BuzzFlash Reviews

March 29, 2006

McLibel: The Story of Two People Who Wouldn't Say McSorry (DVD)

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"McLibel" is a "Rocky" for First Amendment rights that takes place in the UK, as a 15-year legal battle wages between two near-penniless health advocates and the McDonald's corporation.

What was it all about? Well, the immediate precipitating factor was that a handful of London activists were handing out leaflets in front of McDonald's accusing the corporation of various abuses. Under loose British libel laws, McDonald's threatened to sue them unless they apologized.

All but one, Helen Steel (a gardener), relented. She is eventually joined by David Morris, a former postman in defending their claims against McDonald's.

As the author of "Fast Food Nation" observes in this uplifting, intriguing documentary: "It really began with one person saying 'I won't apologize.' With one person saying, 'I won't say that I'm sorry.'"

In this age of Democrats on Capitol Hill who are so timid that their only party policy appears to be one-upping Bush's war pre-emption policy with a Democratic Party policy of pre-emptive apologizing for demanding that the Constitution and the laws of the land be observed by the White House, "McLibel" offers us a role model of two people who stood up against both the Wal-Mart of the fast food world and the UK legal system and -- after 15 years -- prevailed.

This is a no-frills but technically professional documentary, an easy to follow retelling of the longest libel case in UK history. It's lack of filmmaking pretension mirrors the everyday working class lives of the stubborn, fearless protagonists who ultimately humiliated McDonald's (despite technically "losing" their initial court case) -- and went on to win a stunning and decisive victory against the UK libel laws in the European Court of Human Rights.

It's a simple story about earnest salt-of-the-earth people who unexpectedly end up in the role of David vs. Goliath, with McDonald's and the unfair British libel courts being David.

And once again, David wins.

You get to know Helen and David as everyday people who did what they felt needed to be done to protect their freedom of speech against multinational corporations -- and you are inspired to think that you too have it witihin your powers to say, "I won't apologize." This should be required viewing for all the Democratic wimps in the Senate who seem to chronically fear denouncing Bush and his ship of brigands for breaking the law and shredding the Constitution.

The description of "McLibel" from the filmmakers is revealing:

Plot Outline: "McLibel" is the story of two ordinary people who humiliated McDonald's in the biggest corporate PR disaster in history.

Plot Synopsis: McDonald's loved using the UK libel laws to suppress criticism. Major media organizations like the BBC and The Guardian crumbled and apologized. But then they sued gardener Helen Steel and postman Dave Morris. In the longest trial in English legal history, the "McLibel Two" represented themselves against McDonald's ?10 million legal team. Every aspect of the corporation's business was cross-examined: from junk food and McJobs, to animal cruelty, environmental damage and advertising to children. Outside the courtroom, Dave brought up his young son alone and Helen supported herself working nights in a bar. McDonald's tried every trick in the book against them. Legal maneuvers. A visit from Ronald McDonald. Top executives flying to London for secret settlement negotiations. Even spies. Seven years later, in February 2005, the marathon legal battle finally concluded at the European Court of Human Rights. And the result took everyone by surprise - especially the British Government. "McLibel" is not just about hamburgers. It is about the importance of freedom of speech now that multinational corporations are more powerful than countries. Filmed over ten years by no-budget Director Franny Armstrong, "McLibel" is the ... story of two people who refused to say sorry. And in doing so, changed the world.

This is not a mystery story. It's a matter of public record. So we aren't giving away the ending by saying this is a triumphant true account that empowers those in the U.S. who feel so helpless against thuggish forces.

The ending is all "Rocky." You will see Helen and David in front of the same McDonald's where they handed out leaflets 15 years ago for which they were charged with liable. Now, surrounded by hand-written signs and banners they meet a crunch of news cameras and reporters to react to the announcement that they had beaten the United Kingdom -- and, in effect, McDonald's -- through a unanimous decision of a European Court.

They had their modest backpacks with them.

They are the real thing. You could be too.

McDonald's and the UK found about the power of not apologizing for standing up for the truth.

This is a documentary that reminds you that the keys to social and political change are in your pocket.

Take them out.

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