Forward Ever: The Killing of a Revolution

When President Ronald Reagan ordered the U.S. military invasion of Grenada in 1983, many Americans were unfamiliar with the tiny Caribbean island or knew about the tumult that preceded the intervention. Bruce Paddington's excellent documentary offers an incisive look at pre-invasion Grenada, which had veered wildly out of control after years of political mismanagement. Following independence in 1974, Grenada wobbled under the leadership of Prime Minister Eric Gairy, who displayed little regard for democratic institutions. Charges of fraud in the 1976 election further isolated Gairy from his constituents, and a 1979 coup led by Maurice Bishop brought a Marxist-Leninist government to the island. Initially welcomed by Grenadians, Bishop's regime soon became more repressive and incompetent than rule under Gairy. In October 1983, a military coup resulted in Bishop's arrest, as well as the arrest and later execution of his close colleagues. The Reagan administration, which barely tolerated Bishop, was alarmed at the prospect that the new military leaders might further cement the country within the Soviet-Cuban bloc. Alleged danger to U.S. citizens studying in Grenada's medical schools would then serve as the pretext for the invasion and overthrow of the military junta. Paddington combines rare footage from the Gairy and Bishop years with new interviews of Grenadians who were at the heart of the nation's upheaval. A fascinating documentary that boasts the emotional resonance and cinematic mastery of Costa-Gavras's classic political thrillers, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)