Product Details

• Actors: Tony Shalhoub, Studs Terkel, Arlo Guthrie, Giuliano Montaldo, John Turturro
• Directors: Peter Miller
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: FIRST RUN FEATURES
• DVD Release Date: August 21, 2007
• Run Time: 82 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000QJLQE4
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #24,254 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Documentary > Crime & Conspiracy

Editorial Reviews

Review

It's cleansing to see the facts laid out with intimacy and rigor. Grade A! --entertainment weekly

Product Description

On the 80th anniversary of their execution, the new documentary SACCO AND VANZETTI brings to life the story of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian immigrant anarchists accused of a muder in 1920, and executed in Boston in 1927 after a notoriously prejudiced trial. It is the first major documentary film about this landmark story.

The ordeal of Sacco and Vanzetti came to symbolize the bigotry and intolerance directed at immigrants and dissenters in America. Millions of people in the U.S. and around the world protested on their behalf, and today, the story continues to have great resonance, as civil liberties and the rights of immigrants are again under attack.

Actors John Turturro and Tony Shalhoub read the powerful prison writings of Sacco and Vanzetti, and a chorus of passionate commentators also propel the narrative, including Howard Zinn, Arlo Guthrie, Studs Terkel, as well as several people with personal connections to the story.

The Sacco and Vanzetti story has attracted some extraordinary artists over the years, including Ben Shahn, Woody Guthrie, Dorothy Parker, Upton Sinclair, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Joan Baez, and Diego Rivera, among others. Artwork, music, poetry, and feature film clips about the case are interwoven with the narrative.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Food For Thought, July 23, 2007

By	D. Mann "D. Mann" (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had the good fortune to see this film when it was shown in New York this past Spring. I brought my 14 year old daughter with me, albeit with some misgivings as I was concerned that she would be bored with a "history lesson"... my fears were unfounded. My daughter was mezmerized by this film, and spent the last 20 minutes literally on the edge of her seat. Afterwards she asked, "Why don't they show things like this in school?"

Whatever your political leanings or views on illegal immigration may be this movie is a fascinating study of what happened to these two men. I suggest that you take the time to view and make up your own mind as to whether these men were guilty, or merely convenient scapegoats.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable history lesson, September 10, 2007

By	drama lover (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews

Although a drama lover, I do enjoy a good documentary--and this is a good one. Most of us, I suspect, have heard the names Sacco and Vanzetti, but I bet that most don't recall the details of the case. This film is a concise, 82-minute documentary that covers the background of the two men, the crime that took place, the evidence (or lack thereof) which convicted them, and the public outcry over the trial and execution. It's nicely done, using both still photos and some clips from an earlier (and currently unavailable) film, as well as interviews with people close to the case. It's well-paced; it tells the story, but doesn't drag. Many of the stills are quite lovely and I really enjoyed the soundtrack. A fine example of documentary filmmaking--and a history lesson with relevance today.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-see for American history buffs, August 24, 2007

By	H. Millay "sukeedog" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Although already familiar with the story of Sacco and Vanzetti, I was thoroughly shocked and enraged (and ultimately charmed) by this thoughtful film. It is a very straightforward historical documentary (nothing flashy here), but the music and poetry and artwork woven into it really brings the story to life. I would have liked to have seen more attention given to the story's relevance today (immigrants' rights again being a hot topic in this country), but nevertheless this is a solid and well-crafted treatment of one of the most notorious criminal trials in American history.