Body of War: An Interview with Phil Donahue

Body of War marks Phil Donahue's debut as a documentary filmmaker. It chronicles the post-war life and times of American soldier Tomas Young, who was gravely injured in a gunfight during his first tour of duty in Iraq.

Unflinching in its patriotism, Body of War insists on showing us the human costs of Iraq -- a side of the war that most of us never see. The film is a maddening indictment of our government and a stirring testament to the sacrifices made by servicemen and women in uniform.

Critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Time magazine calls Body of War "unbearably moving," and the National Board of Review selected it as the best documentary of 2007. The soundtrack, provided by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, is first-rate.

Even so, Donahue and co-director Ellen Spiro have been unable to secure theatrical distribution.

"Iraq documentaries are playing to empty seats," Donahue says. "This is no longer a matter of interest to the press corps or the American people, apparently. Body of War has not sold popcorn."

Fortunately, the film has now found a champion in the Sundance Channel, which will air Body of War for a national audience on Veterans' Day, November 11th, at 7 p.m. In addition, the DVD is now available and can be purchased at Best Buy, Amazon, the Pearl Jam website, and BodyofWar.com.

I recently had a chance to speak with Phil Donahue about his film, its subjects, and what we can learn from them, both now and in the days to come.

 

 
 

For so long you've worked in television, and now a documentary film. How did it happen?

Phil Donahue: I met Tomas Young at Walter Reed Medical Center in April of 2004. I was having a conversation with Ralph Nader, and he said, "A mother at Walter Reed wants to see me. Would you like to go?" Sure. A week later, off we went to Walter Reed. Tomas was lying still in his bed as his mother explained the nature of his injury. The bullet, fired from above, entered Tomas' shoulder and severed his spine at the T-4 level, the place on the spine between the shoulder blades. It paralyzed him from the chest down.

And after Walter Reed?

My wife, Marlo Thomas, and I visited Tomas at his home in Kansas City shortly after he left the hospital. It was then that I noticed the bumper stickers on the coffee table. One said "Draft Republicans" -- my first hint that he was a warrior turned anti-warrior. It was on that visit that I met his fiancee, Brie.

At what point did Tomas begin to question the war's validity? Was it after he was wounded? Or did it happen earlier?

The light bulb went on while he was in basic training at Fort Hood. Why am I going to Iraq, he wondered. I signed up for Afghanistan. Too late. He was shipped off to Iraq and was shot five days later.

And how was he treated by his fellow soldiers upon becoming an activist?

There has been no backlash to Tomas' anti-war activism. If anything, more and more military personnel and their families are now publicly protesting this war. Tomas' mom, Cathy, is a member of MFSO, Military Families Speak Out. And Tomas is a leading spokesman for Iraq Veterans against the War.

It was infuriating to learn about the sub-standard medical treatment Tomas received upon returning home from battle.

There's a scene in our movie where Tomas meets Bobby Muller, a Vietnam Vet with the same injury. Muller asks Tomas how long he was in the hospital, and Tomas replies, "Two or three months spread out over several hospitals." Muller stares at Tomas for a long time, embarrassed. Muller was in the hospital for a year.

Beyond the obvious physical consequences of his injury, we see Tomas' ongoing struggle to build a life for himself in the aftermath of war---the familial consequences, the economic and emotional consequences. His eventual split with his wife was particularly heartbreaking.

And everyone who sees our film will tell you why it happened. There are as many explanations for this divorce as there are people who have seen our film.

What was the biggest challenge you faced throughout this process?

The hardest part was watching Tomas deal with his new body. He can't walk, cough, or sweat. He can't hold a hand of cards. He has to be cathetered several times a day. This is a twenty-something man in the prime of his life who has erectile dysfunction. What is sacrifice to the rest of us?

I was struck by the archival footage from Capitol Hill in 2002, as the Iraq War Resolution was making its way through Congress. It's stunning to realize the level of power that our legislative branch ceded to President Bush in the run-up to the war.

The president wanted the power, the Congress did not. Ignoring the mandate that only Congress can declare war---Article 1, Section 8---members gave President Bush permission to go to war at his own discretion. Constitutional? Not even close.

Along with Young, Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia serves as the film's conscience. Byrd's protestations on the Senate floor are among the most deeply moving moments in the film. I came away so impressed with him, and so maddened to think that he was in the minority back then.

I watched the Congressional debate live in October of 2002. Robert Byrd absolutely knocked me out. I had never seen such a passionate plea offered from the floor of the Senate. "The Gentleman from West Virginia," the longest serving Senator in the history of the nation, pleading with his colleagues not to give this power to the President, quoting James Madison -- "It is too much of a temptation for one man."

The roll call motif used throughout the film feels appropriate -- calling out by name our elected officials and telling viewers how they voted at the moment of truth.

We are pleased that our film records every senator's vote. As the years go by, there will be more and more interest in this drama -- a vote that marks one of the darkest days in the history of the United States Congress. It's a frightening look at what the politics of fear can accomplish.

If my history is correct, the last time the United States Congress formally declared war, it was 1941. In the intervening years, there has been a near ceaseless string of conflicts involving our country. What the hell is going on here?

What's going on here is unconstitutional. And your history is correct. Congress, worried about being on the wrong side of a politically fatal war decision, is happy to give the job to the President. Let him decide. That way if it doesn't work, we elected people on The Hill have covered our asses -- no up or down vote, no personal harm.

Who are your favorite filmmakers? Were there any films that were particularly inspirational to you in the making of Body of War?

Michael Moore consulted for us twice. And my inspiration for the film was the picture of the naked child running from the napalm in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. She couldn't be five years old, stark naked, running in terror. That picture won a Pulitzer Prize, as it should have. It said: See the pain. Don't sanitize the war.

I'm curious to know if you have any advice for aspiring documentarians. And what are your feelings on the role of documentary film in the realm of activism?

My four-year odyssey making this picture hit me in many ways. In terms of filmmaking, the array of equipment brought down from the high digital age was an epiphany. I go back to the Middle Ages: cameras were heavy then, film often skipped off the gears, and we often ran out of film halfway through an interview with a person I would never see again. Today, a nine year old can make a movie. We should be on the lookout for the Steven and Stephanie Spielbergs who are sure to emerge from this new technology. I believe the new documentaries that these younger lights will give to us will shatter the darkness of the big black hole left by corporate media---the big institutions that flee from bad news because it is not good for business.

Are you optimistic that the American people have learned something valuable from the tragedy of the Iraq War and the presidency of George W. Bush?

I was convinced that after Vietnam we'd never allow our country to become so hopelessly enmeshed in the hatreds of other people in other lands. Silly goose!

How is Tomas today?

Good question. Six months ago, he sustained a pulmonary embolism---a blood clot to the lung. He was found in a coma and rushed to the hospital. He has awakened to new challenges. His speech is somewhat impaired, and he has reduced movement in his arms and hands. He can scratch his nose but can't yet manage the silverware. He has to be fed by a visitor.

What can people do to help veterans like Tomas Young as they leave the battlefield and reintegrate into American life?

Ask them how they're doing. They risked their lives for us. We certainly owe them more than a high five --- but it's a start.

Is there something in particular you hope to achieve with this film?

Yes. Before the next president swaggers up to the cameras and dares an enemy to "bring it on," I have a soldier for him. Before the next laptop bomber in an air conditioned newsroom beats the big war drum, before the next Congress breathlessly gives a President "permission" to go to war --- I have a soldier for them. Before the next righteous brother trips over his robes, God-Blessing this, that, his dog and his cat, before the falsely pious presume to take Jesus into war with them---I want them all to meet the honorably discharged United States Army Specialist, Tomas Young.

Comments

[fightorleave2]

Speaking of lack of interest: only 2 comments. I wonder how many comments the Angelina stories, there are presently more than one story on Angelina on HuffPo. It was a good read, but I heard of the movie before, maybe on Bill Moyers. It's totally sad that this man's life was destroyed and Bush walks out of the White House unscathed.

[lola85]

A big thank you to Phil Donahue for being so compelled to tell this story and to Tomas Young for bravely allowing his life to be documented so honestly.

This is a really great documentary that everyone should see if you have the opportunity. It is difficult to watch, extremely raw and very moving.

[sisterdebmac]

Whoa. My eyes were filled with tears through that whole interview. I'm sure I will weep copiously when I see the film. And I will. Thank you for making it, Phil.