Rothstein’s First Assignment 2011
Distributed by Cinema Guild, 115 West 30th Street, Suite 800, New York, NY 10001; 212-685-6242
Produced by Richard Knox Robinson and Katrina Powell
Directed by Richard Knox Robinson
DVD, color, 72 min.
College
Photography, History, American Studies, Anthropology, Art History
Date Entered: 12/21/2011
Reviewed by Samantha Quell, University at Buffalo, State University of New YorkArthur Rothstein began his illustrious career in photojournalism under the Resettlement Administration. In 1935, he was sent to Virginia to document the lifestyle of its mountain people, who were being relocated to make way for Shenandoah National Park. His photographs have historically been viewed as honest portrayals of how these mountain people lived, but have recently been regarded as artificial government propaganda, used to rally national support for moving a people who needed to be “saved.”
Rothstein’s First Assignment follows Richard Knox Robinson on a quest for information about what really happened in Shenandoah. While the subject matter is enticing, the film’s execution is closer to that of a conceptual art film than a documentary. Continuity is lost in the overly ambitious visual effects which aim to elicit an emotional response. In fact, more historical content is provided by the description than the actual film.
While this film may have a place in personal collections, it does not seem suited for libraries.