was his hero, before he used his "poop-mouth" language during a news broadcast. He also gains no respect from the Channel 4 News team because when Ed Harken asks him to look after the guys after they got the #1 ratings again, he replies that they don't listen to him!

Luke Wilson as Frank Vitchard: Is a competing news anchor whose station, Channel 2, is third in the ratings. During the movie, he gets one arm chopped off in the anchorman battle by the lead anchor of the Public news team, and his other arm ripped off by a bear. At the panda birth scene, Vitchard is seen reporting for Channel 9 News, which may have been a goof by the filmmakers.

Baxter: Is Burgundy's dog and soulmate. He has the uncanny ability to communicate with his master (in Spanish and English) and talk with bears. In a deleted scene, it is revealed that Baxter is 21 years old. Burgundy describes Baxter as "so wise. Like a miniature Buddha, covered with hair."

Box office

The film made $28,416,365 on its opening weekend, and $90,540,221 worldwide.^[1]

Trivia

• The title appears to be a satirical reference to the film Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy.

• Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Danny Trejo and Tim Robbins have cameo roles. In addition, Stiller's father, Jerry Stiller, can be seen in the background of Rocky's Bar Grill and Fine Dining, where Ed Harken calls seeking Ron Burgundy after Veronica disappears into the bear pen near the end of the film.

• The character Ron Burgundy was featured in a short piece on the unrated DVD that imagined him auditioning for a spot on ESPN's SportsCenter when the network was just beginning. Ironically, ESPN is owned by the Walt Disney Company, with which DreamWorks (the distributors of this film) co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg had a falling out.

• The music during the newsteam battle was the same as the battle music from Spartacus

• Owen Wilson was originally considered for the role of Public Television Anchor, but couldn't do it due to other commitments. Wilson's brother Luke played the role of Frank Vitchard in the film.

• During an interview before the release of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Ferrell said Anchorman and Talladega Nights are the first two installments of his "Mediocre American Man" trilogy. Ferrell and the director of both movies, Adam McKay, have stated that the last installment will be rated R, unlike the previous two installments. Ideas have ranged from Ferrell playing a CEO to him playing an astronaut, but McKay has said that the new idea that they are leaning to is even better.

• This film is number 100 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".

• During the end credits, while outtakes from the film are being shown, an outtake from Smokey and the Bandit II is shown, most likely a reference to the fact that the Smokey and the Bandit films were among the first to feature outtakes during their end credits.

• The film was originally rated R by the MPAA, but was later edited to be released under a PG-13 rating. However, there is a DVD version that is unrated, uncut, and "uncalled for".

References

1. ^ Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.

See also

Template:Wikiquote

• Anchorman: Music from the Motion Picture

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