GUERRILLA: THE TAKING OF PATTY HEARST
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2004 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
Robert Stone's GUERRILLA: THE TAKING OF PATTY HEARST (formerly titled NEVERLAND: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SYMBIONESE LIBERATION ARMY -- the reason for the name change should be obvious) is a fascinating trip down memory lane. It was a time during the late 60s and early 70s when the revolutionary young adults of the Symbionese Liberation Army called the cops "pigs," dreamed of being modern-day Robin Hoods, robbed banks, killed a teller and thought that pseudo-radical activities, such as their assassination of Oakland's first black superintendent of schools, advanced their cause of power to the people. Their most memorable crime was the kidnapping in Berkeley of poor little rich girl Patty Hearst, who quickly switched to their side and actively participated in their crimes. (While grad students, we lived in Berkeley during this period, and our old apartment was just a few doors down from Hearst's.) The documentary is never as good as the story itself. A better film covering a similar era is the Oscar-nominated THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND, which was crafted with more energy and immediacy. Hearst's saga ended when President Carter commuted her sentence after just 22 months served. Later President Clinton gave her a full pardon.
GUERRILLA: THE TAKING OF PATTY HEARST runs 1:29. The film is in Symbionese with English subtitles. (Kidding. Sorry, I couldn't resist.) It is not rated but would be PG-13 for violence and language and would be acceptable for kids around 12 and up.
The movie will be playing as part of the 47th annual San Francisco International Film Festival (http://www.sfiff.org), which runs April 15-29, 2004.
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