McLibel: Two Worlds Collide 1997
Distributed by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-FROG (3764)
Produced by One-Off Productions, Ltd.
Directed by Franny Armstrong
VHS, color, 53 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Law, Economics, Media Studies
Date Entered: 04/07/2004
Reviewed by Michael J. Coffta, Business Librarian, Bloomsburg University of PennsylvaniaIn 1994, the fast food giant McDonalds Corporation sued two British protestors for libel for distributing leaflets criticizing McDonalds for a range of abuses including serving unhealthy foods to the destruction of rain forests. Rather than buckle under the pressure of this multinational company, Helen Steel and David Morris chose to defend themselves in what turned out to be the longest case in British history.
This film offers an extremely clear timeline to create peaks of excitement and dramatizations of court room exchanges. The documentary is filled with many useful interviews, including one in which a former Ronald McDonald actor comes clean.
McLibel The two protestors won several portions of their case, including McDonald’s targeting of children in their marketing campaigns. The defendants, however, lost on more issues than they won. Nevertheless, this is a heroic story of how two under funded, undermanned, overworked true believers refused to lie down and took on a global monolith.
This documentary is highly recommended to viewers high school age and higher, particularly those interested in globalization, legal studies, and/or media culture.