Point of Order!

This is a fascinating behind the scenes look at a hearing that lead to the censure of Senator McCarthy. Taken from clips of TV footage in 1954, it shows what kind of an evil person the senator truly was. What he did to many people during the Communist hunt of the late 40's and early 50's was no different to what Adolf Hitler was planning to do in World War 2. Its interesting that Point of Order(1964) was re-released during the whole Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinski trials and there are some things that parallel each other. Unfortuantely for many people whose families and lives were destroyed by the Senator, his being Censured came too little too late. Its funny to see McCarthy try to accuse members of the army of being Communist backers. Point of Order(1964) as with Luis Bunuel's Land Without Bread(1930) were two of the most important documentaires to be produced in the 20th Century. Robert F. Kennedy can be seen in the background while the hearing was going on.

The best thing about this documentary is that there is no narration, there is no commentary; clips of the Army-McCarthy hearings that finally brought an end to Joseph McCarthy and his era of bully politics that destroyed so many American lives. There are arguments both pro and con re: McCarthy and his basic premise (that Communists had infiltrated Hollywood and the American government, indeed, all the way to the Executive Branch). He may have had a valid point at one time or another, but it quickly became overshadowed by his ego and insatiable appetite for power.

Sound like anyone we've seen recently in Washington? I recommend viewing this riveting film as it is not partisan - it is McCarthy in all his egomaniacal ranting and raving against those who stood by their personal beliefs and held firm in their convictions that the Constitution of the United States of America would forever be their guide.

"Point of Order" is an example of a modern-day Eisenstein. It took material from the recesses of American history, recombined and made a film with complete sense, albeit weighted against McCarthy. It is an excellent piece of work but then it shows quite well how evidence reassembled can make someone seem guilty. That is the virtuosity of the filmmaker.

Unlike one of the reviewers, I think that McCarthy was a monster, a publicity-seeking man out of control who thought absolutely nothing about the lives he ruined or attempted to ruin, however, falsely but I'm begging the issue here. The film is marvelously well put together and de Antonio possesses remarkable technique to make things seem "alive". Again it's easy to see things in black and white ideologically but the film within itself is impeccable.

"Have you ever heard of the Venona Project?" Yes, i have. Have you ever actually compared those named by Venona with those accused by McCarthy, or did you accept what many authors write without double checking? I've been attempting to do just that.

I know, I've read many articles saying "are showing that McCarthy was right in nearly all his accusations.", but I'm looking for specifics.

I'm using a "List_of_Americans_in_the_Venona_papers" (from that on-line encyclopedia this thing doesn't like the name of) If someone wants to add or subtract from that list, i welcome it. I see Lattimore mentioned on some sites, but he wasn't identified by Venona.

Looking at lists put together by McCarthy supporter websites there are two who were accused by McCarthy also identified by Venona, Mary Jane Keeney (accused of being a Communist by McCarthy in 1950; Venona and other evidence indicates Soviet espionage activity) and Lauchlin Currie (Briefly mentioned by McCarthy in 1951). A third, Annie Lee Moss, implicated by other evidence (Later evidence indicates her name was on CPUSA membership list.) Some of the names listed (such as the Rosenbergs) were identified by Venona, but weren't among those who McCarthy identified.

Some names on the accused list people might recognize as left-wingers, but they were not identified by Venona, but sources i found said there is no evidence they were communists: Edward Murrow, John Garfield, Charlie Chaplin. Arthur Miller, i guess you could count him as one of McCarthy great finds, as he admitted in his autobiography of going to a few meetings. But he wasn't named as a spy by Venona.

The book by Arthur Herman "Joseph McCarthy: Reexamining the Life and Legacy of America's Most Hated Senator" is mentioned by McCarthy supporters. Reviews of that book indicate it is a balanced history, hardly exonerating McCarthy. One reviewer writes "Rather than trying to rehabilitate McCarthy, Herman is at pains to demonstrate McCarthy's mendacity, sloppiness in making allegations and his many other flaws on nearly every page."

I'd like to provide links, but not allowed here i guess.

This 1963 film is reminiscent of another hearing we all may be familiar with - can you say Monica?

This documentary is a fascinating ride into the mind of American anti-hero Joseph McCarthy and his rivals in the Senate as he defends his (then closeted gay) staff member from accusations of improprieties in the televised Senate committee hearings.

The amazing thing is McCarthy's stupidity and arrogance in his presentation and his use of red herrings to get back to his "agenda". There are open laughs and applause at moments that show McCarthy's loss of power, culminating in the famous "senator, have you no sense of decency" comment by Mr. Welch.

The style is a bit dated - geez, it was just an assembly of clips - but it tells a story that this writer missed in his civics class. It's a must see for anyone interested in American politics, and it is especially interesting to students of political scandal.