Flick Clique Screening: The Most Dangerous Man in America
THURSDAY 2.25
By Scott Renshaw @scottrenshaw
What turns a Marine veteran and Pentagon policy analyst into the most famous/infamous American whistleblower this side of Deep Throat? Meet Daniel Ellsberg—not just the icon, but the man whose conscience may have changed the course of a war—in this 2010 Oscar-nominated documentary from filmmakers Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith.
The filmmakers track Ellsberg’s growing pangs of conscience as he learns more and more about America’s history of interventionism in Southeast Asia, and about the unverified reports that led to the Tonkin Gulf resolution. It also notes the influence of his budding relationship with his activist wife, Patricia, including their first date, at a peace rally.
While the film does provide an intriguing human portrait, it also explores the legacy of Ellsberg’s risky release of 7,000 top-secret documents to Congress and to The New York Times. While Ellsberg lamented the content of the Pentagon Papers not making a stronger impact on the public, a landmark Supreme Court decision resulted in a difficult burden of proof for the government to suppress information; the ripple effects of Ellsberg’s “treason” continue far beyond Vietnam.
Join City Weekly’s Flick Clique for a free screening of the film, as well as a post-film discussion with the film’s co-writer and co-editor, Michael Chandler, and former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson about the impact one conscientious man can have on history.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers @ The Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 E. 400 South, 801-524-8200, Thursday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. SLCFilmCenter.org
Speaking of...
-
Avrec Art House
A look inside the facilities of the downtown film hub
- Mar 15, 2016
-
Salty Block Pictures
Making feature films and music videos with the SLC production company
- Nov 20, 2015
-
Glad You Asked: Requiem For a Dream, La Traviata & Skellum
- Jan 20, 2014
- More »
More by Scott Renshaw
-
Film Reviews: New Releases for April 19
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Abigail, The Beast, Hard Miles, Sasquatch Sunset and more
- Apr 19, 2024
-
Faces of Salt Lake County book and portrait reception
Images and personal stories in a new book reveal local demographic diversity
- Apr 17, 2024
-
Feature film review: THE BEAST
A filmmaker's compelling ideas get a bit tangled in references to his creative influences.
- Apr 17, 2024
- More »
Latest in Entertainment Picks
Readers also liked…
-
THE ESSENTIAL A&E PICKS FOR MAR 14 - 20
St. Patrick's Day, Bored Teachers Comedy Tour, Downy Doxey-Marshall: Bloom and Laura Sharp Wilson: Gilding the Lily: A Choreography , and more.
- Mar 13, 2024
