CNN's Hillary Clinton film scrapped as director blames lack of co-operation

[Casino67]

The Guardian:

The Oscar-winning film director Charles Ferguson has cancelled his CNN documentary on Hillary Clinton after what he described as a private campaign against the film by prominent Democrats.

 

Ferguson said he had decided to pull the plug after being met with a wall of silence from more than a hundred people who refused to be interviewed for the documentary.

 

He claimed that aides to the former secretary of state put pressure on CNN behind the scenes, and made clear that Clinton would only co-operate "over my dead body". He also blamed a public campaign by Republicans, who claimed the film would be biased in favour of Clinton.

 

"Neither political party wanted the film made," said Ferguson in an article for the Huffington Post. "After painful reflection, I decided that I couldn't make a film of which I would be proud. And so I'm cancelling."

 

Ferguson, the director behind Inside Job and No End In Sight: The American Occupation of Iraq, claimed that Clinton's spokesman, Philippe Reines, had "interrogated" various executives at CNN about the documentary before it was announced by the broadcaster in July.

 

[Pepper]

I heard on the internet, so it must be true that It was too much of a challenge to find someone to play in the starring role as ugly in character as the Hildebeast.

[Valin]

Why I Am Cancelling My Documentary on Hillary Clinton

Charles Ferguson

9/30/13

 

In late 2012, CNN Films approached me about directing a documentary. We discussed a number of potential subjects, and eventually settled on Hillary Rodham Clinton. The film would be ambitious, controversial, and highly visible. But I felt that it was important, that I was qualified to do it, and that I could be fair. CNN gave me complete control ("final cut") over the theatrical version, and a generous budget.

 

And then the fun began. The day after the contract was signed, I received a message from Nick Merrill, Hillary Clinton's press secretary. He already knew about the film, and clearly had a source within CNN. He interrogated me; at first I answered, but eventually I stopped. When I requested an off-the-record, private conversation with Mrs. Clinton, Merrill replied that she was busy writing her book, and not speaking to the media.

 

(Snip)

 

I would have loved to explore all this. But when I approached people for interviews, I discovered that nobody, and I mean nobody, was interested in helping me make this film. Not Democrats, not Republicans -- and certainly nobody who works with the Clintons, wants access to the Clintons, or dreams of a position in a Hillary Clinton administration. Not even journalists who want access, which can easily be taken away. I even sensed potential difficulty in licensing archival footage from CBN (Pat Robertson) and from Fox. After approaching well over a hundred people, only two persons who had ever dealt with Mrs. Clinton would agree to an on-camera interview, and I suspected that even they would back out.

 

(Snip)

[Casino67]

I heard on the internet, so it must be true that It was too much of a challenge to find someone to play in the starring role as ugly in character as the Hildebeast.

 

I think Roseanne Barr would be a fine person to fill the role.

[SrWoodchuck]

 

I heard on the internet, so it must be true that It was too much of a challenge to find someone to play in the starring role as ugly in character as the Hildebeast.

 

I think Roseanne Barr would be a fine person to fill the role.

 

 

Meryl Streep would have spent more time in make-up.....than there would be film "shooting hours" in the day.

 

Hag portrayal is counterproductive to production.

 

If they could start with a complete toad to begin with.....like Rosie O'Donnell......at least she'd have the advantage of the right sexual orientation.....

 

 

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

 

As Billy Jeff would say, "Close.......but no cigar!"

[SrWoodchuck]

Comment on this topic, @ WeaselZippers:

 

buzzsawmonkey • 5 hours ago

 

"We were gonna do a bio-pic
Then decided it was myopic..."

 

[Casino67]

"As Billy Jeff would say, "Close.......but no cigar!"

 

Billy Jeff wouldn't let that stop him. He's just an old horn dog. Any old dog 'ill do.

[SrWoodchuck]

This [from the original post] just registered with me:

 

He claimed that aides to the former secretary of state put pressure on CNN behind the scenes, and made clear that Clinton would only co-operate "over my dead body".

 

To me......that sounds like a fine starting point for negotiations!