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A look into the life on an infamous blacklisted writer in the times of the Communist scare.

In the late 1940s a group of Hollywood industry people were called to the House of Un-American Activities Committee (UAC) regarding their possible Communist sympathies bleeding over into the entertainment industry.  Ten of these men, all writers and directors, refused to give any information over to this group and were subsequently blacklisted from working on film.  One of the men in this group was Dalton Trumbo, a prolific writer who was held in contempt of Congress and served elven months in a federal penitentiary as well as being on this list. 

Based on his son’s play of the same name, Trumbo takes interviews, new and archival, as well as Trumbo’s own writings to tell his story.  Excerpts from the hearings before the UAC are used to show Trumbo’s ideals of not giving up information and fighting his views of injustice.  Once Dalton was released from prison he moved his family to Mexico and kept writing, having screenplays make it to the screen - under a nome de plume of course.  The story of the unclaimed Oscar is told when Trumbo’s writing for the film The Brave One won for Best Story (a retired category) under the pseudonym Robert Rich.  Of course Trumbo was not there to accept and therefore it went uncollected for quite some time. 

The overall story here is great, whether you agree with the man or not.  His struggle to live his life and work in his craft while no one would let him for his beliefs is a hard one.  While Trumbo was not the only person to endure this at the time, his fight to work, along with the help of some un-blacklisted Hollywood friends, helped to break down the barrier for his persecuted colleagues.  One of the greatest aspects of this documentary is not just the inclusion of some of the man’s writings, be they public commercial works or private correspondence, but how they are portrayed.  They were read by actors (such as Donald Sutherland, Paul Giamatti, Nathan Lane, Liam Neeson, Michael Douglas and many others) in a dramatic way with a black, shadowed background.  This is how I can imagine the source play works, and brilliantly brings that dimension to the film.  Each one of these moments served as a highlight of the overall film and really brought Trumbo’s words to life.  Not to mention it reminded me how much I love Donald Sutherland.  I want to make a movie for no other reason than to cast him. 

There are just a few extras on the DVD release, but that does not make them good.  Two other letters by Dalton Trumbo are given a dramatic interpretation by Giamatti and Danny Glover (who is not in the actual film).  These two scenes are rounded out by a photo gallery, but the letters are what you really want to watch.

Those interested in film, writing or the communist threat era of the U.S. will not be disappointed with this documentary.  Watch the story of a man who tried to keep his beliefs in time where the country would not let him and how he fought through his persecution.

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