REVIEW FROM THE PEW By Rabbi Jerry Ram Cutler As a child, Herbert Block, a Chicago native, was a prodigy being accepted into the prestigious Chicago Art Institute at age 12. He won his first Pulitzer in 1942, then spent two years in the Army doing cartoons and press releases. Upon his discharge Block was hired as the chief editorial cartoonist for The Washington Post, working there until his death 55 years later. Herblock: The Black and The White, loses some of its bite based on the real Herblocks speeches and writings with head shot interviews with celebrities and columnists with the same background but it makes up for it by showing history through Herblocks political and biting satirical drawings. Herblock, in his late 80’s, was still working four days a week, after 53 years of sitting at his desk and producing commentary and cartoons five times a week. He commented on everything from Boss Tweed’s corrupt New York political machine to gun control. He was extremely hard on Senator Joe McCarthy trying as best he could to ‘destroy’ the psychotic megalomaniac. When everyone was intimidated and afraid to attack the disgruntled senator, Herblock weighed right in and depicted him as mean and dirty looking with sweat pouring from his twisted face. He was a very patriotic American attacking everything and everyone he thought, at one time or another, to be a bad influence on his country including Nixon, who called Herblock his nemesis, LBJ, Carter and Clinton. The winner of four Pulitzer Prizes, he was the most feared political cartoonist of his day. He was against injustice, unfairness and fought for the poor, integration, gun control and civil liberties. Viet Nam, he wrote, marked the end of innocence. Alan Mandel, as Herblock delivers the illustrator’s words with ease, defiance and compassion, however, the many interviews, although very illuminating and praiseworthy were a bit long. Some of the personalities talking about Herblock’s character and brilliance are Woodward and Bernstein, Jules Feiffer, Tom Brokaw, Jon Stuart, Louis Black, Ted Koppel and a host of others. Herblock: The Black & The White premiers on HBO starting January 27. It is a documentary for all Americans. 3 ½ out of 4 Bagels
Posted on: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:42:27 +0000
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