WUSA (film)

WUSA
Promotional movie poster for the film
Directed by	Stuart Rosenberg
Produced by	John Foreman
Written by	Robert Stone
Starring	Paul Newman Joanne Woodward Anthony Perkins Laurence Harvey
Music by	Lalo Schifrin
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	1970 (1970)
Running time	115 min.
Country	United States
Language	English

WUSA is a 1970 American drama film, directed by Stuart Rosenberg. It was written by Robert Stone, based on his novel A Hall of Mirrors. The story involves a radio station in New Orleans with the eponymous call sign which is apparently involved in a right-wing conspiracy. It culminates with a riot and stampede at a patriotic pep-rally when an assassin on a catwalk opens fire.

The cast included Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Anthony Perkins, Laurence Harvey, Cloris Leachman and Wayne Rogers.

Rheinhardt, a cynical drifter, gets a job as an announcer for a Right Wing White supremacists radio station, WUSA in New Orleans. Rheinhardt is content to parrot WUSA's reactionary editorial stance on the air, even if he does not agree with it. Rheinhardt finds his cynical detachment challenged by a woman he meets in a bar, Geraldine, and by Rainey, a neighbor and troubled idealist who becomes aware of WUSA's sinister, hidden purpose. And when events start spinning out of control, even Rheinhardt finds he must take a stand.

Bingamon, the station's owner, is sponsoring a hate rally that draws a protest from black militants. Rainey attempts to assassinate Bingamon, but after he misses and accidentally wounds someone else, Rainey is attacked by the crowd and beaten to death. In the chaos, drugs end up in the possession of Geraldine, who is arrested by the police. A disillusioned Reinhardt packs his bags and leaves town.

Anthony Perkins was nominated for best supporting actor of the year by the National Society of Film Critics.

Paul Newman called it "the most significant film I've ever made and the best."