Eastwood Film: The Ballad of Richard Jewell

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by unclefred, Aug 2, 2019.

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  1. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    The media does tend to publish the allegation on 1A and bury the acquittal on an inside page. But it also exonerates innocent people convicted by judges and juries. It clears the names of people unjustly accused. It exposes corruption by police and overzealous prosecutors. It tells the story of crime victims. We know the story of Richard Jewell’s innocence because the media reported it. To say that the media “always presumes guilt” is to commit the very act you’re trying to condemn.
     
  2. Comet01

    Comet01 Forum Resident

    Agreed.
    Unfortunately, in today's world, painting with a broad brush is the surest way to activate the echo chamber.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2019
  3. razerx

    razerx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sonoma California
    Back in high school in the 70’s we had debate class and our teacher said the most effective way to discredit the other side is not to address the issue at all but to trash the speaker any way you can. The debate topic given to me was nuclear power (I was the against side) and my opponent during the debate called me a “pinko” for not supporting American industry. I still won the debate but that kid should run for office. We are in an age even when we don’t know anything about whatever we are supposed to be talking about like a film no one has seen but the defenders of the faith are already taking about the writer’s, director’s, journalist’s perceived bias. We are now swimming in the age of anti-intellectualism and have become barking sheep on behalf of whatever badge we are wearing.
     
  4. the pope ondine

    the pope ondine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia

    sounds like what a pinko would say :unhunh:


    jus kidding......:edthumbs:
     
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  5. Brian Mc

    Brian Mc Member

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    Hyperbole on my part towards poor journalistic standards that everyone understands is not the equivalent of destroying people's lives.
     
  6. tomhayes

    tomhayes Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca
    The types of threads allow me to add more and more people to my ignore list :)

    But I'd say Eastwood's post 2008 output (11 films) has actually taken a pretty sharp political turn - whether you agree with him or not.
     
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  7. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    I hardly remember this case; not sure I'll see the movie. But good grief, was that all the FBI had when the writer named him as their lead suspect? It's fine for the bureau to pursue that speculation, in a responsible manner, but naming him in the paper as a suspect based on the mere fact that he had acted like a turkey while working as a security guard is grossly irresponsible.
     
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  8. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    "Unforgiven."

    One of the three best Westerns ever made, and a truly great American film.

    Good luck.
     
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  9. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    All true and well put.
     
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  10. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    See post # 68.

    There is such a thing as making an over the top statement and then amending it.

    However, I didn’t like Unforgiven. So there.
     
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  11. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    Agreed, there is. Hadn't seen that post, thanks for the reply.
     
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  12. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    I believe the reporter got the fact that he was the principal suspect from a source inside of the FBI, rather than the FBI announcing it.

    I'm not going to defend the FBI's actions 100%, but on the other hand, what sort of "law enforcement officer" doesn't know his Miranda Rights, particularly the right to have an attorney present during questioning? Seriously, this is something that anyone who's ever watched a cop show knows.
     
  13. PhilBorder

    PhilBorder Senior Member

    Location:
    Sheboygan, WI
    Sometimes. I think "Usually presumes guilt" would be a fair statement based on what I've seen, locally and nationally, and see more of today. In the market I live in, not one reporter - print or broadcast - is assigned to the largest City's City Hall or County Courthouse. There are many untold stories and a lot of people getting away with stuff. To the extent the media doesn't presume guilt is because they're not presuming anything. They don't know what they don't know, which is considerable.
     
  14. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    Someone I knew very well committed a crime years ago, a serious one on the level of federal investigation. I was amazed at what I read in the newspaper about this person because half of the "facts" about the person were wrong.
    Anyway, I like Clint Eastwood movies. Some are better than others, of course, but I enjoy them. I watched Thunderbolt and Lightbolt recently, that one transported me back in time to 1974. I thought Firefox was awful though.
     
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  15. Clark V Kauffman

    Clark V Kauffman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Des Moines, Iowa
    Well, sure, they can't know (or report) a person's guilt -- they can only know and report whether a person is a suspect or has been charged.
     
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  16. NickCarraway

    NickCarraway Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gastonia, NC
    Very few corners of Hollywood have been spared "political turns" since 9/11. And very few recent "political" films have been as misunderstood as Eastwood's American Sniper.
     
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  17. unclefred

    unclefred Coastie with the Moastie Thread Starter

    Location:
    Oregon Coast
    I just rewatched that one too. it was still good, and yeah Firefox is not my cuppa.
     
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  18. GreenDrazi

    GreenDrazi Truth is beauty

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Jewell was a naive security guard, not a "law enforcement officer," that had been depicted in the media as a hero (before the false FBI leaks). He was tricked into being questioned by the FBI under the false pretense that he, a hero, was helping to make a training film. And the “cop wanna-be” was, no doubt, happy to do so.

    ''I can tell you that no prosecutor could go into court, and no Director of the F.B.I. could go before Congress, and claim that necessary constitutional warnings are adequately conveyed by telling a suspect that he is an actor in a training video and that he is being presented Miranda warnings 'just like it's a real official interview,' '' F.B.I. Director, Louis J. Freeh​

    You shouldn’t be defending the FBI at all in this case (nor the press). The FBI has admitted to leaking information to the press about Jewell to convict him in the media in the hope that it would pressure him into a confession. They questioned him under false pretenses. And they ignored evidence that they had on the real bomber, Eric Rudolph, who would go on to kill more people in 3 other bombings.
     
  19. unclefred

    unclefred Coastie with the Moastie Thread Starter

    Location:
    Oregon Coast
    100%, an egregious affront to justice that has earned the infamy it deserves and another black eye for the FBI.
     
  20. Jack Lord

    Jack Lord Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    Steven Hatfill would agree.
     
  21. Bob Dobalina

    Bob Dobalina Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I have to recommend this movie primarily for the fantastic performance by Paul Walter Hauser. I think he'll get an Academy Award nomination (at least) for this. I never would have imagined 40 years ago, when ol' Squint was co-starring with an orangutan, that he would have developed into such a skilled actor's director.
     
  22. NickCarraway

    NickCarraway Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gastonia, NC
    Thank-you for steering the thread back where it should be: on the film.
     
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  23. BZync

    BZync Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I saw this film over the weekend. It was quite good. The acting was superb across the board. Well worth seeing.
     
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  24. misteranderson

    misteranderson Forum Resident

    Location:
    englewood, nj
    Oh please. Your bias is showing. Julian Assange is about Julian Assange, 24/7/365/forever. Not entirely a hero or villain, but out for himself, and nobody else.

    Richard Jewell looks fascinating. Not sure I'll get a chance to see it properly, in a theater, but I'll make a point of it.
     
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  25. EricBanks

    EricBanks Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Midwest
    He's very talented and has been really entertaining in things as diverse as "I, Tonya" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
     
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