Skip to main content
Log in

Inside and Outside The Insider: A Film Workshop in Practical Ethics

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The film The Insider offers an interesting story of leaking inside information by one character and clear whistleblowing by another. In both cases moral considerations are involved on a personal, professional, organizational and public level. As such the film can be used as an inviting cinematic introduction to applied or practical ethics. Three models of practical ethics are introduced. In the film workshop these models are the framework for the film analysis. A set up of the workshop is sketched, including selected scenes, basic questions and a timetable. Also a sketch is given of the results that can be expected.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arnold, D.: 1999, ‘Insider Looks Like an Oscar Contender’, Seattle Post.

  • Berger, J. and C. Pratt: 1998, ‘Teaching Business Communication Ethics with Controversial Films’, Journal of Business Ethics 17, 1817–1823.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenner, M.: 1996, ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’, Vanity Fair, May. The quickest access is www.mariebrenner.com/article/insider.

  • Cummings, D.: 2001, ‘The Insider’, Chiafilm.com Frith, W.: 2000, ‘The Insider’, All-reviews.com

  • Giacalone, R. and C. Jurkiewicz.: 2001, ‘Lights, Camera, Action: Teaching Ethical Decision Making through the Cinematic Experience’, Teaching Business Ethics 5, 79–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howe, D.: 1999, ‘The Insider: Through a TV Screen Darkly’, The Washington Post.

  • Khan, O.: 2000, ‘The Insider’, Thehotspotonline.com

  • Kermode, F.: 2000, ‘The Insider’, Sight and Sound, March.

  • Lauder, R.: 2002, ‘Business, Cinema, Sin’, Teaching Business Ethics 6, 63–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcuse, H.: 1964, One-dimensional Man. Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society (Beacon Press, Boston).

    Google Scholar 

  • Maslin, J.: 1999, ‘The Insider: Mournful Echoes of a Whistleblower’, New York Times.

  • McCarthy, T.: 1999, ‘The Insider’, Variety, Oktober.

  • Moore, F.: 1999, ‘The Insider’, AP Weekend.

  • Morris, W.: 1999, ‘In The Insider Big Time TVjournalism Meets Big Tobacco, with Explosive Results’, San Francisco Examiner (November).

  • O'Brien, H.: 2000, ‘The Insider’, Allmovieportal.com Roth, E. and M. Mann: 1999, The Insider http://mlvioli.tripod.com/movie_scripts

  • Turan, K.: 1999, ‘Smoke and Mirrors’, Los Angeles Times.

  • Van Es, R.: 2000, Ethiek in adviesprocessen, Samsom, Alphen a/d Rijn.

  • Van Es, R.: 2002, ‘Persistent Ambiguity and Moral Responsibility in Rashomon’, in K. L. Stoehr (ed.), Film and Knowledge. Essays on the Integration of Images and Ideas (McFarland, Jefferson), pp. 102–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Es, R. and T. Meijlink: 2000, ‘The Dialogical Turn of Public Relation Ethics’, Journal of Business Ethics 27, 69–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Es, R. and G. Smit: 2003, ‘Whistleblowing and Media Logic’, Business Ethics-A European Review 12, 144–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witly, S.: 1999, ‘Michael Mann's The Insider Misses Chance at Intriguing Drama’, Newhouse News Service.

  • Zelevinsky, V. 1999, ‘The Insider’, www. Tech.mit.edu/v119/n58

Film references

  • The Insider, 1999, Touchstone Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, USA. 145 minutes.

  • Directed by Michael Mann, written by Eric Roth and Michael Mann. Photography by Dante Spinotti. Actors: Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

van Es, R. Inside and Outside The Insider: A Film Workshop in Practical Ethics. Journal of Business Ethics 48, 89–97 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BUSI.0000004369.72315.58

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BUSI.0000004369.72315.58

Navigation