The Love of Money, Part 1: The Bank That Bust the World

This BBC presentation is the first of a three-part series tracing the circumstances that brought about the ongoing economic crisis, focusing on the 158-year-old Lehman Brothers, which went bankrupt in September 2008 following its reckless endeavors in the world of subprime mortgages. Interviewees include a number of people who were involved in the frantic efforts to keep Lehman alive, along with a few politicians who had nothing to do with the crisis but were still tarred with its residue, including former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (both overseeing countries that suffered from the global economy's domino effect). Absent from the roster of talking heads, however, are two key individuals whose actions were instrumental: former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson (whose refusal to bail out Lehman Brothers is still being debated) and Lehman CEO Dick Fuld (who has said nothing publicly on the issue outside of a contentious appearance on Capitol Hill after his institution collapsed). Since the cameras were not present during the negotiations that failed to save Lehman Brothers, filmmaker Guy Smith's documentary relies too heavily on travelogue-worthy shots of New York City while Alex Jennings' somewhat condescending narration explains the melodrama. Still, even though the production offers no new insights, it does provide a brief but useful recap of recent events, making this a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)