Walter: Lessons from the World's Oldest People

A documentary about the world's oldest people would seem to hold promise, but filmmaker Hunter Weeks unfortunately spends as much time on himself as he does on his subject. Before introducing 114-year-old Walter Breuning, who lives in a Minneapolis retirement home, Weeks shares a Valentine's Day dinner with his fiancée, Sarah. Walter doesn't hear well and he uses a motorized scooter, but he remembers events from over a hundred years ago, including the sinking of the Titanic. When Weeks isn't visiting with Walter, or meeting with others, he continues to film his conversations, clinches, and meals with Sarah. Although he tries to tie the two things together (according to Weeks, the film is a project, like their relationship), the connection is tenuous, at best. Fortunately, he is able to glean some interesting facts about Walter, who grew up with his mother after his father left, and became a railroad worker at the age of 17. Weeks also meets with senior gerontology consultant Robert Young from the Guinness Book of World Records, who says that 116 is the age of the oldest living person. Besse Cooper was the then-current record-holder, so Weeks and Sarah travel to Georgia to interview her. Unlike Walter, she's confined to a bed, can barely hear (they have to yell in her ear), and needs help eating. They also meet with 110-year-old Mary Tankursley in Texas, 109-year-old Sister Cecilia in Rome, and Juana Bautista in Cuba, who claims to be 126 (Young considers that doubtful). As for Walter, he doesn't know why he's beat the odds, and he offers a simple recommendation: “Keep your mind and your body busy.” Despite the director's missteps, there is still value here for collections on aging, as well as viewers interested in centenarians. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)