1971 is a straightforward, sober, and unglamorous account of little known political activism taking place amid 1960’s and ‘70s political turmoil in America. A group calling itself the Citizen’s Commission to Investigate the FBI did not receive the same level of attention or historic recognition as others that were more ostentatious. This may very well have had a lot to do with the success of the success of the band of activists who, in the words of one of its members, were a “bunch of ordinary people who got together and did extraordinary things.” This firsthand account of their most pertinent activity provides fascinating insight into the mindset of these relatively quiet revolutionaries , whose actions was arguably the same if not greater than those with greater notoriety.
At first, members of the group introduce themselves and the
impetus for them to join various causes of the time. The group’s ranks consisted
of a diverse cross section of citizens, including a cab driver, social worker, and
university professors. Some were parents, and ages ranged from young to old.
Through individual interviews, they discussed each of their own developing
ideologies during that time. The notion of shifting from “nonviolent protest to
nonviolent disruption” signified a sense of the need to go beyond expressing a
point of view. This led some who would join together to form the Citizen’s
Commission to carry out the destruction of government files tied to the Vietnam
War draft.
When they formed the Citizen’s Commission, their activities
became focused on a single goal: break into an FBI office in the small town of
Media, Pennsylvania and steal files that would allow them to expose policies
violating citizens’ rights.
An account of their plan is given, from its conception to it
being carried out, along with challenges and threats of capture that arose
along the way. It is as suspenseful a tale as a bona-fide work of
espionage-based fiction. The combined accounts are extremely telling, showing
how factors such as each member’s talents and outside circumstances affected
who would do what and the timing of their plan.
In addition to the group’s activity, we see other key
factors in the conflict of the time. The FBI is contemplated, by members of the
Citizen’s Commission and others of the time, as an organization regarded as
cool and inspiring in the climate of the ‘60s, but growing out of control in
regards to its response to anti-war protests. Cases are made that their
activities exceeded the grasp of the government, giving them a dangerous amount
of unchecked power. We also see how powerful an influence the media can have,
or not, as journalist Bettie Medsger accounts for what happened when the stolen
FBI files were transmitted to journalists. A few were extremely curious while
many apparently wanted nothing to do with them.
The story is told employing several means: dramatizations,
images of the documents in question with significant portions often highlighted,
and the narration of the Commission members. The addition of newspaper
clippings, news broadcasts, footage of television shows that were popular at
the time and university rallies add an immersive sense of context to what was
transpiring at the time. Photos of the
Commission members from the time give an interesting juxtaposition of then and
now, showing what it is in fact like as revolutionary figures grow and change.
When so many revolutionary figures are looked at as iconic
figures, and what we know stands to be a combination of myth and fact, it is
refreshing to see an account from the individuals themselves, who regard
themselves as no more than ordinary citizens. With the wisdom hat comes with
hindsight, the issues that make acts of opposition so difficult, like balancing
the societal responsibility one feels to the responsibility people must take
for their families’ well being.
It’s a quietly powerful film about a quietly powerful group
of people, who may very well influence the next group of socially responsible revolutionaries.
1971 screens Friday, April 18, Monday, the 21st,
Wednesday, the 23rd and Thursday, the 24th. Click here for more info and to buy tickets.
Great to hear this and wonderfully penned review Mondo! This was one of the very first films I penned in on my schedule (will be seeing in on Monday) as it has special appeal to baby boomers like myself!
ReplyDeleteThanks, humbled as always! I think it'll be a great public screening and stands to teach "the kids these days" a thing or two about radical protest. I'd also add that this would be a very interesting double feature with The Newburgh Sting, which touches on many of the same issues criticized yet taken up to the past decade.
ReplyDelete