A remarkable and ultimately tragic character emerges in The Martha Mitchell Effect, a new Netflix documentary, itself a fascinating and frustrating work. The film is the work of directors Anne Alvergue and Debra McClutchy.
– The Martha Mitchell Effect Review doesn’t contain any spoilers –
She Is Martha Mitchell, and This Is Her Story – The Martha Mitchell Effect
The Netflix documentary sheds light on a fascinating character no one knew, Martha Mitchell. The documentary dives into the culture of the 1970s, the power and allure of Watergate, and poses questions about how much journalistic integrity is lost in today’s media landscape.
Martha Mitchell was a central figure in one of the great political scandals in US history. At first despised for her role in making public the Nixon administration’s covert activities, she ultimately became its tragic victim, committed to a mental institution at the behest of the president himself. We are introduced to Mitchell through archival footage of her first public appearances as a glamorous and outspoken Southern belle who had married attorney John Mitchell, Nixon’s campaign manager.
She made headlines early on by claiming that people were listening to her home telephone conversations and accusing Attorney General John Mitchell of corruption. The footage then fast forwards to what comes next – Mitchell being committed to a mental institution and court-ordered into long-term therapy that provided little help. This documentary tackles these issues head-on, utilising an immense amount of previously unseen footage and revealing interviews with key figures in this saga.
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What Is the Documentary – the Martha Mitchell Effect All About?
It also gives an insight into the complexity of Nixon’s presidency with numerous White House insiders expressing their views and contrasting opinions on his character. There is a good amount of footage from Mitchell’s personal archives and clips from television interviews and news broadcasts throughout the film that is extremely well-edited.
Described as the female Woodward and Bernstein, Martha Mitchell is remembered for bravely blowing the whistle on the Nixon administration’s various dirty-tricks campaigns. This is not just the story of John and Martha Mitchell but also the story of Richard Nixon’s fall from grace. The Martha Mitchell Effect was named after her. She was a significant influence in the downfall of Nixon. She was a doubter who believed there were cover-ups in the White House in America.
The Martha Mitchell Effect – illuminated what went down behind closed doors during America’s most dramatic era and one of its most famous scandals. For a historical perspective on the Watergate scandal, The Martha Mitchell Effect does an excellent job at offering unique historical details into the story.
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The Martha Mitchell Effect – Get Engrossed by a Tale of Courageous Journalistic Heroism
Several Nixon aides offer some interesting insights about Martha and her unwavering determination to expose wrongdoings at the White House. Although she was in denial for a large part of the film, I believe it’s essential to understand that anyone who knew Nixon’s dirty deeds would have been threatened if not eliminated. Martha showed some courage in continuing to stick her head out there and exposing Nixon’s corruption. Overall, an exciting look at how one woman influenced history with her actions.
This documentary is brilliant. It’s a powerful insight into what it was like to be in the eye of the political storm Watergate and the tragic events surrounding Nixon and his administration. From a political point of view, I feel it’s essential viewing – especially given all the misinformation that clouded this scandal in the past. If you want to sit down and watch something gripping, intriguing, and educational, I recommend checking this out.
When it comes to the true story of Mitchell and Watergate, I’m a broken record — it’s fascinating. But because she is still an obscure name even to those who know some of the histories of that era, they’ll likely find The Martha Mitchell Effect an eye-opener.
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Stream It or Skip It?
It was exciting viewing how two powerful men tried to control the media while they secretly compromised our democracy and betrayed their own families. I would recommend it to anyone fan of political thrillers like All The President’s Men and Frost/Nixon.
The Martha Mitchell Effect is streaming on Netflix.