An Unreasonable Man
by Steve Skrovan, Henriette Mantel
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Andrew Egendorf, Howard Zinn, Pat Buchanan, Ralph Nader, Robert FellmethDirector: Henriette Mantel, Steve Skrovan
Brand: WELLSPRING/GENIUS
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 122 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-06-12
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Ifc
Movie Reviews of An Unreasonable Man
Movie Review: Terrific Bio
Summary: 4 Stars
I was interested in viewing this documentary because I didn't know much about Ralph Nader. I just knew that he didn't much care for the main political parties and he probably played the spoiler in the 2000 election.
I came away with an increased appreciation for the man. He has been involved in a number of worthy endeavors, the more notable of which were getting seatbelts and airbags in cars. I was really impressed with his idealism. This is not a man who was going to sell out to the highest bidder. He was in his causes because he believed in them, and he inspired many like-minded individuals.
Granted, I don't agree with many of his ideals. I think some of them are inefficient and/or silly. But his dedication to his ideals was most impressive. This was probably the reason that he has never been elected to any office. Or vice versa: perhaps the reason he has been able to stay idealistic is because he has never been in an elected office.
This documentary also highlights the problems of the two-party system. Democrats and Republicans have such a stranglehold that it is impossible for third party candidates to make a difference. Even to the point that Nader was not allowed to attend a presidential debate as an audience member. There's obviously something wrong with the system.
Of course, Nader took a lot of heat in 2000 for tipping the election to Bush by stealing Gore votes in Florida. But there were many 3rd party candidates that got more votes than separated Bush from Gore. However, since Gore got the most, he got the blame. The documentary really highlighted some of the disdain that Democrats now hold for him because of that, whereas as many of them previously supported him strongly.
Overall, the documentary is very good - especially if you don't know much about the man. Highly recommended for all students of politics.
Summary of An Unreasonable Man
In 1966 General Motors the most powerful corporation in the world sent private investigators to dig up dirt on an obscure thirty-two year old public interest lawyer named Ralph Nader who had written a book critical of one of their cars the Corvair. The scandal that ensued after the smear campaign was revealed launched Ralph Nader into national prominence and established him as one of the most admired Americans and the leader of the modern Consumer Movement. Over the next thirty years and without ever holding public office Nader built a legislative record that is the rival of any contemporary president. Many things we take for granted including seat belts airbags product labeling no nukes even the free ticket you get after being bumped from an overbooked flight are largely due to the efforts of Ralph Nader and his citizen groups. Yet today when most people hear the name "Ralph Nader" they think of the man who gave the country George W. Bush. As a result after sustaining his popularity and effectiveness over an unprecedented amount of time he has become a pariah even among former friends and allies. How did this happen? Is he really to blame for George W. Bush? Who has stuck by him and who has abandoned him? Has our democracy become a consumer fraud? After being so right for so many years how did he seem to go so wrong? With the help of exciting graphics rare archival footage and over forty on-camera interviews conducted over the past two years "An Unreasonable Man" traces the life and career of Ralph Nader one of the most unique important and controversial political figures of the past half century. System Requirements:Running Time: 122 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: NR UPC: 796019801690 Manufacturer No: 80169As the title of his biography puts it, Ralph Nader: Crusader, Spoiler, Icon. Without him, automobiles would be less safe... and Al Gore would've been elected president. Well, one of those statements is not in dispute. Henriette Mantel and Steve Skrovan's illuminating documentary begins in the 1950s with Nader's career as a consumer advocate and ends with his more recent reputation as election spoiler. Along the way, they look at a provincial childhood steeped in politics (his parents were community activists). Throughout, they speak with a broad spectrum of interested observers, including Phil Donahue, Pat Buchanan, Howard Zinn--even Bill Murray. They also feature commentary from the man himself. George Bernard Shaw provides the provocative title. In context, it sums up the film's perspective: "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." So, on the one hand, Nader has saved thousands of lives. On the other, his third party candidacy ruined the 2000 election for many voters. An Unreasonable Man may not convince anyone that the campaign was a wise move, but Skrovan and Mantel, a former Nader associate, make a convincing case that he's a Democrat in the truest sense, i.e. a man committed to the idea that one citizen can make a difference. This Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee is necessary viewing for any person interested in American politics--which should be everyone. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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