Think About the Good Things in Life: The Pentagon Papers

Rod Holcomb's The Pentagon Papers (2003), a made-for-TV movie, comes off like a modest version of the Bible in that there's a little something in it for everyone: a season for war, a season for peace, a little justice, a little injustice; a little cruelty, a little mercy; a little romance, a little sex; a little intrigue, some cerebral activity; a little violence, a little hippiness -- and so on. I liked it. It provides a good, entertaining overview of how Daniel Ellsberg (played by James Spader) transformed from a Saul-like adherent of the powers-that-be into a Paul-like apostle for spreading the Word by leaking The Pentagon Papers (in 1971) during the U.S.-Vietnam War. United States–Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967: A Study Prepared by the Department of Defense, not meant for public consumption, showed how cynically such relations had been conducted over more than two decades, through four presidencies. A fifth presidency, Nixon M. Nixon's, reacted harshly, trying to squelch the report's release to the press, but Watergate and an equally pitiful attempt to smear Ellsberg by stealing his psychiatric file and using it against him backfired. The papers were released and attempts to prosecute Ellsburg ended in a mistrial; instead, like a bad pharaoh, Nixon went down.  

Though The Pentagon Papers movie came on the eve of the George W. Bush administration's ill-conceived invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the resulting war proceded apace, and many of the same kinds of mistakes -- and hidden policy approaches -- made regarding Vietnam happened again in Iraq (and Afghanistan). 

Other players in this thoughtful, low-key film include: Claire Forlani as Patricia Marx; Paul Giamatti (apparently having a good time) as Anthony Russo; and Alan Arkin as Harry Rowen, President of Rand Corporation.

Today's Rune: Gateway.