Rebels with a Cause

Narrated by Frances McDormand, Rebels with a Cause tells the story of how San Francisco Bay area residents came together in the 1950s through the '70s in order to save tens of thousands of acres north of the Golden Gate Bridge from development—mounting a collaboration between private individuals and politicians that is almost impossible to envision happening today. Filmmakers Nancy Kelly and Kenji Yamamoto interweave archival and contemporary footage with interviews to recount this inspiring story, in which government officials including President John F. Kennedy, U.S. Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, and U.S. Representative Clem Miller worked together to set land aside. Later help came from the Nature Conservancy (which bought much of the acreage) and a sympathetic county commissioner (who assisted in scuttling a huge planned development). The Golden Gate Recreation Area was ensured with the addition of abandoned military installations including San Francisco's Presidio, and the conservation effort expanded to include the Point Reyes National Seashore, and an agricultural land trust. On a broader scale, the battle spawned a nationwide movement to retain undeveloped areas near urban centers (90 percent of Marin County consists of open space today, and is within a 20-minute drive for most San Franciscans). Offering a timely reminder of how bottom-up activism once worked, this beautifully-filmed documentary is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Gardner)