Ed. Note. Historians and film makers are combining efforts more and more frequently to recreate history for the public. Their efforts help to promote the cause of history while educating more people than can be reached in a classroom. There are many good film efforts; these are just a sample.
Ken Burns, Film Producer: Few film makers are presently as active in bringing the American past to TV viewers as Ken Burns, and few have won as much acclaim for their efforts. Burns garnered an Eric Barnouw Prize from the Organization of American Historians for his film, The Brooklyn Bridge, received the American Film Festival’s Blue Ribbon for The Shakers, and he won another “Barnouw” for Huey Long. The Statue of Liberty received an Academy Award nomination, and Burns is now at work on a large-scale documentary about the American Civil War.
Burns developed his skills in the Hampshire College program in Film Studies and Design back in the early 1970s and then gained hands-on experience in a number of projects in which he moved up from cameraman to director and producer. While Burns is a media professional by trade, he shows an abiding interest in history and works closely with scholars in the production of his various film projects. David McCullough, well-known for his books on the Brooklyn Bridge, the Panama Canal, and Theodore Roosevelt, became a working partner in several of Burns’ productions and served as the host. Other historians worked as advisers and consultants in these NEB-funded projects.
Huey Long succeeds as a historical film especially because it shows us several sides of the “Kingfish’s” complex personality. Through the first part of the film, we see the achievements of the obscure Louisianian who rose rapidly to become governor, senator, and, in the eyes of his adoring supporters, a prospect for the White House. Long’s contributions are particularly evident in the remarks of the poor folk, who, through interviews, recall Huey’s fights against the rich and powerful. Eventually, however, we sense that there is a snake in paradise. The record of Long’s corruption and power-grabbing comes forward. He begins to look like a North American Perón—a dangerous politico who poses as the Robin Hood of the common people. “I was really glad when they shot him,” recalls I. F. Stone. “He could have become an American dictator.”
By the end of the film, we are intrigued by the subject and stimulated by the contrasting remarks of guests such as Mrs. Rodding Carter, Senator Earl Long, Tom Wicker, Robert Penn Warren, Senator Jennings Randolph, and Arthur Schlesinger, jr. As Burns notes, he tried to give viewers a “tidal relationship” to the material. Throughout the film, interviews, narration, and visual evidence give audiences a sense of the push and pull of different interpretations. Ultimately, the viewers must make their own judgments about Long’s leadership and legacy.
The Statue of Liberty is even more attractive artistically. The subject is large, for Burns tries to examine many facets of the story. How did the idea for the statue develop, he asks? How did the promoters raise the money to build her and complete construction? In what ways does the Statue symbolize the hopes of immigrants? What is the meaning of liberty? It would seem that all of this is too much to tackle in a one-hour documentary, but Burns handles the task well through a liberal selection of sources. Original documents, rare photographs, and actors’ voices representing historic figures give spice to the presentation. Several well-known commentators add their own perspectives. The list of guests includes Barbara Jordan, Milos Forman, Mario Cuomo, Sol Linowitz, Jerzy Kosinski, and James Baldwin as well as immigrant families who describe the Statue’s symbolism with powerful emotion. Sophisticated editing and an intelligent selection of period and contemporary music also make this a rare artistic accomplishment. The Statue of Liberty is, above all, a contribution to our understanding of history, but it also sharpens our appreciation of philosophy, art, music, and poetry.
For further information on The Statue of Liberty, The Brooklyn Bridge, or The Shakers, write Direct Cinema, c/o Transit Media, 445 W. Main St., Wyckoff, NJ 07481. For Huey Long write Corinth Films, 410 East 62nd St., New York, NY 10021.
