MAN FROM PLAINS

US, 2007, 127 minutes, Colour.
Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn Carter, Alan M. Dershowitz, Wolf Blitzer, Larry King, Jay Leno.
Directed by Jonathan Demme.

The Man from Plains, Georgia, is President Jimmy Carter.

Audiences expecting a biography of Jimmy Carter will be only partially satisfied. This film takes place over a two month period at the end of 2006, early 2007, as the former president goes on a book-signing tour through the United States, promoting ‘Palestine: Peace not Apartheid’. The president’s life and background are filled in, but the focus is on the tour and the furore it aroused.

It should be said that, at the time of the tour, Carter was 82 (and been married to Rosalynn for 60 years). Carter is full of energy, intelligence and the good will that has marked his international role for almost thirty years after he was defeated in the 1980 election by Ronald Reagan.

The film has been written (constructed and edited from hours of footage) by Jonathan Demme, best known for his Oscar-winning Silence of the Lambs and other feature films like Philadelphia, The Manchurian Candidate. However, Demme is also known as a top documentarist, of rock concerts, but also his story of Haiti and Jean Dominique, The Agronomist (2003). Demme does not intrude in any way in the film although it is his perspective on Jimmy Carter, a man whom he admires. This is a tribute to Carter that will not persuade Carter’s critics to like him but will endear him to those who do like him. The film is not without some voices of critique, especially about Carter’s stances and writing on the Israel -Palestine situation. The most telling of the voices of criticism is that of celebrity lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, who offers some telling parallels between Hamas and Nazi Germany as elected governments who commit atrocities.

There is also some criticism of the title of the book and the use of ‘apartheid’ which was a racial separation before a political separation. Carter defends the use of the word and amplifies its meaning.

While the tour is interesting in its moving from city to city (including a look at New Orleans and the lack of reconstruction a year after Hurricane Katrina), it is also fascinating in its range of radio and television interviews that travel over the same material and the way that Carter keeps answering. There are some well-known personalities like Larry King, Jay Leno and Wolf Blitzer and many American hosts who would be well-known to American audiences. Some have read the book, others not. Some ask the routine, even cliché, questions. Others try to get to the key issues between Palestine and Israel, especially concerning terrorist acts and mediation for accord and peace. There is an interview with an Israeli television channel but a group of Rabbis from Phoenix who asked for a meeting blur their faces and heads and refuse to let the media into the talks. Meanwhile, outside, there is a frighteningly bigoted demonstration on the part of Jewish protestors against Carter and hurling frightening abuse at Palestinians who are gathered there.

The film also includes scenes of terrorist acts by Palestinians and military reprisals by Israel with deaths of civilians and children on both sides.

Throughout the film, there are glimpses of Carter’s life. His coming from Plains and his black nurse and a visit to her grave, scenes of barbeques with friends (preceded by a grace and blessings), a talk in the church where he is a deacon and his unabashed comments on his faith and bible reading with his wife. He visits veterans from the Iranian holding of marine hostages in the 1980s and gives his explanation for his patient negotiation.

Most impressive are the scenes of Camp David and his bringing together of Israel’s Menachem Rabin and Egypt’s Anwar Sadat and the friendly signing of the accord between the two countries – an image that is important for the contemporary Palestinian situation.

This is a continually interesting portrait of a man who could have retired after his one term in office but who has developed foundations for building communities all over the world and who has been willing to be on the world stage to negotiate for peace wherever it took him.

1.The impact of the film: a portrait of Jimmy Carter, the world of 2006, Middle East crises, the focus on the book tour, Carter’s personality, age, energy, views? Provocative? The opposition?

2.The film as a eulogy, Jonathan Demme liking and esteeming Carter? The audience’s reaction to him? His story, his policies, his work as a statesman for world peace, Nobel Prize, his achievement? People differing from him, especially Alan Dershawitz?

3.The world of 2006? The Bush administration and policy? The policies, Iraq? The United States being despised around the world? The status of Israel? The experience of the Palestinians? The building of the wall? Hamas, Iran, threats? Terror? Democracy? The treatment of the Palestinians, the anti-Semitic feeling around the world, America and Jewish policy?

4.The structure of the film: the scenes in Plains, the introduction to the book tour, Carter and his explanation of the Palestinian situation, the maps, the title of the book? The range of the book tour, the main cities of the United States? The return to Plains? The collage during the final credits? The insertion of Carter’s past: the verbal comments about his visit to Israel in 1973, his oil policy and the crisis, the hostages in Iran and his explanations of his policy? The hostages all released safely? The visuals of Carter as young, as president? The importance of the meeting at Camp David, Begin, Sadat? The elections?

5.Jimmy Carter and the Georgia background, his taking the camera on a tour of the properties, the explanations about the trees, the crops, the family land? Seeing his mother with Johnny Carson in the flashback? Her role as a nurse, the Peace Corps and her clinic in India? The story about the later visit? Rachel as a second mother, the black woman working in the family, her care for Jimmy, teaching him fishing? Seeing the variety of his friends in Plains, the barbeque, meeting everyone, photo opportunities, genial? His ability to work the crowds (as later in the body of the Plain)? Rosalynn, her love for him, her role in his life, sixty years married? The phone calls, the reading of the Scriptures, the bike rides?

6.The religious dimension of Carter’s life, the deacon in the local church, his talking about Jesus, his talking about the miracles, his talking about disbelief, his talking about faith? His commitment, grace before meals, asking blessings, his reading of the Scriptures (even in Spanish)? His speech about the heritage of Abraham? His Christianity pervading his life? His not being self-conscious about it?

7.His energy, aged eighty-two for the tour? Liz Hayes and Simon and Schuster executives, Liz accompanying him, preparing the interviews, the meetings with the publishing executives? The status of the book as a bestseller? His winning Grammy awards for his readings? The secret service personnel with him? His taking commercial flights, carrying his luggage? The hotels? His even-keel approach, his comment about the obnoxious phone-caller? His general genial response to interviewers?

8.The range of interviews, the radio personalities, the film’s establishing these personalities, the type of program, the city in which they worked? The preparations, the questions? The issue of whether they had read the book or not? On air, the comments on the title, prejudice, anti-Semitic, the role of Israel, the Palestinians?

9.The range of television interviews, going to the studios, the makeup, the discussions with Sheila Evers in Los Angeles? The film establishing the range of the hosts, Wolf Blitzer, Larry King, Jay Leno? The differences of opinion?

10.The interview with the Israeli personality, the range of the questions, the challenges, Carter’s focus and answers? His interview on Al Jazeera?

11.The issue of the rabbis in Phoenix, the huge protests outside the studios, the Palestinians as victims, the focus on the vicious young man screaming abuse at the Palestinians? The discussions with the rabbis, the rabbis’ faces being obscured? Their declining to give permission for their answers to be filmed?

12.The variety of signings, the range of people met, their comments, especially the Palestinians?

13.The issue of Brandeis University, inviting Carter, withdrawing the invitation, his going, the questions from the students? The issue of the debate with Alan Dershawitz?

14.The initial quotes from Dershawitz about the book? The filming of Dershawitz himself, his comments, the issue of ‘so-called Holocaust’ and Dershawitz’s sensible comment on this? Dershawitz bringing his forensic skills to his objections, especially the legal status of Hamas, its being elected, and the parallel with Nazi Germany?

15.The title of the book, the range of questions about apartheid, the definition of apartheid, Carter saying it was not an ethnic issue but a civil rights issue? Hamas, Israel? His praise of Israel, his criticisms of its treatment of the Palestinians, of the building of the wall? His past support? The picture of the Camp David discussions, the extraordinary images of Sadat and Begin embracing, signing the accord? The criticisms of him by Kenneth Stein and Dennis Ross especially about the maps? His response to them? The insertion of images of the Palestinians and terrorism in Israel contrasting with the bulldozing of Palestinian houses, the violent treatment?

16.Palestein, terrorism, Carter acknowledging this?

17.Camp David, showing the possibilities for peace? Carter and his talking about the Geneva conventions and the possibility of agreements? The Nobel Peace Prize?

18.Carter in himself, his work? The importance of habitat and the building of homes, the sequences in New Orleans and his working, the buildings in Ethiopia, the rest of Africa? Carter and the glimpses of his statesmanship worldwide, Cuba, India …?

19.The overall effect of the film? Portrait of a person, of a statesman? Of a 20th century American? People anti-him continuing to be anti? Those in favour, learning something about him and his policies even into the 21st century?