This Machine Kills Fascists

The life of the great American folksinger is detailed in this 160-minute documentary narrated by singer Billy Bragg. Director Stephen Gammond gives us the cradle-to-grave view of Woody Guthrie as told by those who knew him, most memorably his daughter Nora, son Arlo, sister Mary Jo, and peer Pete Seeger. The folksinger's ability to mix politics with song and weave them together melodically is universally praised. Frightfully missing is a lot of footage of Guthrie; we hear songs but not on-screen images. It's as if Gammond decided not to go the usual route. It's true that dynamic documentaries can be made without direct source material (see Ken Burns), but this overlong film wears out its welcome despite some gems (footage from the long-forgotten documentary about the Columbia River for which Guthrie supplied the songs). Guthrie enthusiasts may find the film taxing but will revel in the details. The merely curious would do better to see Hal Ashby's Oscar-winning film on Guthrie