LIVE FROM BAGHDAD
US, 2002, 108 minutes, Colour.
Michael Keaton, Helena Bonham Carter, Joshua Leonard, Lili Taylor, David Suchet, Bruce Mc Gill, Michael Murphy, Paul Guilfoyle, Hamish Linklater, Robert Wisdom.
Directed by Mick Jackson.
Live from Baghdad was made 11 years after the events it portrays. This was the tension in Iraq after its long war with Iran, oil issues, the invasion of Kuwait, the American retaliation by President George Bush.
The film is also the story of live broadcasting from war zones given the technology in the latter part of the 20th century. It is a story from CNN, from its headquarters in Atlanta, its ambitions to have a 24-hour news service. CNN sends a group to Baghdad to report, giving the background to what was to become the war, an interview with Saddam Hussein, a visit to Kuwait, and the first night of the bombardment with live radio coverage.
The film is based on a book by the producer, Robert Weiner, who also contributed to the screenplay and was a producer. He had been in Vietnam and felt he had missed out on a key reporting story. He accepts the invitation to go to Baghdad, chooses a fellow producer played by Helena Bonham Carter, a technical team with photographer, Joshua Leonard, sound expert, Lili Taylor. At times they are joined by on-air broadcasters played by Bruce Mc Gill as BBC’s Peter Arnett, Robert Wisdom as CNN’s Bernard Shaw and with John Carroll Lynch as John Holliman of CNN, to whom the film is dedicated.
Robert Weiner is rather ambitious, but shrewd. He uses news items with Saddam Hussein and substitutes the word guests for hostages, the word used by the Iraqis. The ethical issue arises about reporting stories and seeming to support the regime or leaving it to audiences to make up their own minds. This is true of the visit to Kuwait and to a hospital where it is alleged the Iraqis abducted babies – and the end of the film points out that this was untrue.
David Suchet is very good as the Minister of information, shrewd, quiet, controlling communications but becoming a friend of Weiner.
The film culminates in the first night of bombardment in Iraq, people fleeing in the hotels, going to shelters, yet a squad remaining upstairs in a hotel continually broadcasting. The other networks, some of whom were present in Iraq and then ousted, give a tribute to CNN as does President Bush himself.
The film was released in 2002 and was almost immediately overshadowed by the events of 2003 and the invasion of Iraq. Nevertheless, this provides very interesting background to those events with the role of Saddam Hussein a decade earlier.
The film was directed by British Mick Jackson whose credits range from A Very British Coup to LA Story and The Bodyguard..
1. Audience knowledge of Saddam Hussein in the 1980s, the war with Iran, the invasion of Kuwait? The issues of oil, the Americans? President Bush? The attack? The film offering a perspective of a decade later? Audience knowing the events, the memories? And, looking at the film in hindsight after the invasion of 2003, the death of Saddam Hussein, the consequences in the years afterwards?
2. The irony of this film for 2002, the events of 2003? The reporting of them?
3. A film about reporters, CNN, the small company, wanting 24 hour service, the other networks? Atlanta, CNN expansion, international connections? Sending reporters and producers to Iraq?
4. Rob Weiner, his book, contributing to the screenplay and the interpretation of his character, producer? Michael Keaton portraying him? Ambitious, serious, confident – yet with some pathos?
5. The 1998-1990, situation? CNN, the bosses in Atlanta, their personalities, ambitions, decisions, their work? Bernard Shaw as host?
6. The decision about Iraq, Weiner agreeing to go, his wanting Ingrid as co-producer, contact with her in Rome, going to Baghdad, the scenes at the airport, Weiner as a cheeky American, the customs, suspicions? Hostility towards Americans? Presumption about the hotel, bribing the manager for rooms? Other American reporters being ousted?
7. Atlanta wanting him to have judgement and understanding? Being met at the airport by the Iraqi guide, his being guard and censor?
8. Robert and Ingrid, the cameraman, Judy and the sound engineering? The other members on service of rounds and going back to America? The arrival of Peter Arnett, his reputation with the BBC? Ross being sent, his reports, Jewish background, effective – and then going to Israel? John Holliman and his wanting to go to Iraq, his commentaries? The activities, the risks, the dangers?
9. The contacts between Atlanta and Baghdad? The scene with Saddam Hussein and the boy, using the word guest instead of hostage? The report from the CNN group, on-air? The meeting with the other journalists in the bar, their mocking? The issue of the present, Weiner and his discernment? Presenting material and relying on the intelligence of the audience to pick up the truth?
10. The visit to Kuwait, the issue of the babies, the abductions? Allegations? The doctors, the interviews being cut off, the return to Baghdad? The end and the note that this story about abductions was false?
11. David Suchet as Naji? Minister for information, Weiner going to his office, waiting, cups of tea, other visitors and their impatience, mispronunciations? His courtesy, the secretaries telling him to wait, Naji the arriving, the discussions? The desire to have an interview with Saddam Hussein? Others doing this, Naji and the final arrangement? Bernard Shaw coming from Atlanta to do the interview?
12. The personalities, Robert and Ingrid? The journalists and their stories? The other journalists and other networks, journalist like Inky? At the hotels, their lifestyles?
13. The interview with the hostages, the man who spoke frankly, his disappearance, Robert and his regrets, asking Naji and his quietly nodding? The end, the release of the hostages, the man’s relief but barely remembering the interview?
14. Many leaving, the bonds begin to form, the decisions whether to stay or not?
15. The night, the connections with Atlanta, on and off, the descriptions, the tension, everybody involved, the commentary, Bernard Shaw, Peter Arnett, John Holliman? The others going to the shelters, the soldiers? Tricking the soldiers, locking them out?
16. Atlanta, on and off screen? The other networks quoting CNN? The phone call and praise from President Bush?
17. The achievement, Weiner and a significant story for his life? His achievement? Ingrid?
18. The aftermath, the 2000s, the search for weapons of mass destruction, George W. Bush and the invasion, the consequences? This film in the hindsight of the subsequent events?
