FAHRENHEIT 11/9

US, 2018, 128 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Michael Moore.

At last another probing of US society by Michael Moore. There he is, a strikingly lumbering presence, interviewing a range of people, travelling all over the US, speculating on the past, pessimistic about the present – and opening up the future for the audience to ponder. His previous documentary was on war aggression, Where to Invade Next (2015).

After he won an Oscar for his expose of American violence and love of guns, Bowling for Columbine (2002), he looked at the US pre-and post the attack on the Twin Towers, playing on the title of Ray Bradbury’s science-fiction thriller about fires and conflagrations, Fahrenheit 9/11. Fortunately for him and for the title of this look at the US, the announcement for Donald Trump’s attaining of the American presidency was in the early hours of 11 November, 2016. So, Fahrenheit 11/9.

Michael Moore has many admirers, and many detractors. A sentence that has been used for many of his films is: if only 50% of what he presents is accurate and true, then that is most alarming.

We are taken back to the election days of 2016, the campaigning of both Trump and Hillary Clinton, the response of their admirers, the excited atmosphere and expectations, crowds to support Hillary Clinton, a small group assembling for Trump, the changes in the figures coming in, triumph for Trump, tears for Clinton supporters.

While there is a great deal about Trump, his past, his real estate deals, his wealth, his television career, personal details (and some very creepy sequences with his daughter and the way he refers to her with sexual overtones), there is a great deal more.

Michael Moore comes from Flint, Michigan, and made his first documentary, Roger and Me (1989) about the motor industry in Flint and the collapse of the town. There is a sequence where Donald Trump says he liked Roger and Me (and a sequence where he is interviewed with Michael Moore on the Roseanne Barr show). He has often returned to Flint but this time he has quite a harrowing story, an expose of the governor, a Republican businessman, who developed a scheme to profit by water coming into Flint, pure water from Lake Huron by a pipe system but the governor approving an alternate pipe and Flint being dependent on the chemically dangerous, lead-filled, Flint River. And lots of doubletalk from politicians and PR representatives.

This is an extended story, Moore trying to interview everyone concerned, footage from 2012 on, the inhabitants of Flint, the economically poor, many African-Americans?, with deteriorating health, especially the children. At one stage, there is excitement in the town when President Obama decides to visit – which turns out to be a PR disaster when he has not appreciated the problems, people’s reactions, and he does a stunt in offering to drink the water (but the glass touches only his lips). Moore is not 100% supportive of Obama does some explaining that previous administrations, from President Clinton and deregulation of banks, through the Bush administration, paved the way for social situations in the US and the coming of Trump.

There is also a story from West Virginia, another Republican governor, strictures on the teachers in the public schools, the rebellion, days of striking and persistence until their winning their case.

Also included is the story of the students after the shooting in the high school at Parkland, Florida, the students getting together, forming office and a committee, going political, using social media, indicating the aspirations of young Americans, issues of and control.

And all throughout there are many interviews on many topics. There are many visits to American communities. There are many statistics. And, throughout, Moore’s often comic, often ironic commentary.

Towards the end, there is extensive use of footage of Hitler and the Nazis, Moore pointing out the similarities between the 1930s, popularism, the characteristics of dictatorship, Hitler throwing out slogans absorbed by the people… And the Trump parallels, especially his throwing out of slogans and ideas, popular bonding with his followers, their absorbing his slogans and believing them.

The film was released just before the mid-term elections for Senate and House of Representatives in 2018. How long before a further episode from Trump’s America?

1. Michael Moore, his career, stirrer, commentator? Audience expectations of his films? Politics, social comment, humour, satiric attack? His perspectives on the US?

2. His career, reputation, success, his Oscar? Themes of Columbine, 9/11, capitalism, health systems? His view that the Bush administration and the Obama administration paved the way for the Trump election?

3. His style, the variety of locations, the range of the United States? The interviews, the people interviewed, the various clips, the portrait of Trump, collage of images and their effect? Musical score?

4. The Trump focus, Trump and his early career, business, personality, amoral in his approach to women, television, rivalries, the idea of being president, the surprise, his campaign, the rallies, the criticisms of Hillary Clinton?

5. Audiences, the response to Trump, those for, those against?

6. The prologue, the night before the election, election day, the aftermath? The rallies, the confidence of the Democrats, Hillary Clinton, the small group of Trump supporters? The statistics coming in, the change? Exhilaration and weeping?

7. Trump and the television interview with Michael Moore, on the Roseanne program? The clip? Moore not having had a meal with Trump, his inventing that?

8. The portrait of Trump, his appearance, mannerisms, exaggeration, money and business, television, The Apprentice, his wives? Narcissistic? The scenes with his daughter, the sexual innuendo?

9. The rallies, Michael Moore’s and others’ theories about bonding with people, throwing out ideas, jokes, planting the ideas, abolishing 2020 election…?

10. The overall impression of Trump, the long sequence of showing the Hitler images? The gauge for a despot?

11. The picture of the Republicans, mixed? How to deal with Trump?

12. The contrast with the Democrats, Obama and Hillary Clinton, the criticisms of Obama, his visit to Flint and the glass of water stand, the drones and the bombings, the banks interconnections? Paving the way for the reaction? The picture of Democrat pre-selection individuals and interviews?

13. The impact of the Flint story, Flint as the home of Michael Moore, his films from the past and Trump liking Roger and Me? The story Governor Snyder, the issue of the water, business, the alternate pipes, the lead in the Flint River, the pure water in Lake Huron? The children getting sick? The various voices and commentary? The response of the PR personnel? Over the years? General Motors getting pure water to wash the machinery? The implicit racism in the victims in Flint? Unable to move, the reputation of the town, people unable to sell the houses? Stuck? The visit of Obama, expectations, the drinking of the water, the negative reaction? Snyder and the people booing him? Yet his prevailing?

14. The story of the Parkland shooting, Florida, the students, the office of the young students, their plans, social media educating them, confronting prejudices, helping with candidate selection, the range of marches and the number of youth? The future?

15. The West Virginia story, the potential candidate and the discussions with Michael Moore, talking with the teachers, the Fitbits and the Governor, the decision to strike, the bus drivers, the ladies and the cafeterias? The leaders of the unions? Compromise? The teachers, the perseverance with the strike, over so many days? Its spreading to other states? Achievement?

16. The cumulative effect of the film, some surprises, some shocks, dismay and outrage? And the future for Donald Trump?