Product Details

• Actors: Geoffrey Giuliano
• Directors: Franny Armstrong, Ken Loach
• Writers: Franny Armstrong
• Producers: Franny Armstrong, Peter Armstrong
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Cinema Libre Studio
• DVD Release Date: August 30, 2005
• Run Time: 85 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000A59PR4
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,306 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "McLibel" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

McDonald's loved using the UK libel laws to suppress criticism. Major media organisations like the BBC and The Guardian crumbled and apologised. But then they sued gardener Helen Steel and postman Dave Morris. In the longest trial in English legal history the "McLibel Two" represented themselves against McDonald's 10 million legal team. Every aspect of the corporation's business was cross-examined: from junk food and McJobs to animal cruelty environmental damage and advertising to children. Outside the courtroom Dave brought up his young son alone and Helen supported herself working nights in a bar. McDonald's tried every trick in the book against them. Legal manoeuvres. A visit from Ronald McDonald. Top executives flying to London for secret settlement negotiations. Even spies. Seven years later in February 2005 the marathon legal battle finally concluded at the European Court of Human Rights. And the result took everyone by surprise - especially the British Government. McLibel is not just about hamburgers. It is about the importance of freedom of speech now that multinational corporations are more powerful than countries. Filmed over ten years by no-budget Director Franny Armstrong McLibel is the David and Goliath story of two people who refused to say sorry. And in doing so changed the world.System Requirements:Run Time: 85 minFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 881394500822 Manufacturer No: DOC50082

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A well done documentary., March 15, 2006

By 

Korwedge (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: McLibel (DVD)

A pretty good documentary, and a nice addition to the much funnier "Super Size Me". It may seem a little ridiculous that these two ordinary people would want to fight such a huge corporation on their own, but if you watch the DVD, you'll see that this couple truly believe in fighting only for their freedom of speech.

The best part about the DVD is that you can hear 27 minutes of secret audio taken during two meetings with some McDonalds big wigs.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars McLibel A Must See for All Students!, August 22, 2006

By 

Carol C. Bungert - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: McLibel (DVD)

McLibel is a documentary expose of the fast food industry and the legal systems that protect corporate giants from accountability. It is the story of two people in England who refused to say they were sorry for exposing correct information about McDonald's food production and employment practices. These two ordinary citizens were sued and they spent years defending themselves, with no money. It ended up being the longest court proceeding of its kind in British history.

I won't reveal the outcome. This film covers these two citizens over a period of YEARS and, although it is not a "blockbuster" level production, the foundation is excellent and I think it should be required viewing and material for discussion for all middle school, high school, and college students.

I have bought three copies of this movie and shared it with many friends. I hope others will do the same.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars low budget but important film showing the difference that ordinary people can make in face of multinational corporations, February 1, 2007

By 

Renee B. Fulton (Reston, Va USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: McLibel (DVD)

The film starts out in Star Wars fashion with the text: "A long time ago there was a company that made lots of money by selling bits of meat between two bits of bread. Many people were employed to put the meat between the bread and many animals were killed to be the meat. A friendly clown persuaded children to love the company. Some decades passed and all was well. The company became very, very rich. Richer even than many countries. And then some people wrote in their newspapers than eating lots of the meat and bread could make people ill. Other people said on television that too many trees had been cut down and that the workers were unhappy. This made the company very angry. The company looked around the world and saw that in England there was a special law that could stop people saying things the company didn't like. And make them say sorry."

This documentary is about a famous court case involving two activists and the McDonalds corporation in the UK. The film was made over a ten year period, involving you in the actual true life story as it unfolded. The documentary Super Size Me is a more professional film with a much larger budget that covers similar content and has a more exciting presentation. However, even though the film admittedly has somewhat of a "low budget" feel, it is still an important, informative and inspiring one.