The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers is a documentary film which premiered in 2009.
Here is some basic information about it:
** Directors: Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
** Writers: Lawrence Lerew, Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith, and Michael Chandler
** Run time: 93 minutes
This is the story of Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers. We follow his life and career during the crucial years from 1964 to 1974. We follow his transformation from a person who worked for the US government and supported the American war in Vietnam to a person who opposed the US government and who opposed the American war in Vietnam.
Ellsberg worked for RAND 1963-1964 and for the Pentagon 1964-1965. He was in Vietnam 1965-1966. When he returned to the US, he returned to RAND. Because he had worked for the Pentagon, he had in his office at RAND a top-secret study of US relations with Vietnam covering the years 1945-1967.
The report, which consisted of 47 volumes with a total of 7,000 pages, became known as the Pentagon Papers.
The top-secret study showed that four US presidents had systematically lied to the American people about what the government was doing in Vietnam.
Ellsberg wanted to expose the lies. He wanted the American people to know the truth.
Following his conscience, he decided that he had to leak this document to the press.
He began making photocopies of the long report in October 1969. The story was published in the New York Times in June 1971.
This film is partially based on Ellsberg’s book
Secrets:
A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers
(Hardcover 2002)
(Paperback 2003)
Many persons are interviewed in the film. Here are the names of the participants (listed in the order of appearance):
** Daniel Ellsberg (1931-2023) - peace activist
** Patricia Marx Ellsberg (born 1938) - peace activist, Daniel’s wife since 1970
** Richard Falk (born 1930) - professor emeritus of international law, Princeton University
** Thomas Schelling (1921-2016) - former analyst at RAND, Nobel laureate
** Tom Oliphant - reporter, Boston Globe
** Morton Halperin (born 1938) - Supervisor of the Vietnam War Study, NSA
** Janaka Tschannerl - peace activist
** Randy Kehler (born 1944) - draft resister during the Vietnam War
** Anthony “Tony” Russo (1936-2008) - former analyst at RAND
** Robert Ellsberg (born 1955) - Daniel’s son
** Pete McCloskey (born 1927) - former Congressman, San Mateo County, California (Republican)
** Howard Zinn (1922-2010) - historian
** Hedrick Smith (born 1933) - reporter, New York Times
** Max Frankel (born 1930) - Washington Bureau Chief, New York Times
** James Goodale (born 1933) - Legal Counsel, New York Times
** Ben Bagdikian (1920-2016) - editor, Washington Post
** Mike Gravel (1930-2021) - former US Senator, Alaska (Democrat)
** Anne Beeson - Associate Legal Director, ACLU 2001-2007
** John Dean (born 1938) - White House Counsel to President Nixon
** Egil “Bud” Krogh (1939-2020) - White House aide for President Richard Nixon
** Leonard (Len) Weinglass (1933-2011) - attorney
The film is composed of several elements:
# 1. Interviews with the persons mentioned above.
# 2. Archive footage (photos and film, sometimes in black-and-white, sometimes in colour). Archive footage includes an interview with AP-reporter Peter Arnett and an interview with President Nixon.
# 3. Re-enactment of some historical scenes.
The release of the Pentagon Papers is an important chapter in the modern history of the US. What was at stake here was the freedom of the press, as well as the relation between the government, the Congress, and the people. Ellsberg risked not only his career, but also his freedom in order to follow his conscience and do what he believed was the right thing.
When asked why he decided to leak this top-secret report to the press, Ellsberg says:
“It was not that we were on the wrong side. We were the wrong side. It was a crime from the start, carried out by four presidents, as revealed in this study, and now a fifth president was doing the same, with no end in sight.”
What do reviewers say about this film?
Here are some results:
** 75 percent = Meta
** 77 percent = IMDb
** 96 percent = Rotten Tomatoes
In 2010, it was shown on the PBS series POV for which it won a Peabody Award. It is dedicated to the memory of Anthony Russo and Howard Zinn.
I understand the positive reviews and I agree with them. This film is a powerful document about an important chapter in the modern history of the US.
I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).
PS # 1. The Pentagon Papers is a political drama which premiered in 2003. It covers Daniel Ellsberg’s life and career from 1963 to 1973.
James Spader plays the role of Daniel Ellsberg, while Paul Giamatti plays the role of his friend and former colleague Anthony “Tony” Russo.
PS # 2. For details about the New York Times and the
publication of the top-secret report, see this book
Fighting for the Press:
The Inside Story of the Pentagon Papers and other Battles
by James C. Goodale
(2013)
(The author of this book appears in this film)
PS # 3. For details about Anthony Russo, see the following article:
Barbara Myers,
“The Forgotten Pentagon Papers Conspirator,”
Mother Jones,
2 June 2015
(Available online)
PS # 4. Daniel Ellsberg can be described as one of first whistleblowers in modern times. It is obvious to compare him with a recent whistleblower:
Edward Snowden
In fact, these two people met in Moscow in 2015. The meeting was reported in The Guardian of 28 November and the New York Times of 30 November 2015.
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