PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE
Australia, 1980, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by David Bradbury.
Public Enemy Number One is a second documentary by David Bradbury. He achieved critical and popular acclaim with his story of Neil Davis, the Tasmanian war correspondent in Vietnam during the war and afterwards: Frontline. It received an Academy Award nomination in 1980.
Wilfrid Burchett has been a sign of contradiction for many decades in Australia. Brought up during the Depression, he became an international correspondent with scoops during World War Two, reporting first for western papers of the aftermath of Hiroshima. Allegedly keeping neutral, he had access to communist governments throughout China and South East Asia during the '50s, '60s and '70s. He received acclaim both in Iron Curtain countries as well as in western countries. However, his reputation in Australia was as traitor. His return in the early 170s was treated with great hostility by reporters (presented here) and it was not until the coming of the Labour government that he was able to get a visa to return to his country. He instituted a libel suit in Australia which he lost - up to 1981 he had not paid the damages and so is not able to return. During 1981 his autobiography was published - and all this material gives an opportunity for Australians to re-appraise his career as journalist, his political allegiances, his relationship to Australia and his integrity as a man and journalist. This film received a citation from the Melbourne Film Festival 1981 for its quality in drawing attention to this controversy and illuminating Australian history.
1. How interesting the background history of Wilfrid Burchett's life - upbringing during the Depression, the establishment of his career, his work in World War Two, his journey to Hiroshima (and his later visit reminiscing), his attitudes towards sides in wars, his presence in Vietnam, Kampuchea? Questions of his refusal of entry into Australia, passport questions in the early '70s, the libel case?
2. The background footage of Australian social history and that of the world during the '30s and '40s - situating Burchett?
3. How interesting the story of Burchett's changing views: his political insight, his politically neutral stances, yet his sympathy towards socialist governments? His emotional responses to the situations reported? His access to personalities in communist governments?
4. Burchett's stances on communism, communist propaganda, socialist values?
5. The presentation of Hiroshima, the devastation, the parallel with Kampuchea and the Pol Pot regime? Burchett's pondering on the mystery of destruction and devastation and murder?
6. Burchett's involvement in Korea, his interest in Vietnam? The nature of his reports, friendships, access to Ho Chi Min, presenting his viewpoint to the western world? The hostility during the war?
7. His independence, his personal point of view and its purpose? His having to change his mind e.g. on Kampuchea?
8. The refusal of entry into Australia, the change under the Whitlam administration, the details of the hostile press interview on his return?
9. Burchett after 1975 - the involvement in Kampuchea, the bomb attempt on his life - and the film ending with this?
10. The value of this type of documentary - visual material, the point of view of director and editor, letting the audiences judge from interview and background material for themselves? The importance of government policy towards individuals, the role of the media in influencing public opinion? Hysteria against communism during the 20th. century? The role of the journalist and the possibilities of his neutral reporting of news? How valuable is the film as a contribution to Australia's social and political history?
