In Marjoleine Boonstra's Robert, Mary, and Katrina, septuagenarians Robert and Mary Manual, former residents of New Orleans who have been married for 51 years, talk about how their family survived the most devastating storm in recent U.S. history. Believing that their sturdy brick house could withstand the strong winds, the Manuels decided to ride out Hurricane Katrina, but when the levee broke and the water quickly rose, the family embarked on an unimaginable ordeal—ultimately making five calls to 911 that yielded only promises of help, until eventually a group of young men in a raft rescued them from the flooded house. “They were supposed to be the neighborhood bad boys,” says Mary, “but they were there saving people; they were the only ones saving us.” Robert and Mary's account echoes themes that appeared in news coverage of the storm and its aftermath, but their humor and vivid descriptions reveal an intimate side of the catastrophe not often presented in the media. The experiences of several generations of offspring enrich Robert and Mary's narrative (including a son and daughter who witnessed the violence in the Superdome), and the pair bemoan the fact that the real tribulation of the storm is not lost possessions but the separation from loved ones who are now dispersed across the country. Uninterrupted by questions or alternate footage, Robert and Mary's story is presented from one camera's viewpoint, giving this documentary the structure and feel of a conversation. Although it raises more questions than it provides answers, Robert, Mary, and Katrina offers a compelling personal take on the disaster. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Wadland)
Robert, Mary, and Katrina
(2006) 42 min. VHS or DVD: $298. First Run/Icarus Films. PPR. Color cover. Volume 21, Issue 5
Robert, Mary, and Katrina
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