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 »
Want to invest a few hours in front of the TV this weekend? Check out a few of our favorite binge-worthy streaming series.
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Honest Man: The Life of R. Budd Dwyer (2010)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Photos
Add Image
Add an image
Do you have any images for this title?
Learn more
More Like This
A Crime to Remember
(TV Series 2013)
Documentary
|
Crime
Stars:
Marc A. Hermann,
Michelle McNamara,
John Mirabella
Where Is Robert Fisher?
(2011)
Documentary
Director:
Charlie Minn
Stars:
Robert Caldwell,
John Hook,
T.J. Jiran
The Source Family
(2012)
Documentary
|
Music
Directors:
Maria Demopoulos,
Jodi Wille
Stars:
Ahom Aquarian,
Isis Aquarian,
Elena Michaels
Tales of the Grim Sleeper
(2014)
Documentary
|
Crime
Directors:
Nick Broomfield,
Barney Broomfield, and 1 more credit »
Stars:
Nick Broomfield,
Lonnie David Franklin Jr.,
Donna
The Eleven
(TV Series 2017)
Documentary
|
Crime
Stars:
Michael W. Bunch,
Edward Harold Bell,
Geena Bocci
Documentary
Director:
Erin Lee Carr
Stars:
Jesse Barron,
Emily Bazelon,
Sam Boardman
There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane
(TV Movie 2011)
Documentary
Director:
Liz Garbus
Stars:
Jesse Temple,
Brad Katinas,
Diane Schuler
Studio 54
(2018)
Documentary
|
History
Director:
Matt Tyrnauer
Stars:
Ian Schrager,
Steve Rubell,
Donald Rubell
Who Killed Garrett Phillips?
(2019)
Documentary
|
Crime
Director:
Liz Garbus
Stars:
Oral Hillary,
Brian Phillips,
Tyler Rodrigues
Documentary
|
History
|
Sci-Fi
Director:
Brian Stillman
Stars:
Tom Beaumont,
Tom Berges,
John Booth
Murder Games: The Life and Death of Breck Bednar
(TV Movie 2016)
Documentary
|
Drama
Director:
Katharine English
Stars:
David Oakes,
Laurie Kynaston,
Sam Clemmett
Edit
Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
 |
Dyan Dwyer | ... | Herself |
|
|
Joanne Dwyer | ... | Herself |
|
|
R. Budd Dwyer | ... | Himself (archive footage) |
|
|
Robert Dwyer | ... | Himself |
| Neil O'Neill | ... | William Smith | |
|
|
William Smith | ... | Himself |
| Steve Voldseth | ... | John Torquato | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
See All (22) »
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 ... Written by Eighty Four Films
Plot Keywords:
guilty verdict | suicide | pennsylvania | treasurer | televised suicide |Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
9 October 2010 (USA) See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorOn IMDb TV, you can catch Hollywood hits and popular TV series at no cost. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free!
Explore popular action and adventure titles available to stream with Prime Video.
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.