Mike Wallace is Here

Wisconsin Premiere • documentary • USA • 2019 • DCP • 94 MIN

section: American Visions

For over 50 years on television, Mike Wallace interviewed—and interrogated—some of the world's most powerful leaders and celebrities, most memorably during four decades on the consistent ratings champion 60 Minutes. Wallace's aggressive and sometimes fear-inducing style of reporting set the standard for the countless number of TV "magazines" and infotainment shows that sprung up in imitation of 60 Minutes. Avoiding the standard model of storytelling in recent documentary biographies, director Avi Belkin relies entirely on archival footage of Wallace as interviewer and as interviewee—as well as some revealing behind-the-scenes moments not meant for broadcast—to explore this controversial figure’s personal and professional sides. Not merely the story of Wallace's life and career, Belkin's movie reflects on Wallace's legacy in the present era, where celebrity-driven sensationalism often triumphs over good investigative journalism. Expertly assembled and coherently told without added narration or captions, Mike Wallace is Here is both a thoughtful reflection on Wallace's accomplishments and an exciting piece of cinema. (JH)