Trumbo, based on a stage play of the same name, tells the story of Dalton Trumbo. Mr. Trumbo was a novelist, a screenwriter, and an accused communist. As one of the Hollywood Ten, he was blacklisted for his supposed beliefs, and for refusing to name names during the HUAC trials.
The film is composed primarily of actors reading letters that Trumbo had written, with interviews from friends and family interspersed to add context. His letters to his son, to other blacklisted writers, even to the phone company are both humorous and poignant, more so when read by some of the Hollywood greats in the film: Paul Giamatti, Donald Sutherland, David Strathairn, Michael Douglas, and Joan Allen to name a few.
At its heart, Trumbo is a tip of the hat from a son to his father, since the original play and the script for this film were written by Christopher Trumbo. One last call of respect to a man whose glory was crushed by fear, who never succumbed to the pressures, and in the end regained the credit he was justly due.
A must see for any fan of classic films, civil liberties, and for anyone who has eaten lunch at the Trumbo Fountain on the CU Boulder Campus.
Documentary/Biography
Rated PG-13
DVD Release Date: 9/15/09