Fun
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Dear Kay,
West Wing fans, here we go. Writer/director Aaron Sorkin’s brand-new film launches this weekend on Netflix: The Trial of the Chicago 7.
Based on actual events, the story is set in 1968, when a group of young activists decides to head to the Chicago Democratic convention to protest the Vietnam War. What could possibly go wrong?
Sorkin is not exactly the most subtle storyteller—he’s no Switzerland when it comes to politics—but after watching The West Wing again recently, I’m struck by how memorable his characters are and how so many scenes stick in my mind.
In an interview with Vogue, Sorkin talks about what motivated him to make this movie right now.
The cast is a roll call of tremendous actors: Jeremy Strong (Succession), Mark Rylance (Wolf Hall and many more), Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, The Ballad of Ricky Bobby), Frank Langella (The Americans), Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception), and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen).
“The whole world is watching,” the protesters chanted.
Fifty years later, here we are, watching our current social upheaval live, streaming, and in the palm of our hands. Yes, we’re watching, but what are we going to do about it?
Love,
Ann
I vividly remember watching film of the protest outside the Democratic convention. The small group of us college students standing and chanting along “The whole world is watching”. Those words still give me thrills and chills fifty years later. And yet, the political world is so much mire frightening now.
This isn’t just a film for those of us who remember what happened. It was our lives. This was happening all around us, perhaps on a lesser scale, but definitely impacting society. The protests, sit-ins, moratoriums, marches, candlelight vigils…all met with violent resistance by authorities. Chicago was the worst with the exception of the four students killed by the National Guard at Kent State in 1970. Still we will march.
Amen, sister. We marched then. We marched in 2017. In 2020, we march. We reach out and lend strength to those in need. We vote.
Yes.
1968 was A pivotal year for me , maybe that’s why this summer has been heartbreaking and depressing. The thought that this country and the world could be in such a evil place is disheartening.
Don’t forget the West Wing ‘play’ currently airing on HBOMax.
Wonder how many young ones even know who the Chicago 7 were? Now they can learn.
OMG- Writer/director Aaron Sorkin’s brand-new film launches this weekend on Netflix: The Trial of the Chicago 7…is so compelling, as are the comments about the events. Thank you.
We’re going to vote like our lives depend on it. Because they do.
I just read this morning that Graham Nash wrote his song Chicago based on this event!
Loved it! Thank you for the suggestion!
I also want to thank you for this. I remember this event as well as all of the other Vietnam War protests. Somehow people have forgotten this and the protest movement. I was in college during much of this time and still remember my humanities professor on TV in one of the protest groups, standing in his black coat and black umbrella. Memories. It is very relevant today with ongoing protests about civil rights and police brutality.
Thank you for the heads up. I watched this excellent film last night. Readers might be interested to know that there is a simultaneous release (October 6) of a new edition of the book “The Trial of the Chicago 7: The Official Transcript”, with a forward by Aaron Sorkin. (Paperback, E or audiobook. The original book, titled “Tales of Hoffman”, was published and released just days after the end of the trial.)
Thanks for recommending. I remember so well but haven’t thought about in many years. Hope young people will opt in to spending time watching this excellent film. The same intensity to right wrongs exists today!
My father was rebuilding the fireplace while my mother was out of town. We had a small black and white TV and we sat there horrified by what we were seeing. Although I was only 15 years old, witnessing police openly hit protesters will be something I will never forget.