Trumbo – DVD Review

Film, Reviews

Trumbo

Nowadays people don’t care how much they lie to Congressional panels. Whether it be cheating industrialists, thieving bankers or steroid-enhanced baseball players, they take the oath and proceed to spread false claims or plead the Fifth Amendment. Even when they’re exposed, they don’t fear any punishment for their conduct. But in 1947, Congress had the ability to destroy a man’s life. Such was the fate of Dalton Trumbo and nine other screenwriters when they went before the House Un-American Activities Committee. They were looking to expose communists in showbiz. Trumbo is a creative documentary that details what Congress did to his career.

At the time of the Red Scare, Trumbo was a high profile screenwriter in Hollywood. He wrote Kitty Foyle, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo and A Guy Named Joe. He was a bit of a character and wasn’t going to be intimidated by a bunch of blow hard representatives. He’d tangled with studio heads during breakfast. Neither were the other nine writers that were called before the committee. While many had connections to the communist party, they weren’t willing to be part of the witchhunt. They didn’t want to fink out friends.

They refused to answer the question about their involvement with the communist party. Instead of pleading the Fifth Amendment which would make them sound guilty, they smartly declared protection from the questions by the powers granted in their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly. Nothing upsets a politician more than correct usage of the Bill of Rights. Punishment would be handed out to these uncooperative writers. The MPAA declared that nobody connected to the communist party would ever work in the movies. HUAC went one step further and had them convicted of Contempt of Congress. Trumbo spent nearly a year in prison. When he got out, his name was unwelcomed in Hollywood, but plenty of producers wanted to tap into his talent. For a decade he worked with fake names and front writers to earn a shadowy living. He won two Oscars for Roman Holiday and The Brave One, but wasn’t allowed to collect them. It wasn’t until 1960 when his name returned to the screen on Otto Preminger’s Exodus and Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus. He would get to direct his anti-war novel Johnny Got His Gun.

Trumbo mixes archival footage, fresh interviews and actors reading the letters of Trumbo. Michael Douglas, Nathan Lane, David Strathairn, Donald Sutherland Dustin Hoffman, Josh Lucas are among those who give voice to a man who was silenced by the industry. They give insight of how Trumbo was feeling in the moment. The vintage interviews with him have him being coy with the press. He won’t admit to what films he’s secretly worked on so you think he’s worked on everything.

Trumbo gives a sense of the person who wasn’t allowed his right to free speech in America. He was locked away and banned from his trade when he got out. While he was silenced in public, his words were still craved in private. His story must be told so that people can understand that true effect of the Hollywood blacklist. It wasn’t merely a slap on the wrist. Congress tried to destroy these Americans. Luckily most of them (including Trumbo) were able to survive and outlive their enemies. This documentary is a testament to his talent and his struggle.

The video is 1.78:1 anamorphic. There’s no transfer issues. The actors look good as they read the letters. The vintage material varies in quality as expected. The audio is in 5.1 Dolby Digital and 2.0 Dolby Digital. The levels don’t vary much between speakers. The subtitles are in Spanish.

Paul Giamatti reads Dalton Trumbo’s Letter to Ring Lardner Jr. (4:45) from June, 1953. Lardner Jr. was also blacklisted. He would win the Oscar for the M*A*S*H screenplay.

Danny Glover Reads Dalton Trumbo’s Letter to Arthur, Film Associate (3:39) is from Dec. 1947. Trumbo talks of being accustomed to abuse. He lists the abuse he receives in letters.

Photo Gallery (6:09) is a montage of pictures. You get to see him with his son Christopher Trumbo, the screenwriter of this documentary.

Trumbo must be required viewing in any college screenwriting course. He lets people know what happens if Congress does decide to clean up Hollywood as certain political figures still want to do. Dalton Trumbo demonstrates how a man can’t put his talent aside even in the wake of such harsh conditions.


Magnolia Home Entertainment presents Trumbo. Directed by: Peter Askin. Starring: Dalton Trumbo, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas and Dustin Hoffman. Written by: Christopher Trumbo. Running time: 95 minutes. Rating: PG-13. Released on DVD: Sept. 15, 2009. Available at Amazon.com

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.