The Most Dangerous Man in America: Difference between revisions

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Directed by	Judith Ehrlich; Rick Goldsmith;
Written by	Michael Chandler; Judith Ehrlich; Rick Goldsmith; Lawrence Lerew;
Produced by	Judith Ehrlich; Rick Goldsmith;
Starring	Daniel Ellsberg
Cinematography	Vicente Franco; Dan Krauss;
Edited by	Michael Chandler; Rick Goldsmith; Lawrence Lerew;
Music by	Blake Leyh
Distributed by	First Run Features
Release dates	11 September 2009 (Toronto); 5 February 2010 (United States);
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

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The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers is a 2009 American documentary film directed by Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith. The film follows Daniel Ellsberg and explores the events leading up to the 1971 publication of the Pentagon Papers, which exposed the top-secret military history of the United States' involvement in Vietnam.^[1]

The film was shown on the PBS series POV in 2010, for which it earned a Peabody Award.^[2]^[3]

Reception

Critical response

In a review for The New York Times, Mike Hale writes that the film "conscientiously notes the viewpoints of those who believe that Mr. Ellsberg betrayed his country or his former colleagues at the Defense Department" and the filmmakers "concentrate on their portrait of Mr. Ellsberg, who emerges as a complex and difficult man whose principles, whether you agree with them or not, can’t be denied."^[1] Roger Ebert writes, "It is a skillful, well-made film, although, since Ellsberg is the narrator, it doesn't probe him very deeply. We see his version of himself."^[4]

Mick LaSalle writes in a review for The San Francisco Chronicle, "The film is packed with stories, from numerous talking heads, including Ellsberg. A wealth of information is conveyed with complete clarity."^[5] In a review for The Journal of American History, Stephen J. Whitfield notes "the most dangerous man in America" was a moniker "bestowed by Henry Kissinger, who had admired his Harvard University colleague's pioneering work in decision theory. But the film commits the unpardonable sin of leaving the title unexplained."^[6]

In a review for NPR, Mark Jenkins writes that the filmmakers "sometimes rely on Errol Morris-style reconstructions of events, which are less deft than Morris'. Distractingly, they also use sketchy animation for a few sequences."^[7] In a review for Variety, Ronnie Scheib writes, "While a present-day Ellsberg complains that the massive number of bombs dropped on Vietnam, which he repeatedly mentioned in press conferences back then, was never duly reported, Ehrlich and Goldsmith redress that silence with a bombardment of newsreel images of aerial destruction."^[8]

The Most Dangerous Man in America has an approval rating of 96% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 56 reviews, and an average rating of 7.84/10.^[9] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 75 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[10]

Awards and nominations

Nominated

Academy Award 2010 – Best Documentary Feature

Won

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

Special Jury Award

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Audience Award Best Documentary

National Board of Review, USA

Freedom of Expression Award

Mill Valley Film Festival, USA

Audience Award Best Documentary

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, USA

Best In Fest

Boulder International Film Festival, USA

Best Feature Documentary

It's All True Film Festival, Brazil

Audience Award Best Documentary

Fresno Film Festival, USA

Audience Award Best Documentary

Sydney Film Festival, Australia

Best Documentary

Mendocino Film Festival, USA

Audience Choice Award Co-Winner

Docaviv Film Festival, Israel

Special Jury Mention

Traverse City Film Festival, USA

Audience Award Best Documentary

American Historical Association, USA

John O'Connor Film Award

History Makers Award, USA

Best History Production

Organization of American Historians, USA

Erik Barnouw Award

References

^ ^a ^b Hale, Mike (16 September 2009). "Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, The Untold Story of a War, and the Story of the Man Who Told It". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
^ "The Most Dangerous Man in America | POV | PBS". PBS.
^ 70th Annual Peabody Awards, May 2011.
^ Ebert, Roger (24 March 2010). "His conscience leaked the Pentagon Papers". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
^ LaSalle, Mick (19 February 2010). "Review: Ellsberg - 'The Most Dangerous Man'". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
^ Whitfield, Stephen J. (June 2010). "Reviewed Work: The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers by Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith". The Journal of American History. 97 (1): 277–279. doi:10.2307/jahist/97.1.277. JSTOR 40662976. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
^ Jenkins, Mark (4 February 2010). "Ellsberg's 'Dangerous' Decision: To Tell The Truth". NPR. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
^ Scheib, Ronnie (13 September 2009). "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers". Variety. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
^ "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes.
^ "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers". Metacritic.

External links

Official film website
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers at IMDb
The Most Dangerous Man in America at Kovno Communications
The Most Dangerous Man in America at Rotten Tomatoes

[Hale_2009-1] Hale, Mike (16 September 2009). "Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, The Untold Story of a War, and the Story of the Man Who Told It". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 February 2010.

[2] "The Most Dangerous Man in America | POV | PBS". PBS.

[3] 70th Annual Peabody Awards, May 2011.

[4] Ebert, Roger (24 March 2010). "His conscience leaked the Pentagon Papers". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 17 June 2022.

[5] LaSalle, Mick (19 February 2010). "Review: Ellsberg - 'The Most Dangerous Man'". The San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 17 June 2022.

[6] Whitfield, Stephen J. (June 2010). "Reviewed Work: The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers by Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith". The Journal of American History. 97 (1): 277–279. doi:10.2307/jahist/97.1.277. JSTOR 40662976. Retrieved 17 June 2022.

[7] Jenkins, Mark (4 February 2010). "Ellsberg's 'Dangerous' Decision: To Tell The Truth". NPR. Retrieved 17 June 2022.

[8] Scheib, Ronnie (13 September 2009). "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers". Variety. Retrieved 17 June 2022.

[9] "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes.

[10] "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers". Metacritic.

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@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
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 }}
-'''''The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers''''' is a 2009 documentary film directed by [[Judith Ehrlich]] and Rick Goldsmith. The film follows [[Daniel Ellsberg]] and explores the events leading up to the 1971 publication of the ''[[Pentagon Papers]]'', which exposed the top-secret military history of the United States' [[Vietnam War|involvement in Vietnam]].<ref name="Hale 2009">{{Cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/movies/16dangerous.html|title=Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, The Untold Story of a War, and the Story of the Man Who Told It|work=The New York Times|date=16 September 2009|accessdate=18 February 2010 | first=Mike | last=Hale}}</ref>
+'''''The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers''''' is a 2009 American documentary film directed by [[Judith Ehrlich]] and Rick Goldsmith. The film follows [[Daniel Ellsberg]] and explores the events leading up to the 1971 publication of the ''[[Pentagon Papers]]'', which exposed the top-secret military history of the United States' [[Vietnam War|involvement in Vietnam]].<ref name="Hale 2009">{{Cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/movies/16dangerous.html|title=Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, The Untold Story of a War, and the Story of the Man Who Told It|work=The New York Times|date=16 September 2009|accessdate=18 February 2010 | first=Mike | last=Hale}}</ref>
-The film was shown on the [[PBS]] series ''[[POV (TV series)|POV]]'' in 2010, for which it earned a [[Peabody Award]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/pov/mostdangerousman/|title = The Most Dangerous Man in America &#124; POV &#124; PBS}}</ref><ref>[http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/pov-the-most-dangerous-man-in-america-daniel-ellsberg-and-the-pentagon-pape 70th Annual Peabody Awards], May 2011.</ref>
+The film was shown on the [[PBS]] series ''[[POV (TV series)|POV]]'' in 2010, for which it earned a [[Peabody Award]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/pov/mostdangerousman/|title = The Most Dangerous Man in America &#124; POV &#124; PBS| website=[[PBS]] }}</ref><ref>[http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/pov-the-most-dangerous-man-in-america-daniel-ellsberg-and-the-pentagon-pape 70th Annual Peabody Awards], May 2011.</ref>
 ==Reception==
@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 In a review for ''[[The New York Times]]'', Mike Hale writes that the film "conscientiously notes the viewpoints of those who believe that Mr. Ellsberg betrayed his country or his former colleagues at the Defense Department" and the filmmakers "concentrate on their portrait of Mr. Ellsberg, who emerges as a complex and difficult man whose principles, whether you agree with them or not, can’t be denied."<ref name="Hale 2009"/> [[Roger Ebert]] writes, "It is a skillful, well-made film, although, since Ellsberg is the narrator, it doesn't probe him very deeply. We see his version of himself."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ebert |first1=Roger |title=His conscience leaked the Pentagon Papers |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-most-dangerous-man-in-america-2010 |access-date=17 June 2022 |work=RogerEbert.com |date=March 24, 2010}}</ref>
-Mick LaSalle writes in a review for ''[[The San Francisco Chronicle]]'', "The film is packed with stories, from numerous talking heads, including Ellsberg. A wealth of information is conveyed with complete clarity."<ref>{{cite news |last1=LaSalle |first1=Mick |title=Review: Ellsberg - 'The Most Dangerous Man' |url=https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Review-Ellsberg-The-Most-Dangerous-Man-3272380.php |access-date=17 June 2022 |work=[[The San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=February 19, 2010}}</ref> In a review for ''[[The Journal of American History]]'', [[Stephen J. Whitfield]] notes "the most dangerous man in America" was a moniker "bestowed by [[Henry Kissinger]], who had admired his Harvard University colleague's pioneering work in decision theory. But the film commits the unpardonable sin of leaving the title unexplained."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Whitfield |first1=Stephen J. |title=Reviewed Work: <i>The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers</i> by Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith |journal=[[The Journal of American History]] |date=June 2010 |volume=97 |issue=1 |pages=277-279 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40662976 |access-date=17 June 2022}}</ref>
+Mick LaSalle writes in a review for ''[[The San Francisco Chronicle]]'', "The film is packed with stories, from numerous talking heads, including Ellsberg. A wealth of information is conveyed with complete clarity."<ref>{{cite news |last1=LaSalle |first1=Mick |title=Review: Ellsberg - 'The Most Dangerous Man' |url=https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Review-Ellsberg-The-Most-Dangerous-Man-3272380.php |access-date=17 June 2022 |work=[[The San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=February 19, 2010}}</ref> In a review for ''[[The Journal of American History]]'', [[Stephen J. Whitfield]] notes "the most dangerous man in America" was a moniker "bestowed by [[Henry Kissinger]], who had admired his Harvard University colleague's pioneering work in decision theory. But the film commits the unpardonable sin of leaving the title unexplained."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Whitfield |first1=Stephen J. |title=Reviewed Work: ''The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers'' by Judith Ehrlich, Rick Goldsmith |journal=[[The Journal of American History]] |date=June 2010 |volume=97 |issue=1 |pages=277–279 |doi=10.2307/jahist/97.1.277 |jstor=40662976 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40662976 |access-date=17 June 2022}}</ref>
-In a review for ''[[NPR]]'', Mark Jenkins writes that the filmmakers "sometimes rely on Errol Morris-style reconstructions of events, which are less deft than Morris'. Distractingly, they also use sketchy animation for a few sequences."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jenkins |first1=Mark |title=Ellsberg's 'Dangerous' Decision: To Tell The Truth |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123370933 |access-date=17 June 2022 |work=[[NPR]] |date=February 4, 2010}}</ref> In a review for ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', Ronnie Scheib writes,"While a present-day Ellsberg complains that the massive number of bombs dropped on Vietnam, which he repeatedly mentioned in press conferences back then, was never duly reported, Ehrlich and Goldsmith redress that silence with a bombardment of newsreel images of aerial destruction."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scheib |first1=Ronnie |title=The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/reviews/the-most-dangerous-man-in-america-daniel-ellsberg-and-the-pentagon-papers-1200476235/#! |access-date=17 June 2022 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=September 13, 2009}}</ref>
+In a review for ''[[NPR]]'', Mark Jenkins writes that the filmmakers "sometimes rely on Errol Morris-style reconstructions of events, which are less deft than Morris'. Distractingly, they also use sketchy animation for a few sequences."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jenkins |first1=Mark |title=Ellsberg's 'Dangerous' Decision: To Tell The Truth |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123370933 |access-date=17 June 2022 |work=[[NPR]] |date=February 4, 2010}}</ref> In a review for ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', Ronnie Scheib writes, "While a present-day Ellsberg complains that the massive number of bombs dropped on Vietnam, which he repeatedly mentioned in press conferences back then, was never duly reported, Ehrlich and Goldsmith redress that silence with a bombardment of newsreel images of aerial destruction."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scheib |first1=Ronnie |title=The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/reviews/the-most-dangerous-man-in-america-daniel-ellsberg-and-the-pentagon-papers-1200476235/#! |access-date=17 June 2022 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=September 13, 2009}}</ref>
-''The Most Dangerous Man in America'' has an approval rating of 96% on [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], based on 56 reviews, and an average rating of 7.84/10.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/daniel_ellsberg_doc|title = The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009)}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] assigned the film a weighted average score of 75 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-most-dangerous-man-in-america-daniel-ellsberg-and-the-pentagon-papers|title = The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers}}</ref>
+''The Most Dangerous Man in America'' has an approval rating of 96% on [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], based on 56 reviews, and an average rating of 7.84/10.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/daniel_ellsberg_doc|title = The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (2009)| website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] }}</ref> [[Metacritic]] assigned the film a weighted average score of 75 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-most-dangerous-man-in-america-daniel-ellsberg-and-the-pentagon-papers|title = The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers| website=[[Metacritic]] }}</ref>
 ===Awards and nominations===
@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 * [http://kovnocommunications.org/films/the-most-dangerous-man-in-america/ ''The Most Dangerous Man in America''] at Kovno Communications
 * {{Rotten-tomatoes|most_dangerous_man_in_america|The Most Dangerous Man in America}}
-* [http://zinnedproject.org/posts/7325 Zinn Education Project: A Teaching Guide for ''The Most Dangerous Man in America'']
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Most Dangerous Man in America}}
 [[Category:2009 films]]
-[[Category:English-language films]]
 [[Category:2009 documentary films]]
 [[Category:American documentary films]]
@@ Line 96: / Line 94: @@
 [[Category:Films about freedom of expression]]
 [[Category:Films about activists]]
-[[Category:Peabody Award-winning broadcasts]]
+[[Category:Peabody Award–winning broadcasts]]
 [[Category:First Run Features films]]
+[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
+[[Category:2000s American films]]
+[[Category:English-language documentary films]]