Late in 2006, President Jimmy Carter tours the U.S. promoting his provocative “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” Demme's camera follows Carter from city to city, home to Plains (population 635), visiting a Habitat for Humanity site in New Orleans, and talking on radio and TV with Teri Gross, Charlie Rose, Diane Rehm, Jay Leno, Larry King, Wolf Blitzer, Tavis Smiley, and Al Jazeera and Israeli pundits, discussing Palestine's plight and the policies of Israel. Critics speak as well. Between events, Carter talks about Camp David, recent travels, being married, speaking Spanish, and wisdom he learned from Rachel Clark, his nanny. A montage of speeches, awards, and travels ends the film.
Genre(s): Documentary, Biography
Runtime: 125 minutes
Rating: 7.0/10 (472 votes)
Release Date: 7 September 2007
Country: USA
Languages: English
Company: Clinica Estetico
Sound: DTS, SDDS, Dolby Digital
MPAA: Rated PG for some thematic elements and brief disturbing images.
Director(s): Jonathan Demme
Producer(s):
Neda Armian – producer
Ronald M. Bozman – executive producer
Jonathan Demme – producer
Jason Mayo – associate producer
Jeff Skoll – executive producer
Diane Weyermann – executive producer
Writer(s):
Jonathan Demme – (written by)
Cast:
Menachem Begin – Himself (archive footage)
Wolf Blitzer – Himself
Johnny Carson – Himself (archive footage)
Amy Carter – Herself (archive footage)
Jimmy Carter – Himself
Lillian Carter – Herself (archive footage)
Rosalynn Carter – Herself
Alan M. Dershowitz – Himself
Terry Gross – Herself
Elizabeth Hayes – Herself
Music: Alejandro Escovedo
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Set primarily along the signing tour of his latest controversial book,Jimmy Carter Man from Plains takes us inside the private life of themuch maligned 39th President of the United States.
Politics aside, it is a well made and enjoyable two hours. Mostenjoyable were the few occasions that showed the ex-Prez at home inPlains or interacting with makeup artists, town people at a BBQ, or onset prior to being on the air.
The documentary primarily deals with talking about his choice to usethe word "Apartheid" in the title and charges of anti-Semite stances inthe book, of which Carter fervently disagrees.
The documentary is not by any stretch a thorough commentary on Carter'spresidency or political takes, it is more a one month "slice of life"of a very active, 83 year old ex-President that still is trying toremain relevant some 27 years out of office.
I highly recommend it even if you are not a big Carter supporter. It isnot often that we get the chance to ride along with a President, or ex-President, and it was an enjoyable and informative ride!
Jonathan Demme makes a misstep in this documentary with the formerpresident. I believe that Jimmy Carter's advocacy of peace is sincere.But this film in support of the controversial book does nothing toadvocate his position nor incite any discussion.
Demme's film leaves us with no legacy or message. We simply aren'tprovided enough content to understand the former president's position.Over two hours was spent watching Carter enter and exit limousines andhotel rooms. More time is spent watching Cater sign books thanexplaining the controversial Palestinian policies.
Former Vice President, Al Gore, made complex facts simple anddigestible in his film. Unfortunately, President Carter made a complexsituation and the associated politics even more distant. Carter andDemme, both articulate men, did not get a message across. Don't wasteyour time.
What a wonderful documentary! Jonathan Demme does an excellent job ofpresenting Jimmy Carter as a sensitive, compassionate, humble, braveand extremely intelligent man. Of course Carter is only human, and thefilm shows that as well as he gets impatient with his travelingcompanion or shows a petty concern over something we can all relate to(hitting traffic on the way to the airport).
The title suggested to me that it would be more of a documentary aboutCarter's entire life, but Demme devotes the majority of screen timefollowing him on his book tour as he promotes and debates a book thathe purposely gave a provocative title to: "Palestine: Peace NotApartheid." However, it's amazing how many little nuggets and insightsare sprinkled throughout giving information on everything from hischildhood, educational background, insights into his marriage, hisachievement in brokering a peace accord between Israel and Egypt, andmuch, much more. On another level, it provides an alternative viewpointto Bush's foreign policy.
But what's most impressive is the extraordinary amount of characterthat is on display here: Carter remains unbelievably centered andunwavering in the face of a windstorm of ignorant ad hominem attacks bycritics that obviously have not read his book. Ultimately, "JimmyCarter Man From Plains" is an inspirational portrait of an amazing man.
Forget the subject matter, this movie is boring as hell. You want tosee some good documentary's? Try watching the excellent "The Fog ofWar: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara" or anothergreat film called "Why We Fight!" I realize he is an ex-president, butif this (the Documentary) was around any other person it would beconsidered trash and would have never seen the light of day. What'sworse is that it is directed by the extremely talented Oscar winning("Silence of the Lambs") director Johnathan Demme. Anyway don't watchthis especially if you really don't like ho-hum documentaries. Italmost seems like everything he says just doesn't matter. It's likepeople put up with him because he is an ex-president and he at leastdeserves the respect from the office he once held. However it's likepeople are saying oh "let him talk, he won't be around much longer." Itreminds me of how people stare at the homeless man on the corner thenforget about it as soon as you go by. I don't know anything about whathe did or didn't do as president, but from a plain (no pun intended)movie/documentary standpoint this was one of the worst I've seen. Don'tbother watching this unless you are a die hard Jimmy Carter fan or liketo watch every single documentary ever made. Skip this and watch theother two I recommended.
…but despite some of Jonathan Demme's techniques to making Man fromPlains, which are either interesting (the skewed camera on thetelevision screens, the title cards listed in big font above thelocations in some scenes) or off-putting (the usage of music isoverbearing), his movie should be called the proverbial 'fair andbalanced.' There are few issues in the world that ignites the firestormof debate like Israel and Palestine land and peace talks (the abortionissue is right up there). Jimmy Carter placed himself into the pit ofcontroversy a year and a half ago with his book "Palestine: Peace, NotApartheid", and director Demme does his best to reveal not simplyCarter defending his points on various interview shows and programs,but to get the other side's voice as well. Carter isn't let off veryeasily, and rightfully so. But had Demme gone too far either way indepicting the reaction to the book, then the documentary would getdamaged by the effect.
This might make Man From Plains seem slightly 'safe', but its strongestpoints are just revealing, without pushing a whole lot of stylisticfervor in the way, this man in his complexity, conflicts, resolve, andin his comfortable position as about as well-respected a ex-Presidentone could ask for. He has a lot to boast about with some of his pastaccomplishments (some which we might forget as what he might have notdone), but a lot of his output and speeches and very concise answersare based on experience. It's easy to pin down Carter as he's labeled-anti-Semitic, plagiarist- without either reading his book(s) or seeingwhat is really going on past the veneer of the media's depiction. Justseeing the interviewees (with some exceptions) repeating the named"apartheid" for incisive affect is enough to see what can be taken outof context.
Does this mean that Man From Plains reveals everything that could beabout Carter on this book tour with the amount of depth one might hopefor with an ex-president? Maybe not. But for what it's worth, Demmedelivers two hours of potent coverage, and even creates a narrativearound his detractors/protesters (i.e. rabbis/Dershowitz/Brandeis) thatadds a little weight to what would otherwise be Demme's equivalent toMoore's the Big One. As a portrait and a compact look at a hot-buttonissue, it's very good if not mind-expanding. 7.5/10
Depending on your political proclivities, those expecting a full-blownbiopic of the 39th President of the United States will be eitherseverely disappointed that it focuses primarily on his 2006/7 booksigning tour, or exhilarated that it is not a two-hour BiographyChannel special of his life's highlights. Filmmaker Jonathan Demme("Silence of the Lambs", "Philadelphia") is no stranger to the demandsof the documentary format, although his previous efforts have beenconcert films, 1984's "Stop Making Sense" with the Talking Heads and1998's "Storefront Hitchcock" with English singer Robyn Hitchcock. Thistime, he and cinematographer Declan Quinn followed Jimmy Carter, spryand fit for 83, on his extensive tour to promote his controversial 2006bestseller, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" about the indignitiesfaced by Palestinians living in the Occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.The book's deliberately provocative title was designed to sparkdiscussion, and the thrust of the 2007 film is to show themedia-intensified firestorm Carter faced as a result.
To his immense credit, Demme lets Carter speak for himself in the filmand doesn't allow a narrator to provide color commentary on the formerpresident's hectic touring schedule. What comes across is a manrightfully proud of the 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel andEgypt, and has most recently taken to heart his sense of responsibilityas a private citizen and former leader to share the devastation he hasseen the Palestinians experience in the occupied areas cut off from therest of the world. It's an arc that Demme explores through an effectiveuse of archival footage, interviews with key figures (includingCarter's wife of 62 years, Rosalynn, who speaks movingly about what ledMenachem Begin to sign the final treaty), and the robust, even-keeledpresence Carter maintains throughout despite what seems to be adizzying pace and the consistent critical onslaught. Much of Carter'spolitic demeanor can be attributed to his faith, including nightlyBible readings with Rosalynn (no matter where he is), but Demme alsoshows the discipline Carter employs with his handlers and in hisregular regimen of swimming laps.
It's definitely a favorable impression of the former president, whichis unlikely to sit well with detractors who view him as a treasonousrabble-rouser, but the effect is understandable given that some ofCarter's more vocal opponents refused to be filmed, including Dr.Kenneth Stein, who resigned as a Carter Center fellow (of whom Carterdismissed as an absentee member), and a roomful of protesting rabbielders in Phoenix. Fortunately, renowned Harvard professor and attorneyAlan Dershowitz is included as one of the most vocal opponents ofCarter's book. His fair-minded comments provide a criticalcounterbalance to the positive image of Carter, and interestingly, itis never really explained why Carter would not face Dershowitz in apublic debate at Brandeis University, who initially turned downCarter's proposal to lecture for free. Intriguingly, Demme takes abehind-the-scenes approach to the various media interviews, whetherit's Terry Gross, Charlie Rose, Wolf Blitzer, or Tavis Smiley. In turn,Carter expertly modulates his points to fit the format, including anamusingly deadpan confession to Jay Leno on who really wears the pantsin the Carter marriage.
Demme also incorporates the other key priorities in Carter's life toprovide more dimension to the portrait – his dedicated work on Habitatfor Humanity and as caretaker of the land his family has owned fornearly two centuries around Plains. The parts of the film that dragunnecessarily are more logistical in nature – traveling repeatedly withhis kowtowing Simon & Schuster publicist and preparing the customersfor the book signings. At 125 minutes, the film runs a mite long andcould have benefited from another editing session. Extras are plentifulon the 2008 DVD starting with over thirty minutes of additional scenesand a half-hour featurette on the making of the soundtrack. Neitherfeels essential though an extended sequence showing a signing at Costcobrought out a perturbed woman who tersely told Carter he should betried for treason. Demme and producer Neda Armian also contribute avery thoughtful commentary track. Trailers for ten other Sony Classicsfilms on DVD complete the extras.
It is no surprise that in the last few years President Carter has beenvilified; called a liar, anti-Semite, plagiarist and a bigot justbecause he has the courage to speak out the truth. The anti-Carterrhetoric reached a crescendo with the launching of his book,"Palestine: Peace not Apartheid." This documentary can be seen as ananswer to the unfair personal attacks on Jimmy Carter, the man ofpeace. The documentary follows President Carter on his book promotiontrail, the numerous hurdles he has to overcome to get his point of viewacross (yes I am talking about a former US President) and the Zionisthawks like Wolf Blitzer and Alan Dershowitz who would waste noopportunity to sling mud on this distinguished politician's career.That being said, this documentary is not merely a documentary aboutCarter's personal battles it is much more than that. The documentaryprovides an important message and that of an issue like Palestine whichhas been until now selectively filtered through the American media withan undoubtedly heavy bias in favor of Israel. This documentary like thebook brings this taboo subject to the forefront and it is during thelast few minutes towards the end that we see when Carter is addressingthe college students, that how important it is for the American publicspecially the young generation to see the both sides of the story of aconflict which has repercussions on the entire world and be the judgethemselves. The documentary tries and delivers this message through theexperiences of Jimmy Carter and some skillful direction from JonathanDemme (Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia). Some have criticized thedocumentary as long, complicated and boring. Carter may not have thecharisma of Bill Clinton or the exciting narrative style of MichaelMoore. Nor does he manage to deal with "hot" issues like global warmingas done in An Inconvenient Truth. What he does is present anintelligent, honest and straight from the heart effort to spark adebate among Americans on how they can contribute in bringing an end tothe present situation in the Middle East, specially theIsrael-Palestinian conflict. I highly recommend every American to watchthis documentary and be the judge themselves. As the famous saying goes"don't judge a book by its cover"! 10/10
I've long felt that Mr Carter is most likely the greatest man to everoccupy the White House. This film reinforced that. I've long been astaunch advocate of Israel and the right of Israel to protect itself.This movie (and the book around which it revolves) did nothing tochange that. What did change, what I found really embarrassing was thebehavior of the advocates of Israel shown in this film. I say this assomeone who lost a close friendship with an Arab over an on-goingargument regarding Israel when I quoted Golda Meir: There will only bepeace when they love their children more than they hate us. But it goesboth ways.
President Carter reminds us that, in order to seek peace, we must takerisks and have open minds, open arms and open hearts. The "pro-Israeli"protesters and interviewees in this film seem to care nothing aboutending the nonsense that has touched every single Israeli andPalestinian Arab family over these past 60 years. If seeing andlistening to President Carter hadn't been such a thrill, I might haveleft this film with great disdain for these opponents of peace.Instead, I feel as though I was allowed a two hour glimpse at thegreatness of a man who will never be appreciated appropriately inhistory books. He's an incredible man. What prevents me from givingthis a ten is that the editing and direction of this film were far fromincredible.
Perhaps this should have been entitled 'The President and His Book'because most of the documentary is about the book tour that JimmyCarter took when he published his controversial book 'Palestine: PeaceNot Apartheid'. We follow Jimmy as he crosses the U.S. to promote hisbook. Nevertheless we get a very candid and close-up view of thisex-President. He comes off very well – an honest, forthright individualwho has accomplished much since he left the Presidency in 1980.Compared to the last 8 years (2000-08), here is man who can express hisfeelings and fears. I couldn't help but feel as I was watching, that ifanother, less well known individual had written the same book, themedia up-roar over it would have been far less pronounced.