Directed by Marvin J. Chomsky Written by Gy Waldron Music by Jorge Calandrelli | Produced by Marcy Gross
Ann Weston Starring Judd Nelson Cinematography Isidore Mankofsky | |
Billionaire Boys Club is a two-part TV movie that aired on NBC in 1987. It told the story of the Billionaire Boys Club, and its founder, Joe Hunt, who was convicted in 1987 of murdering con-man Ron Levin. The film was written by Gy Waldron and directed by Marvin J. Chomsky.
Contents
Cast
The film starred Judd Nelson as Hunt, Brian McNamara as Dean Karny, and Ron Silver as Ron Levin. Other cast members included Frederic Lehne, John Stockwell, Barry Tubb, Raphael Sbarge, Jill Schoelen, Stan Shaw, John Dye, and James Sloyan. Since criminal charges were pending against other Billionaire Boys Club members, the film changed their names.
Synopsis
Joe Hunt and other boys are on trial. Throughout the questioning and cross-examination the film flashes back to Joe Hunt being reunited with schoolfriends and impressing upon him an idea of an investment firm called the BBC. Joe manages to win the boys over with two concepts: his idea that anything can be right through perspective and that the boys come from moneyed families who think they are too young or have insufficient mettle to access the family fortunes. The BBC acts and dresses like professional businessmen, but their actual operations seem largely "all hat no cattle"; spending investors' fund on personal expenses. They manage to woo a scientist into signing over the marketing rights to an energy machine and seek investor Ron Levin into a partnership. Levin is skeptical, but gives Hunt an account to prove himself. Hunt manages to make several million dollars with this, and purchases a condominium in which all members of the BBC will work and live with the expected commission. Hunt also is introduced to a black man named Booker, who also becomes a BBC member due to his expertise in hand-to-hand combat and firearms. However, Hunt is aghast when he learns the money he made for Levin was only on paper, and is used by Levin to convince another firm into underwriting a sizeable loan for him. Hunt hatches a scheme to get Levin to sign over the promised money, then murder him. Some time later, Hunt meets up with Dean Karny, his top employee of the BBC, and says that Levin is dead. Hunt recounts that he went to Levin for a business meeting, which was then broken up by Booker, pretending to be a debt collector for the Mafia who is after Hunt, to which the "debtor" Hunt would repay the "creditors" with the money owed him by Levin. After Levin writes a check to Hunt, he realized too late both men intended to murder him, then his corpse was dumped in a canyon in the California backcountry. Soon friends and family of Ron Levin contact police about his disappearance. When it is discovered Levin had served time in prison for credit card fraud and wire fraud, the authorities chalk up Levin's missing status to fleeing those he flimflammed. At a BBC party, Hunt is introduced to Reza Nabouti, a friend of a BBC member seeking membership himself. Reza, who was born in Iran, says his father, Birjan Nabouti, was an opium kingpin who made enemies with Ruhollah Khomeini, and seeks to take over his father's empire. Hunt recruits Booker and Karny in a plot to kidnap Birjan, torture him into signing over his assets to Reza and the BBC, then murder him. Booker and Hunt impersonate delivery boys to gain access to the Nabouti residence, then lock Birjan in a steamer trunk and place it in a camper truck for transport to a safe house in upstate California. However, the kidnapping goes awry when Mr. Nabouti stops protesting and it is evident his oxygen is depleted in the trunk. Karny punches holes in the trunk for air, but seals them with duct tape upon hearing shouting, as Hunt orders it silenced as he is fearful passing motorists may be alerted to the shouting. Karny later opens the trunk, and finds an unconscious man while the odor of urine escapes. Joe, who is driving, orders CPR be given to Birjan Nabouti. Karny attempts this, but apparently fails and reports to Joe he is dead. While Joe is annoyed, he takes it in stride and in a change of plans, dumps Birjan Nabouti's body in the same canyon he disposed of Ron Levin.
Controversy
Hunt sued NBC in attempt to block the network from airing the film, alleging that it would prejudice potential jurors in his upcoming second murder trial. Hunt's suit was unsuccessful, and the film was broadcast. NBC's promos for Billionaire Boys Club called it "the show Joe Hunt doesn't want you to see." Brandon Tartikoff, the head of NBC entertainment, said that while he did not regret airing the film, the promos for it were indeed poor in taste.
Connection to the Menendez murder case
Erik Menendez and Lyle Menendez watched a rebroadcast of Billionaire Boys Club in 1989, and it may have inspired them to murder their parents.
Awards
Billionaire Boys Club was nominated for four Emmys: Outstanding Miniseries, Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or Special, Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or Special, and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special for Ron Silver.
It was nominated for two Golden Globes: Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie (Judd Nelson) and Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie (Brian McNamara).
DVD
A&E Entertainment has released the film on DVD.