Mike Wallace Is Here

Mike Wallace Is Here is an enthralling documentary film from 2019 that paints the extraordinary portrait of Mike Wallace, one of the most influential figures in American television journalism. Directed by Avi Belkin and produced by Rafael Marmor, the film stands out for its captivating archive footage, exclusively centered on Mike Wallace interviews, with no voiceovers, no talking heads, and no re-enactments.

The compelling documentary delves affectionately into the life of Mike Wallace, focusing on his remarkable career spanning six decades in broadcast journalism, concentrating notably on his role in the landmark news program "60 Minutes." The film features footage of Wallace's relentless interviews, picturing a man whose fearlessness and ruthlessness shaped the face of investigative journalism as we know it today.

Wallace’s lifelong pursuit to get the truth from his subjects, famous and influential figures of their time, is impressively documented in the film. Viewers get to see clips from interviews with presidents, entertainers, newsmakers, and even criminals. Notable names flash on the screen beside Wallace: Richard Nixon, Johnny Carson, Barbra Streisand, Vladimir Putin, and Malcolm X, among others, affirming the enormous impact he had on American media. These collection of interviews is a unique kind of oral history of 20th-century America that gives an unparalleled snapshot of pivotal moments of societal change.

Throughout the documentary, Belkin makes the clever choice of using clips from Wallace's interviews to shed light on relevant aspects of his personality, professional career, and personal life. The film explores the many contradictions that defined Wallace's life and career, starting from his early days as a pitchman and television host, through his fascination and struggles with depression, to his ascendance to the respected 'grand inquisitor' of television journalism.

Spiro Agnew, the 39th Vice President of the United States, and respected American journalist Jonathan Alter are among those who Wallace interviewed that appear in the film. Some segments reveal how Wallace not only shaped but also was shaped by the cultural transformations going on around him. The film manifests how Wallace, in many ways, helped to innovate and define the landscape of American journalism, eventually inventing the provocative and penetrating interview style now pervasive in the media.

Director Belkin creates a careful balance between highlighting Wallace's singular capabilities as a journalist and his struggles with personal issues, revealing gradually that the fearless stature he portrayed in his television career did not always align with his life away from the camera. Addressing Wallace's personal life indirectly through his interviews, the film uncovers how his work influenced his personal life and vice versa. It isn't afraid to confront controversial moments in Wallace's career, such as accusations of treachery, tort claims, and criticisms he faced for his aggressive interview style, reflecting a nuanced view of the man behind the television persona.

The film also investigates the evolution and impact of television journalism in the American media landscape. It offers a glimpse into the ethical dilemmas that emerge when journalism and entertainment overlap, showcased in the conflicts faced by Wallace himself. The film examines the idea of journalistic objectivity and how Wallace's argumentative, confrontational interview style helped to reshape it.

Mike Wallace Is Here isn't a straightforward biographical documentary. Instead, it uses the life and work of Mike Wallace to reflect on larger issues: the evolution of televised news, the blending of journalism and entertainment, and the role of the media in shaping perceptions, opinions, and truths. By scrutinizing Mike Wallace's career, it illuminates broader changes within the field of American journalism.

Slickly edited and carefully crafted, the film presents an honest, engaging, and thought-provoking portrait of Mike Wallace as both a human being and an indomitable institution of American broadcast journalism. Mike Wallace Is Here is profoundly immersive and enlightening, a must-watch for fans of Wallace, aficionados of broadcast journalism, and anyone interested in the evolution and influence of American media.