The People Speak

Late in his life, Howard Zinn (1922–2010), professor and author of the influential and controversial A People's History of the United States (1980), hosted a series of dramatic readings at a Boston theater in which he provided historical commentary alongside performances by a changing cast of celebrities. The script consisted of passages from speeches, court transcripts, letters, poems, and other documents, representing arguments by agitators for social change or expressing the feelings of ordinary folk often ignored in traditional histories. The People Speak offers a composite of selections from the production (directed by Zinn, Chris Moore, and Anthony Arnove) using texts drawn from Zinn's later companion sourcebook for the People's History read by actors including Matt Damon, Sean Penn, Danny Glover, Marisa Tomei, Morgan Freeman, Josh Brolin, and Rosario Dawson, punctuated by songs of protest performed by Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and others. Topics include the mistreatment of Native Americans, abolitionism, women's rights, the Civil Rights movement, unionization, and war protesting, with the readings complemented by archival stills and film footage. While viewers unsympathetic to Zinn's admittedly radical perspective will complain that the result is one-sided, even propagandistic, The People Speak provides a useful counterpoint to conventional accounts, which largely reflect the views of the powerful. Although the relatively brief snippets here can't match the fullness of Zinn's books, the pieces serve to introduce viewers to a provocative alternate perspective on our country's past. DVD extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette and a montage of actors' remarks. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)