Attention history buffs and journalism teachers, while “September 5” might be one of the better-overlooked films this awards season, this prequel to Steven Spielberg‘s “Munich” packs a punch. Tim Fehlbaum’s “September 5” throws the audience into the control booth of ABC Sports at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, just before Israeli hostages are taken. The not-so-all-star cast might be why it’s not gaining traction during the awards push, but it includes excellent performances, especially from John Magaro (“Past Lives“). The situational thriller is as much about the events leading up to the Munich Massacre as it is a retroactive look into broadcasting in the 1970s. Regarding the film’s timing, looking back to another Palestine v. Israel moment in history might not be what viewers are craving right now.
The nightly shift change puts newbie Geoffrey Mason (Magaro) in the director’s chair when Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard) signs off to spend time with his family. Hours into his shift of cutting from one sporting event to another for ABC Sports, shots are fired nearby. Marianne Gebhardt (Leonie Benesch) works with the American news crew, translating German to English, when she becomes the most important employee in the building, relaying German police reports. It’s all hands on deck as the ABC Sports crew realizes they have a world exclusive. They sneak Peter Jennings (Benjamin Walker) into the Olympic compound to report on the ground and battle ABC News in the control room over who is running the show. Mason and Gebhardt push the ethical limits of integrity to the limit as they broadcast live while the terrorists are watching.
"The less is more approach intelligently lends to the taught nature of the film in a very well-paced 90 minutes. We get a lot of context, information, and depth."
“We are making broadcast history,” Gebhardt gleams. “More people have seen this than watched Armstrong land on the moon.” The script examines this as a definitive historical moment where news and ratings (sensationalism) become blurred. Not since Michael Mann’s “The Insider” (which CBS fought to get shelved) has there been a film daring to both expose and question an American broadcast network’s decision-making.
If “September 5” had a higher-profile director and cast, it would be making much larger waves than its lonely Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture Drama. With the Oscar nomination deadline extended due to the tragic wildfires in Los Angeles, voters might have more time to catch this one as it opens wider in theaters this weekend.
Final Thought
"September 5" is taught, timely, and well crafted. Its greatest asset is the ethical questions presented to the audience.