Credible vs. Compelling: The Documentary Filmmakers’ Dilemma

Paper by Kyle Monahan. Viewed on DVD.

The use of reenactment in documentary film can be seen as a kind of double edged sword. No doubt adding visually to the narrative of the documentary, reenactments can definitely add an element of entertainment and excitement to the films in which they are used, greatly increasing the compelling nature of the film as whole. In spite of this however, reenactments can also detract from a film’s credibility, creating accusations of possible “staging”, exaggeration of the truth, and creative license that would otherwise be absent in a film that relied solely on interview and stock footage. Falling into these two categories of film are James Marsh’s Man on Wire and Errol Morris’ The Fog of War, the former enlisting the use of reenactments to supplement the animated storytelling of its central social actor Philippe Petite while the latter relies largely on historical footage and the raw testimony of its central figure Robert McNamara. Each containing varying strengths and weaknesses, the films lead viewers to question which is the more effective documentary style, an idea which requires a deeper analysis into the degree to which each film manages to appear credible, convincing, and compelling. Interestingly however, I will choose not to answer this question in this paper, my analysis of each style serving only to add credibility to my argument that the most effective film style is in fact a combination of the two, one that fuses both the fiction film-esque reenactments of Man on Wire with the raw and uncensored interviews of Fog of War. For this I will look extensively at Kevin MacDonald’s film Touching the Void, a film which, through its use of this hybrid style, manages to be more compelling, convincing, and credible then both Man on Wire and Fog of War.

Of course before any of this analysis can be accomplished we must first look back at Robert Flaherty, the documentary filmmaker who would ultimately become the father of reenactments through his production of Nanook of the North. A kind of nature documentary, Nanook of the North details the lives of Inuit tribes in northern Canada, relying on the central figure of Nanook in order to drive the narrative like “plot” forward. At first highly popular and well received, the film soon garnered a great degree of criticism as it became more and more apparent that the characters and events in the film had been manipulated and staged in some ways by Flaherty. Evidence of this manipulation can be seen in the way it which Flaherty pairs Nanook, whose real name is Allakariallak, with “a nuclear family assembled for the sake of the film”, or in the scene in which Nanook and his “tribe” go hunting with spears “despite the fact that Eskimos living in the 1920s no longer relied on the traditional techniques depicted.” (Nichols, 4) Also noticeable is the extensive use of editing in Nanook, Flaherty having used post-production to great effect in the formation and presentation of Nanook and the Inuits. Examples of this can be seen in the scenes in which Nanook’s “family” exit their canoe, Flaherty’s use of editing making seem as though the canoe is bottomless and capable of holding the entirety of Nanook’s family despite its small size. Further evidence can be found in the scene in which Nanook’s family huddle inside an igloo, manipulation quickly becoming apparent as we begin to notice the impossibilities of filming many of the shots in the cramped confines of a real igloo. What comes out of this however is the birth of reenactments, Flaherty’s emphasis on “a simple quest narrative to organize events” and “its exemplary or representative individual” (Nichols, 22) creating a style of documentary in which some degree of truth can be sacrificed in order to draw the viewer in and compel them throughout the film. Indeed, it is this very idea that has been applied to modern films such as Man on Wire and Touching the Void; each documentary utilizing fiction film style staging and manipulation to create visual representations of the stories they are attempting to tell in order to appear less like a documentary and more like a typical Hollywood fiction film.

We can turn now to Man on Wire, James Marsh’s 2007 film about Philippe Petite’s tightrope walk between the World Trade Centers. Appearing “like a heist movie, in the manner of Rififi or the revived Ocean’s Eleven franchise” (Scott), the film relies largely on Petite’s flamboyant storytelling, one Marsh “supplements […] with stylized re-enactments” (Morgenstern) that drive the film forward and keep the viewer engaged throughout. Creating “wonderfully witty, exuberant interludes that simulate the tone of a spy thriller,” (Morgenstern) the film proceeds very similar to that of a fiction film narrative, the reenactments providing a visualization of Petite and his crew’s descriptions of the extensive planning and training that went into the “heist” as well as the events that occurred during the actual execution of the plan the night before. Naturally the effect of these reenactments is to engage and enthrall the viewer, pulling them into the film emotionally through suspenseful sequences such as the one in which Petite and his partner come within inches of being discovered by a policeman as they proceed to the top of the World Trade Center. Also thrilling is the reenactment sequence in which Jean-Francoise (a co-conspirator and best friend of Petite’s), frantically attempts to pull the tightrope taut in time for Petite’s walk, the viewer forgetting that they already know Petite succeeds and instead left in suspense until the sequence’s climax when Jean-Francoise is finally able to accomplish his goal. Yet although these sequences add a large degree of excitement and engagement to the film, they, like Nanook’s “reenactments”, also detract from the authenticity of the film, the very elements of the film that make it so compelling also having an ultimately negative effect on its credibility. Indeed, although the film does make use of a few historical film shots to show Petite’s actual tightrope walk, everything before then remains word of mouth, relying largely on the testimony of a social actor who already appears to be somewhat performing for the camera. From this we see that it almost seems as if Marsh’s blurring of the lines between documentary and fiction film cause Man on Wire to lose some of the authenticity inherent in documentaries, the viewer beginning to see and associate its events with those seen in more common Hollywood narratives. It is this then that causes the film to appear more like a film “based on true events” rather than a documentary, it becoming more effective at entertaining than it as at informing and convincing. Recognizing then the effects of this focus on the compelling over the credible, we can move on to a film which does the exact opposite, Errol Morris’ Fog of War.
Dealing extensively with the political life of former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, the film is the stylistic opposite of Man on Wire consisting largely: of crisply edited interviews with the 85-year-old McNamara, TV news excerpts of press conferences and news reports from the 1960s, still photos of Kennedy’s cabinet to illustrate taped meetings during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the developing mess in Vietnam, footage of World War II bombing runs and air attacks over Vietnam, close-ups of an Uher reel-to-reel as we listen to taped phone conversations between LBJ and his Defense Secretary, and repeated and rapid series of shots that focus on critical words in reports, headlines, and numerals from statistical studies.
(Loftus)

Exhibiting a clear use of Morris’ now famous Interrotron, the film presents us with a raw and uncensored look at McNamara, we able to stare directly into his eyes as he presents his sometimes emotional take on what he has gained from his experiences in the realm of war and politics. Occupying what can VERY loosely be defined as Cinema Verite/Direct Cinema style, Morris uses the camera for the most part observationally, hoping to catch reality through his continued observance of McNamara throughout the interview process. It is also interesting to note that despite Morris’ silence throughout the film, his voice does appear at various points in the film where he attempts Verite-esque prodding in order to elicit a deeper emotional response from McNamara. It is these characteristics that make The Fog of War appear so convincing and credible, the choice of the filmmaker to focus almost exclusively on interview making it seem as if McNamara is speaking directly to us and providing the viewer with a feeling of a one-on-one relationship with the man. Indeed, at various points in the film it seems almost as if we are allowed to stare directly into McNamara’s soul, he breaking down emotionally when forced to confront the emotional scarring he underwent during his time in office. This has the effect of giving the film a very real feeling of authenticity, we feeling almost like direct participants in McNamara’s interview with Morris. In spite of this however, Morris’ focus on the credible over the compelling comes at a cost to the overall entertainment to be garnered from The Fog of War. Focusing more on a central historical figure rather than an event, the film loses the feeling of rising action and climax that made Man on Wire so engaging, instead proceeding more like a lecture or speech. This having been lost, the film also becomes less a piece of entertainment and more a lesson in politics, it appearing on the surface to require more education and thought, appealing more to military and government leaders then the everyday moviegoer.

Having once again reached the dilemma of entertainment vs. truth, we can clearly see the pros and cons of each the styles used in both Man on Wire and The Fog of War, neither of which managed to trump the other in terms of overall effectiveness. Enter Touching the Void, a film which manages to combine both styles into a highly engrossing, entertaining, and believable package. Detailing Joe Simpson and Simon Yates’ climbing of the west face of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985, the film main focus rests not in the pair’s ascent of the mountain but rather during the perilous events that would occur during their descent. It was during this time that Simpson’s left leg would be crippled in a fall, an injury that would thereafter require that he be lowered slowly by rope for the rest of the ascent while Yates remained above, holding the rope for 300 feet before climbing down to restart the process again. Working well at first, everything changed when Simpson went careening off the edge of a cliff, ultimately becoming stuck in mid air while Yates struggled above. Unable to hear or see Simpson and fighting a losing battle to prevent himself from being pulled off the cliff as well, Yates was forced to make one of the most difficult, and often criticized, decisions of his life, choosing to cut the rope and thus save himself while condemning his friend to what he thought to be sure death. This event acting essentially as the film inciting incident, what follows is the pairs accounts of what happened next, Yates discussing the incredible guilt and pain he suffered during his return to base camp and Simpson narrating reenactments of his incredible journey back to camp, having survived both the fall and eventually multiple days of foodless and waterless travel. Incredibly compelling, the film is driven largely by the storytelling of Simpson, the camera switching between shots of Simpson speaking into the camera and reenactments of the events as they are described. Incredibly well acted and filmed in the exact location that Simpson and Yates’ climb occurred, these reenactments provide the bulk of the film’s entertainment, giving life to the events as related by Yates and Simpson and providing us with images of the monumental natural obstacles that each man faced. Setting these reenactments apart from those seen on Man on Wire is a style of filmmaking that appears national geographic-esque in its recreation of each man’s story, making use of the real locations and forcing the actors who portray each character to retrace both Simpson and Yates’ actual steps. Of particular note are the scenes in which the re-enactors are shown actually climbing the very mountain face that Simpson and Yates climbed, scenes which transcend the title of reenactment and become rather recreations. It is this dedication to the source that allows the film’s reenactments to become both credible and compelling, the sense of authenticity preserved even in scenes as amazing and unbelievable as those in which Simpson’s incredibly painful attempts to drag himself over the dry and arid area between the mountain and his camp are recreated. Not relying solely on reenactment, the film is also aided by the extensive interviews of both Simpson and Yates, each offering a very raw retelling of their experiences on the mountain. Of particular note is Simpson, whose contributions are “nothing if not pragmatic. He says he would have done the same thing as Yates, and you believe him.” (Rainer) Indeed, the obvious emotional scarring that clear affects each man, in particular Yates, serves to increase the realism of the piece as well, the scenes in which Yates’ discomfort and remorse are readily apparent during his discussion of his decisions mirror those in Fog of War in which the very same is apparent. Also important is the way in which film is structured, Simpson and Yate’s plight progressing in a manner that allows the film to unfold in the same way that a fiction film would, drawing the viewer in up and building towards an ultimate climax. It is through this hybridization of those film styles seen in Man on Wire and Fog of War, that Touching the Void manages to transcend both films, becoming a more effective documentary; one able to tell an incredibly compelling and convincing story without sacrificing any of its credibility.

Works Cited:
Lane, Anthony. “Hanging On.” The New Yorker. 19 Jan. 2004. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .
Loftus, Mark. “The Fog of War – A Review.” Documentary Films .NET. 6 Mar. 2004. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .
Morgenstern, Joe. “‘Man on Wire’ Hits the Heights – WSJ.com.” Business News & Financial News – The Wall Street Journal – WSJ.com. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .
Nichols, Bill. Introduction to Documentary. Bloomington: Indiana Univ., 2001. Print.
Rainer, Peter. “Touching the Void – Joe Simpson – New York Movie Review.” New York Magazine — NYC Guide to Restaurants, Fashion, Nightlife, Shopping, Politics, Movies. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .
Scott, A. O. “Movie Review – Man on Wire – Walking on Air Between the Towers – NYTimes.com.” The New York Times.com. The New York Times, 25 July 2008. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. .