Trumbo

The film captures the impact of the social "witch hunt" in the USA in the 40s and 50s, which was able to do more than just turn the uncomfortable individuals' professional careers and personal lives upside down. Trumbo (and not only him) had undeniable writing talent but due to contemporary paranoia, he was prevented from freely creating and even signing his own works, and yet, like the majority of other similarly persecuted individuals, he did not morally submit. The documentary is strongly enhanced by the recitations of Trumbo's authentic letters and works, which add depth to the film as a whole. (2012-04-11)

America is coming to terms with its recent past. In the story of Dalton Trumbo, Peter Askin shows how easily one could become persecuted in a society obsessed with the hunt for communists. It’s as if systematic ostracization was a dominant feature in the life of the “underground” screenwriter and author (for example, it was long generally not known that he wrote Roman Holiday). What preceded the prohibition of his creative work and the encumbering of his life and what followed are mentioned, or rather only hinted in a few sentences. If this is supposed to be a documentary about blacklisting, why is it called Trumbo? But there is something more here. Trumbo’s writings, mostly personal correspondence, read by Joan Allen and several famous actors with distinctive voices. How better to present a man whose weapon was the word? So, yes, the documentary, based on a stage play by the author’s son, is focused on Trumbo, but it is necessary to read (or rather listen) between the lines. 75% (2011-06-22)