Gore Vidal: the Man Who Said No

Does a documentary about writer Gore Vidal's 1982 failed Senate bid in California have relevance for viewers today? Yes and no. For a state whose political figures have been notably vapid (Pete Wilson, Jerry Brown--whom Vidal dubs "the lord of the flies"), Vidal's fiery brand of intellectual liberalism is certainly much more entertaining, and even more purposeful on occasion, than his opponents' platforms. Whether blasting Uncle Ronnie's handling of the El Salvador situation, singling out corporations and churches as long overdue for significant tax payments, or taking critical aim at the military-industrial-political complex whose mission it is to create "docile workers and loyal consumers," Vidal's commentary is consistently engaging and often blistering. Gary Conklin's cinema verite approach follows the candidate on the campaign trail, delivering speeches and gladhanding the man and woman on the street. What's most interesting about Vidal's 1982 comments are the similarities (minus the wit and sarcasm) to Clinton's concerns. Proposals for educational vouchers, socialized medicine, and unilateral nuclear disarmament will sound very familiar to today's viewers. Unfortunately, much of the program concerns dated issues (El Salvador) and relies on world politics seen through a Cold War prism (i.e. when Communism was still alive, if not particularly kicking). And, people will tune out here for much the same reason that they tuned out in 1982: intellectualism is a doomed approach in a grassroots political campaign. Recommended for collections with large contemporary politics holdings, but for others a very optional purchase. (R. Pitman)