Medium Cool (1969): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Medium Cool is a 1969 drama directed by Haskell Wexler, starring Robert Forster, Marianna Hill and Peter Bonerz. It runs 1 hour 51 minutes and earned $430 worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Feature Film at the DGA Awards 1970. Critics gave it 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 87 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 51m (111 min)
- Director
- Haskell Wexler
- Genre
- Drama
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Medium Cool About?
The premise of Medium Cool without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A veteran news cameraman, John Cassellis, documents the tumultuous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, attempting to remain objective amidst the escalating unrest. However, his professional distance begins to dissolve when he discovers a disturbing connection between his news network and the FBI. This revelation triggers a personal journey of rebellion as he seeks to expose the truth and confront a powerful, controlling force.
Medium Cool Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- television reporter
- political convention
- national film registry
- male frontal nudity
- tv news
- nurse
- chicago illinois
- american politics
- fired from a job
- political activism
- television crew
- rock music
+38 more Show fewer
- single mother
- mother son relationship
- missing child
- female frontal nudity
- illinois
- attorney general
- politics documentary
- sex scene
- u.s. presidential election
- obscene gesture
- shooting range
- loss of husband
- teacher
- loss of father
- public nudity
- washington monument
- bobblehead
- police officer
- pacifism
- arena
- west virginia
- ghetto
- cameraman
- sound man
- two word title
- directorial debut
- flashback
- magnifying glass
- vending machine
- jeep
- horn
- clock tower
- bottle
- bicycle
- bench
- basket
- banana
- war game
Medium Cool Cast
Robert Forster leads the cast, with Marianna Hill and Peter Bonerz. Directed by Haskell Wexler; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director Haskell Wexler
Also Starring in Medium Cool
· 6 moreMore from Haskell Wexler
More films directed by Haskell Wexler: Latino, Introduction to the Enemy, Brazil: A Report on Torture and The Bus.
Medium Cool Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Medium Cool 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 87 on Metacritic.
-
Rotten Tomatoes 96% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 78%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 87 Metascore
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 68% User score
See on TMDB
Medium Cool Plot Summary
What happens in Medium Cool from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
John Cassellis, a television news cameraman, is portrayed with a sense of detachment as he focuses solely on capturing the brutal reality of car accidents. With a drive for ratings that overshadows any sense of human empathy, Cassellis prioritizes sensational stories and high audience engagement over personal connections and moral integrity.
When Cassellis discovers that his news station has been leveraging the footage he and his team captured for the benefit of the FBI, his sense of outrage surges. The station’s flimsy excuse for firing him only deepens his anger and pushes him to seek new opportunities. This leads him to the Democratic National Convention, where a series of challenging events put his worldview to the test.
Full summary
The whole story of Medium Cool, scene by scene
Medium Cool Box Office
Medium Cool grossed $430 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$430
Medium Cool Awards & Nominations
Medium Cool earned 1 award nomination, including Feature Film at the DGA Awards 1970.
1 nomination1 ceremony
-
DGA Awards 1970 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Haskell Wexler
Medium Cool Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 2 trailers.
- Trailer Medium Cool (1969) | Official Trailer
How Well Do You Know Medium Cool?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the profession of John Cassellis?
Cars in Medium Cool
108 cars on screen, including the 1968 Chevrolet Impala Wagon and the 1962 Checker Aerobus.
-
1968 Chevrolet Impala Wagon Main role -
1962 Checker Aerobus Minor role -
FMC M59 Minor role -
1957 Ford Country Sedan Minor role
Medium Cool Also Known As
17 alternative titles, including “Dias de Fogo” and “The Concrete Wilderness”.
- Also known as
-
- Dias de Fogo
- The Concrete Wilderness
- America
- America, dove vai?
- Chłodnym okiem
- Det kalla ögat
- アメリカを斬る
- Objectif vérité
- Medium Cool (Chicago 68)
- Tunteeton silmä
- Холодным взором
- Холодним поглядом
+5 more Show fewer
- Det kalde kamera
- בעין עירומה
- 冷酷媒体
- 미디엄 쿨
- Un medio pacífico
Seen Medium Cool?
Movies Like Medium Cool
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Convention, Chicago 10 and An American Affair.
Medium Cool FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Medium Cool, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Medium Cool?
Medium Cool runs 1 hour 51 minutes (111 minutes).
When was Medium Cool released?
Medium Cool was released on August 27, 1969.
Who directed Medium Cool?
Medium Cool was directed by Haskell Wexler.
More films by Haskell Wexler Who is in the cast of Medium Cool?
Medium Cool stars Robert Forster, Marianna Hill and Peter Bonerz, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Medium Cool make at the box office?
Medium Cool grossed $430 worldwide.
How is Medium Cool rated?
Medium Cool has 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 87 on Metacritic and 68% on TMDB.
Was Medium Cool nominated for any awards?
Medium Cool received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.
Does Medium Cool have a post-credit scene?
No. Medium Cool has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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