Honest Man: The Life of R. Budd Dwyer (2010)

Honest Man: the Life of R. Budd Dwyer is a movie about politics and corruption, suicide and survival. Four years in the making, it explores the scandal that led an honest, hard-working man ... See full summary »

Director:

James Dirschberger

Writers:

James Dirschberger, Adam Wroblewski

Stars:

Dyan Dwyer, Joanne Dwyer, R. Budd Dwyer

Cast

Credited cast:
Dyan Dwyer	...	Herself
Joanne Dwyer	...	Herself
R. Budd Dwyer	...	Himself (voice)
Robert Dwyer	...	Himself
Neil O'Neill	...	William Smith
William Smith	...	Himself
Steve Voldseth	...	John Torquato

Storyline

Honest Man: the Life of R. Budd Dwyer is a movie about politics and corruption, suicide and survival. Four years in the making, it explores the scandal that led an honest, hard-working man to take his own life. This independently produced feature-length documentary follows Budd Dwyer, a Pennsylvania politician who infamously committed suicide at a televised press conference. The film chronicles Dwyer's meteoric rise to political power and examines the bribery scandal and subsequent trial that pushed him to his breaking point. Honest Man also delves into the controversy and consequences of the uncensored airing of Dwyer's death on television stations worldwide. Honest Man reveals a story that has remained untold for over 24 years. The film features exclusive new interviews, including William Smith, the man whose testimony convicted Dwyer, and Dwyer's widow Joanne--her last interview before her death in 2009. Was Dwyer venal, or a victim? Did he kill himself because he couldn't live ...

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | pennsylvania | magnum handgun | sentencing | suicide note | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | Drama | News

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 October 2010 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Buffalo, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eighty Four Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

76 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the only on camera interview William Smith ever gave.

User Reviews

Emotional, enlightening, and revealing biography

I had the great opportunity to come across "Honest Man: the Life of R. Budd Dwyer", a very well done biographical documentary and a tribute to a man who dedicated his life to serve his state, but who fell victim of political revenge and a disastrous justice system.

Although it's very hard to think about Budd Dwyer without thinking of his suicide, this documentary does an incredible job of not exploiting "the scene", guiding the audience to focus on what's really important to understand, which is Budd's life and his story.

The composition of the film was brilliant, narrating the story through a combination of powerful interviews with family members, notable archive materials, historic documents, and a very fine touch of artistic elements.

This is a great film that is both emotional and informative, and one not to miss.