"Live From Baghdad" Won't Stop Broadcasting

The first casualty of war doesn't have to be the truth. Journalists behind enemy lines have risked their lives to photograph, videotape, and document the important events of war that no one would have otherwise recorded. 

Before the facts can fade into a re-writable history, these beacons of truth can broadcast vivid and permanent accounts of human experience to the world. But they have to risk everything to do it.

On the eve of January 15th, 1991, Robert Weiner and two other CNN reporters became the eyes and ears of the world when they broadcasted live throughout the night on the beginnings of war in Baghdad. The U.N's threat of military intervention in Iraq if the country did not withdraw its troops by the 15th led to a mass exodus of the press and news organizations, and thus created a rare opportunity for Weiner and his crew to be the only source of news for everyone worldwide.  

This is the climax and defining moment of HBO's 2002 movie, "Live From Baghdad". Based on Weiner's book of memoirs from his experience in Iraq, the movie itself is a document of the CNN's news-team's trials, tribulations, and triumphs in Baghdad during the six-month antebellum period before the Gulf War.  

Possibly due to HBO's decision to make the movie for television instead of the big screen, their report of CNN's reporting maintains the spirit of uncompromising news and doesn't distract itself with sensationalism. There are bodies dangling from cranes, flaming car wrecks, and Saddam's ubiquitous face, sure, but the cinematography and soundtrack combine to recreate that disconcerting, portentous atmosphere of early-90's Baghdad with gritty accuracy.

The six months unfold chaotically for the CNN crew, and the whirlwind pacing of the movie reinforces the sense that opportunities are rapidly appearing and disappearing. In order to find the news, the actors are rushing everywhere they go. At points the formula of fast-paced music plus hurried movement can be tedious.

Michael Keaton's performance as Weiner is engaging and varied. He is gung-ho and courageous enough to follow the story wherever it takes him, but witty and sharp enough to offer comedic relief on the way there. Despite his toughness and enthusiasm, the emotionally taxing environment affects him and Keaton knows how to show this.  

When forced to confront the ethics of possibly endangering an American prisoner by putting his face in the news, Weiner declares with uncertainty and anxiety that yes, he does sleep at night. His increasingly haggard face accurately resembles the wearying frenzy of thoughts that must be running through his busy mind. 

The ever-alluring Helena Bonham Carter, who plays his colleague and producer Ingrid, is a versatile support character who can balance Weiner's ego. Their rapport feels like it goes back ages, which creates sexual tension between her and Keaton. In a dimly lit bar at a "We're All Going to Die!" party, the two reminisce about drinking and it comes out that despite never having sex, they've come close on several occasions.

The CNN crew is resilient and resourceful, and eventually they procure a special communications device that will enable them to report 24 hours a day without phone lines. This proves invaluable when they are caught in the middle of anti-aircraft fire and raining bombs, with only the four-wire to communicate with headquarters in Atlanta. 

In a bit of obvious foreshadowing, Weiner declares that, "broadcasting from behind enemy lines is the journalistic equivalent of walking on the moon." At the end of the movie, his achievements are "the envy of every journalist in the world". A gratuitous montage of news anchors lauding CNN and its coverage tries to pound home the idea that Weiner is a hero.

As enjoyable and informative as this movie is to watch, it's also valuable for the questions it raises about war-time journalism. What are the consequences of media censorship?  What kind of information isn't being relayed? What would people know about the night of January 15th, 1991 in Baghdad if Robert Weiner and his team hadn't been there?

In light of the recent explosion of conflict in Gaza, and the Israeli blockade of any and all foreign press entering the area, how will the world know what is going on there? The movie's greatest strength is its relevancy and applicability to current events. It's impossible not to wonder about the implications of a war in which no information can escape after watching this movie.

By promoting Weiner's coverage of the story of a lifetime, "Live From Baghdad" serves as a reminder that intrepid journalism is crucial to the survival of truth.