The Frank Truth

"FRANK" magazine is Canada's only member of the gutter press. It seems that you either love it or you want to rip it to shreds. To some it is frivolous entertainment, to others it is a disrespectful bomb. While there are some supporters, the list of detractors reads like a veritable who's who of the rich, famous and powerful in Canada. If your name is printed on the pages of "FRANK", you know you've made it. Shooting over the course of two years with unprecedented access, Rick Caine documented the behind-the-scenes workings of the Ottawa office - the people who write for the magazine and the people whose lives are printed in its issues. The film portrays the enigmatic and much-hated publisher of "FRANK", Michael Bate, as a music-loving family man who grew up in an authoritarian household. Among the many personalities appearing in the film are Conrad Black, Rick Salutin, Dave Foley, Mike Harris, Wendy Mesley and Cathy Jones.