Hesburgh (film)

Last updated
Hesburgh
Hesburgh poster.jpg
Promotional poster
Directed by Patrick Creadon
Written by
  • William Neal
  • Nick Andert
  • Jerry Barca
Produced by
Starring
Narrated by Maurice LaMarche
Edited by
  • Nick Andert
  • William Neal
Release dates
  • June 2018 (2018-06)(AFI Docs)
  • June 17, 2019 (2019-06-17)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Hesburgh is a 2018 American documentary film directed by Patrick Creadon. The film follows the life of Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, President of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 through 1987, particularly during his time working on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. The film is drawn from archival footage, as well as interviews with family, colleagues at Notre Dame, politicians, journalists, and historians. Maurice LaMarche provides the voice of Hesburgh, narrating the documentary with words drawn from Hesburgh's writings and tapes.

Contents

Hesburgh premiered at the 2018 AFI Docs film festival, and was widely distributed theatrically in 2019. The film received positive reviews from most critics, including those of The New York Times , The Washington Post , and the Los Angeles Times .

Synopsis

Along with archival footage, Hesburgh consists of dozens of interviews with friends and family members as well as prominent figures such as Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, former chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Mary Frances Berry, former U.S. Senator Alan K. Simpson, journalist Ted Koppel, [1] former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, [2] and university presidents Fr. Edward Malloy and Fr. John I. Jenkins.

The film begins with Hesburgh's early life, showing that he had felt called to the priesthood from the age of six. He wanted to be a military chaplain after being ordained a priest in 1943, but instead he was sent to get his doctorate and return to Notre Dame to teach and serve as a chaplain to returning World War II veterans on campus. [2] [3] In 1952, he was appointed president of the university at the age of 35. [3]

Much of the documentary focuses on Hesburgh's tenure as president and his work both on and off campus. His 35 years in office saw Notre Dame's enrollment, faculty, and endowment increase dramatically as he transformed the school previously known only for its football team into a prestigious, coeducational academic institution. [4]

President Dwight D. Eisenhower named him to the National Science Board in 1954, and he was the Vatican City's representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency. [2] [5] At conferences, delegates from the United States and the Soviet Union did not want to speak with each other, but they trusted Hesburgh, and he became friends with both sides and tried to bridge the divide in an effort to defuse the nuclear arms race.

Hesburgh details a number of examples of his commitment to freedom of expression. Several times he was chastised by Catholic Church leadership at the Vatican for these views; he refused Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani's demand to censor an essay by John Courtney Murray on freedom of religion, and in 1967 he led the International Federation of Catholic Universities in publishing the Land O' Lakes statement saying Catholic universities should be free from the Church's authority. [2] [3]

Hesburgh with the US Commission on Civil Rights Hesburgh at the Civil Rights Commitee.jpg
Hesburgh with the US Commission on Civil Rights

In 1956, he was named to the US Commission on Civil Rights, which researched racial inequality in the South facilitated by Jim Crow laws. The committee spent two years gathering information despite stiff opposition from local leaders like George Wallace, but when it was time to write a report, the commission, which included both African Americans and segregationists, disagreed on the contents. Again, Hesburgh used his ability to build bridges between adversaries; he invited the members to Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, where they fished and bonded as friends, soon afterwards finishing a report recommending strong civil rights legislation. [4] The film continues to follow Hesburgh's involvement in civil rights through the next few presidential administrations; it says he was disappointed by John F. Kennedy's politically motivated sluggishness on legislation but impressed by Lyndon B. Johnson's savvy that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. [2]

In the late 1960s, he caused controversy by taking a hard-line stance against student protests against the Vietnam War at Notre Dame with a policy that would suspend or expel students if they didn't disperse a disruptive protest within 15 minutes. This led president Richard Nixon to see Hesburgh as a pro-war loyal ally and appoint him chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. However, sparked by the Kent State shootings, Hesburgh eventually became more vocally opposed to the war. The commission published a report critical of Nixon's enforcement of the Civil Rights Act in 1972, and the president removed Hesburgh soon after. [5]

The documentary then shows Hesburgh's active post-presidency life, including when he helped welcome president Barack Obama to campus in 2009 and defended the controversial invitation. It ends with his final days, death, and funeral in 2015. [5]

The film highlights Hesburgh's close friendship with a number of influential people. He had a relationship with all the popes of his time, but he was personal friends with Pope Paul VI, [3] who he asked to help release captured journalist and Notre Dame alumnus Robert Sam Anson during the Vietnam War. Margo Howard is interviewed and details Hesburgh's long standing friendship with her mother Eppie Lederer, the writer of advice column Ask Ann Landers. [1] [6]

Production and release

Director Patrick Creadon in 2004 PatrickCreadon04.jpg
Director Patrick Creadon in 2004

Director Patrick Creadon attended Notre Dame during the last years of Hesburgh's presidency, graduating in 1989, [7] and was aware of his prestige. "But being a documentary filmmaker, I always have a little bit of a skeptical eye," Creadon said. "And I really wanted to see for myself if his work really lived up to his reputation. And it did." [5] He also said he wanted the film to serve as a reminder of what good leadership looks like, as well as to preserve Hesburgh's legacy after he was no longer on the world stage: "I realized that his story was just going to fade away," he said. "Certainly not within the Notre Dame community, but outside the Notre Dame community people were quickly forgetting who he was and what he meant." [8]

The production team did extensive research, referencing newspaper articles, personal letters, and film footage to make the documentary, although Creadon said he avoided reading Hesburgh's autobiography, God, Country, Notre Dame, which helped him maintain an objective perspective. [7] Voice actor Maurice LaMarche provided the first-person narration, drawn from Hesburgh's writings and interviews. [1]

Creadon said that the filmmakers were worried that the film would struggle to find an audience outside of a Notre Dame audience, but they were encouraged by a sold-out Washington, D.C. premiere at AFI Docs in June, 2018. [7] [9] The film was released on April 26, 2019, in Chicago and South Bend, Indiana. [3]

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Hesburgh has an 82% approval rating over 17 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. [10] On Metacritic, the film has an weighted average score of 83 out of 100 based on five reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [11]

Writing for The New York Times , Glenn Kenny praised Hesburgh as "consistently smart about its subject" and noted it would be a welcome respite for Catholics to see a film about a "genuinely heroic"—not scandal-ridden—priest. [12] Michael Rechtshaffen also offered a positive review in the Los Angeles Times , calling the film "informational as it is inspirational" and "thoroughly engaging". [1] The Washington Post 's Ann Hornaday praised what she called a "moving, illuminating slice of American life and social history" but asked if Hesburgh was too good to be true and noted that the film did not discuss the Catholic Church sexual abuse cases. [4] Michael Sean Winters wrote a review for the National Catholic Reporter calling Hesburgh "extraordinary", although he stated some of the commentary was "uneven". [3]

In The Hollywood Reporter , John DeFore was more critical of the film's lack of criticism of its title figure—calling it a borderline hagiography—and wrote that "it doesn't necessarily convince those of us who don't know the man that we needed to see a doc about him". [2] Tom Long, in a review for The Detroit News , also said that the film is too one-sided in its praise for the title figure and "offers little insight into whatever battles—internal or external—Hesburgh must have fought". [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Notre Dame</span> Catholic university in Notre Dame, Indiana, US

The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana. Founded in 1842, the main campus of 1,261 acres has a suburban setting and contains landmarks such as the Golden Dome, the Word of Life mural, Notre Dame Stadium, and the basilica. Originally male-only, the university started accepting undergraduate women in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theodore Hesburgh</span> 15th President of the University of Notre Dame

Theodore Martin Hesburgh, CSC was an American Catholic priest and academic who was a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross. He is best known for his service as the president of the University of Notre Dame for thirty-five years (1952–1987).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harris Wofford</span> American politician (1926–2019)

Harris Llewellyn Wofford Jr. was an American attorney, civil rights activist, and Democratic Party politician who represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1991 to 1995. A noted advocate of national service and volunteering, Wofford was also the fifth president of Bryn Mawr College from 1970 to 1978, served as chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party in 1986 and also as Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor and Industry in the cabinet of Governor Robert P. Casey from 1987 to 1991, and was a surrogate for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. He introduced Obama in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center before Obama's speech on race in America, "A More Perfect Union".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Commission on Civil Rights</span> Government agency

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (CCR) is a bipartisan, independent commission of the United States federal government, created by the Civil Rights Act of 1957 during the Eisenhower administration, that is charged with the responsibility for investigating, reporting on, and making recommendations concerning civil rights issues in the United States. Specifically, the CCR investigates allegations of discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, disability. In December 2023, Rochelle Mercedes Garza was appointed to serve as Chair of the CCR. She is the youngest person to be appointed to the position.

The 1988 Notre Dame vs. Miami football game was a college football game played between the Miami Hurricanes of the University of Miami and the Fighting Irish of the University of Notre Dame on October 15, 1988, at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.

The Rev. John Joseph Cavanaugh, C.S.C., was an American Roman Catholic priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross, served from 1946 to 1952 as the 14th president of the University of Notre Dame, having previously served as its vice president since 1941.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badin Hall (University of Notre Dame)</span> Residence hall at the University of Notre Dame

Badin Hall is one of the 32 Residence Halls on the campus of the University of Notre Dame and one of the 14 female dorms. The smallest residence hall on campus, it is located on South Quad, between Howard Hall and the Coleman-Morse center. It was built in 1897 and hosted the Manual Labor School until 1917 before being converted into a men's dorm. During World War II, it was part of the United States Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School, and in 1972 it became one of the first two residence halls at Notre Dame to host women.

Catholic Democrats is an American not-for-profit organization of Catholics to support the Democratic Party, based in Boston, United States. The Catholic Democrats have more than 60,000 members in all 50 American states and Puerto Rico. It claims no authorization from the Catholic Church, or any Catholic bishop, Catholic diocese, candidate or candidate committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters</span> Constituent college of University of Notre Dame

The College of Arts and Letters is the oldest and largest college within the University of Notre Dame. The Dean of the College of Arts and Letters is Sarah Mustillo.

The Notre Dame Queer Film Festival was founded in 2004 and ran in 2005 under the same moniker. In 2006, under pressure from a new administration led by University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, the name of the festival was changed to Gay and Lesbian Film: Filmmakers, Narratives, Spectatorships. The 2007 incarnation of the festival again changed names to Qlassics: Reimagining Sexuality and the Self in Recent American Cinema. More recently, the series has been titled the GlobaLGBTQ+ Film Festival, with a primary focus on films produced outside of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Creadon</span> American film director

Patrick Creadon is an American filmmaker and actor primarily known for his work in documentaries. His first film, Wordplay, profiled New York Times crossword editor Will Shortz and premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. The film screened in over 500 theatres nationwide and became the second-highest grossing documentary of that year. His second film, I.O.U.S.A., is a non-partisan examination of America's national debt problem and forecast the global financial crisis of 2007-2008. I.O.U.S.A. premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and was later named one of the Top 5 Documentaries of the Year by film critic Roger Ebert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hesburgh Library</span>

Theodore Hesburgh Library is the primary building of the University of Notre Dame's library system. The present-day building opened on September 18, 1963, as Memorial Library. In 1987, it was renamed Hesburgh Library, in honor of Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., who served as the university's president from 1952 to 1987. The library's exterior façade that faces the university's football stadium includes a large, 134-foot (41 m) by 68-foot (21 m) mural called Word of Life, or more commonly known as Touchdown Jesus. As of 2009, the library ranked as the 61st largest collection among research universities in the United States, with an estimated 3.39 million volumes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the University of Notre Dame</span>

The University of Notre Dame was founded on November 26, 1842, by Father Edward Sorin, CSC, who was also its first president, as an all-male institution on land donated by the Bishop of Vincennes. Today, many Holy Cross priests continue to work for the university, including as its president. Notre Dame rose to national prominence in the early 1900s for its Fighting Irish football team, especially under the guidance of the legendary coach Knute Rockne. Major improvements to the university occurred during the administration of Rev. Theodore Hesburgh between 1952 and 1987 as Hesburgh's administration greatly increased the university's resources, academic programs, and reputation and first enrolled women undergraduates in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campus of the University of Notre Dame</span> Overview

The campus of the University of Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, and spans 1,250 acres comprising around 170 buildings. The campus is consistently ranked and admired as one of the most beautiful university campuses in the United States and around the world, particularly noted for the Golden Dome, the Basilica and its stained glass windows, the quads and the greenery, the Grotto, Touchdown Jesus, its collegiate gothic architecture, and its statues and museums. Notre Dame is a major tourist attraction in northern Indiana; in the 2015–2016 academic year, more than 1.8 million visitors, almost half of whom were from outside of St. Joseph County, visited the campus.

<i>Chaplain Corby of Gettysburg</i> Sculpture by Samuel Murray

Chaplain Corby of Gettysburg is an outdoor sculpture by American artist Samuel Murray (1869–1941). It is located on the University of Notre Dame campus, and is owned by the University. The sculpture, made of bronze and limestone, depicts Father William Corby giving absolution to soldiers at the Battle of Gettysburg.

<i>Father Hesburgh and Father Joyce</i>

Fathers Theodore Hesburgh and Edmund Joyce is an outdoor statue on the University of Notre Dame campus. Located on the South side of the Hesburgh Library facing the reflecting pool, the sculpture was designed and built by artist Lou Cella, a member of the Rotblatt-Amrany Fine Art Studio, and is currently owned by the University of Notre Dame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Coney Barrett</span> US Supreme Court justice (born 1972)

Amy Vivian Coney Barrett is an American lawyer and jurist who serves as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The fifth woman to serve on the court, she was nominated by President Donald Trump and has served since October 27, 2020. Barrett was a U.S. circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 2017 to 2020.

Neil Gerard McCluskey, a former Jesuit Catholic priest known as Reverend Neil Gerard McCluskey, S.J. from 1938 to 1975, was a prominent voice for Catholic Education in the United States in the time of Vatican II. McCluskey wrote the famous Land O'Lakes Statement, as a member of the committee headed by Fr. Theodore Hesburgh. McCluskey was also the last surviving nephew of Blessed Solanus Casey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine O'Malley</span> American film producer

Christine O'Malley is an American film producer and documentary filmmaker.

<i>Catholics vs. Convicts</i> (film) American film

Catholics vs. Convicts is a 2016 documentary film about the October 15, 1988 Notre Dame-Miami football game between the Miami Hurricanes of the University of Miami and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Rechtshaffen, Michael (May 2, 2019). "Review: Documentary 'Hesburgh' affirms the inspiring life of Notre Dame's Father Ted". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 DeFore, John (May 2, 2019). "'Hesburgh': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Winters, Michael Sean (April 26, 2019). "'Hesburgh' documentary portrays a giant in US church and culture". National Catholic Reporter . Archived from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Hornaday, Ann (May 1, 2019). "The timely documentary 'Hesburgh' looks back fondly on a great conciliator". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Booker, Christopher; Creadon, Patrick (June 15, 2019). Following Father Theodore Hesburgh through the Civil Rights era (Television production). PBS NewsHour . Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  6. Mulderig, John (May 6, 2019). "Hesburgh". Catholic News Service . Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 Murphy, Thomas (April 29, 2019). "Documentary film examines life, work of former University President Fr. Theodore Hesburgh". The Observer . Archived from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  8. Sadrzadeh, Vahid; Creadon, Patrick; Barca, Jerry (September 14, 2019). Two filmmakers preserving Father Hesburgh’s legacy in new documentary (Television production). WBND-LD . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  9. Johnson, Ted (May 11, 2018). "AFI Docs Unveils 2018 Lineup: 'Personal Statement' to Open Festival". Variety. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  10. "Hesburgh (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on April 29, 2019. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  11. "Hesburgh Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  12. Kenny, Glenn (May 2, 2019). "'Hesburgh' Review: A Portrait of a Heroic and Scandal-Free Catholic Priest". The New York Times . Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  13. Long, Tom (May 6, 2019). "Review: 'Hesburgh' offers superficial glimpse at a big life". The Detroit News . Archived from the original on July 18, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020.