Rama’s SCREEN

There are many great people out there who walk this earth as giants because of their accomplishments and contribution to life and they’re not seen daily on TV or the big screen. Dalton Trumbo was one of them. TRUMBO is an excellent film into the extraordinary life, struggle, and triumph of… one of the greatest screenwriters in the history of cinema. His existence against the injustices when America was blinded and motivated by prejudice and fear of cold war, in times when freedom of speech and freedom to express oneself were oppressed. Part documentary, part stage play, TRUMBO is riveting, powerful, and surprisingly prophetic.

TRUMBO is the story of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo’s remarkable journey from Hollywood royalty to blacklisted writer to Academy Award winner. Focusing on the writer’s own indelible words, the film features performances of some of his extraordinary letters, clips from his films and archival and contemporary interviews with those who knew him best. The film illustrates how one man’s unerring belief in the First Amendment and the power the written word, plus a drink or two, empowered him to fight back after being blacklisted by HUAC. Forced to write underground, letter writing became the chief repository of Trumbo’s extraordinary talents, and they serve as a wonderfully entertaining testament to his boundless intellect, acerbic humor, and staggering resilience

I love how director Peter Askin and playwright Christopher Trumbo (Dalton Trumbo’s son) compiled all of the letters that the late great ever wrote and incorporated into the time line of Dalton’s life story told by A-list actors and historical footage.
Both aspects compliment each other, and you understand one because of the other.
Most documentaries would only rely on footage and interviews of talking heads, but this one… the reading of his letters gives you a sort of sense as if he was actually there reading the letters out loud to you, telling the story himself.

Bravo! I have to give standing ovation to every great actor involved in this project, from Michael Douglas, Joan Allen, Paul Giamatti, to the legendary Donald Sutherland.
Each one of them gives life to the letters, they don’t just read ‘em, they give their all, their performances, their trying to understand what Trumbo had to go through, they become him.
My favorite part is when Donald Sutherland recites the excerpt about democracy and future war from Trumbo’s novel turned movie JOHNNY’S GOT HIS GUN.

Seeing the archival clips or old reels of the actual hearing back in the 1950s to crucify those associated with the Communist ideology, it shocks me because you champion some of the actors and Hollywood heroes of the past when in fact they were nothing but back-stabbers who were so prejudice, you’d begin to rethink whether we should idolize them at all?

My favorite movies that Trumbo wrote are SPARTACUS and PAPILLON. I still remember the day I watched those movies as a kid, like it was yesterday. Kirk Douglas and Steve McQueen gave monumental performances.

Back to Dalton Trumbo, It’s a shame how America could inflict such pain to one of its greatest sons.
Many of the people blacklisted at the time committed suicide because their families were stripped off economically and worst off, their reputation was forever smeared.

This movie is about standing up for what you believe in. And I highly recommend this movie to everyone.. as a reminder to this generation and the next… that mankind’s God given right is not for any of us to take away.
A reminder that America is founded on the principles of freedom, and anything less than that would be like a slap across the faces of the founding fathers.

The letters are still relevant to today’s situation. Now that this great documentary has been made. I think someone should make a dramatic movie depiction of Donald Trumbo.

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