While Moore celebrates his latest screen success, federal authorities have launched a probe over his alleged trip with emergency workers from Ground Zero in New York City, to Cuba for medical treatment last February.
(SALEM, Ore.) - The new film from Michael Moore, Sicko, another documentary from America's most controversial producer, blasts holes in the superstructure of the U.S. national healthcare system, and takes particular aim at the ultra-powerful private health insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry.
Sicko swept the Cannes Film Festival over the weekend, making it the third hit for Moore, who is equally loved and hated over his blatant and comical views, and their consequent impact on society. He is the creator of "Fahrenheit 911" and "Bowling Columbine".
Some say Moore goes too far every time, and consistently fails to preach to anyone except the choir of already left leaning viewers. But others describe Moore as America's painful conscience, and believe that even as he brings conservative angers to a boil in many cases, he makes an impact on people who are willing to watch.
This producer causes anxiety in conservative leaning Republicans the same way Rush Limbaugh affects progressive Democrats. One interesting thing about the Michael Moore phenomena, is that his politics have alienated supporters of conservative politics and Bush policy so thoroughly, that nearly every critic you meet on the street with plenty to say about Michael Moore, has never watched any of his movies. They just "know he's bad" and that is as far as it often goes.
Their information generally comes from right leaning talk show hosts, FOX News and conservative politicians, many of whom consider Moore's antics an outrage. Or people like author David T Hardy, who wrote, "Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man". Respect seems to have no place here.
At the same time, it strikes many who share his politics, that his good points are lost in translation, as he has at least until now, presented himself as a target to critics with his dry, sometimes cynical humor and his less than athletic physique. But it looks like maybe Michael Moore is putting some distance in, between that that less than flattering image, and the producer that could have an even larger impact than ever before.
Moore said as he was impressed with the enthusiastic response of journalists and critics after the film's first Cannes screening. But he conceded that the film's overwhelming acceptance in France, will probably lead to a less than enthusiastic reaction in his homeland, the land of FOX News, big corporate business, and an unpopular war in Afghanistan and Iraq, that he has gone to great effort to criticize, along with President Bush. "I know the storm awaits me back in the United States," he told reporters.
Moore at Cannes Film FestivalHe is no stranger to the Cannes Festival either; "Fahrenheit 9/11" earned the Cannes's Palme d'Or trophy in 2004 with its unrelenting criticism of George W. Bush's White House, his delayed reaction to the September 11th, 2001 attacks in an elementary school classroom, and his family's relationship to the Saudi oil clans.
Moore says one of the new movie's aims, is to zero in on what he calls, "The neglect of the heroes of 9/11 by the Bush administration." He says heroic first responders have been left to fend for themselves, without coverage and without care. Moore is referring to the emergency responders who suffered serious respiratory issues that doctors say were brought on by their service in the wake of 9/11. He says he knows there is serious opposition, that has direct ties to the presidency.
"This is not an incendiary film." he told The Spoof!. He says he hopes this time, to do more than polarize Americans, "This film intends to bring both sides together. But, I understand why certain businesses do not want this movie to appear. Not to name names, but the pharmaceutical industry and HMO whores come off pretty cynical and greedy - which they are - but, of course they are each major, major campaign donors to Bush Republicans. I suppose he had to do something for them or they would have canceled his Captain America card."
One thing that every American healthcare organization is likely paying attention to, is the way Moore uses the movie to spell out how much better the healthcare systems are in Canada, England and France. It is something that many Americans staunchly denounce, citing higher taxation in those countries that is typically associated with broader healthcare. But that is not how people think on the other side of the Atlantic, in most cases.
Lee Marshall of Screen Daily, writes, "Abroad, especially in Europe, Sicko will shock and comfort in equal measure - if we were being uncharitable, we might view his decision to contrast the US system with the free health care offered in Canada, Britain and especially France as a feel-good gift to audiences and distributors in those territories. But the points Moore makes here are (mostly) well-founded - and managed, as always, with a vein of irony that makes it difficult to dissent."
The Cuban Connection
While Moore is being celebrated in France, federal authorities here in the US have launched a probe against him for allegedly taking a small group of emergency workers from Ground Zero in New York City, to Cuba for medical treatment last February.
It's just the kind of thing Moore always does in his movies; he grabs the viewers and leaves them gaping when he stands on a corner in Washington D.C., and asks passing congressmen and senators if they would like to sign their sons up for service in Iraq. In this case though, he has taken a larger step, and his visit to the communist island nation, which the US considers off limits to American citizens without special permission, is the root of the problems he is facing amid his latest success.
"I think that somehow by making some sort of example of me, that helps them (US authorities) with a certain community in terms of voters," he told Green Cine Daily during a recent interview.
One interesting note is that a spokeswoman for the Weinstein Company that produced Moore's film, says the documentary "has been placed in a secret location outside the country (outside the United States)" because of fears it might be taken by US officials.
Harvey Weinstein issued a statement that a letter sent to Moore by the US treasury department "suggests that the Bush administration is proactively trying to discredit the film." They are being as public about that part of it as they can. "Let the secret service find that out, though this is the same country that thought there were weapons of mass destruction, so they'll never find it."
Maybe that will end up being the subject of Moore's next film. Regardless, he typically only divides, and some critics do agree that this movie is slightly less biting than Moore's previous efforts. This may especially be true when you consider how in addition to the Bush administration, he selects an enemy with the private health insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry this time, an area where many people share a common opinion, as they feel the impact in their wallets.
Maybe people who are on the fence will take the time to listen to a different point of view, and maybe Michael Moore will strike a chord this time that resounds more smoothly with the average American. But then, at least in some cases... maybe not.
Michael Moore's New Film Claims US Healthcare System is Driven by GreedSalem-News.com