A mighty heart

The movie sat on my desk for a long time: A Mighty Heart, the story of  Daniel Pearl. Pearl, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, was writing a story on shoe bomber Richard Reid when he was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan in 2oo2.

At the time of his kidnapping, I was deeply upset and disturbed. Yes, people were dying the world over, there were tragedies closer to home, but this was one that inexplicably burrowed deep into my heart. Weeks after he disappeared, when a video was released showing him having his throat slit and his head cut off, I wept.

The horror and brutality of his death at the hands of Muslim extremists was tempered by the calm and measured response of his Jewish parents and his Buddhist wife, who was pregnant with Pearl's only child when he was murdered. From the depths of their anger and grief, they managed to stay focused on who Danny was, what he stood for, and his legacy. Their message was not one of vengeance and hate but of peace. Their words not confined to their loss alone or the loss of American lives but to all who lost loved ones to terrorism. 

His French wife, Mariane, is a journalist and dared to tell his story in her memoir of her life with him, A Mighty Heart. His parents published a book of responses they received to his death and what it meant to them, to Danny, and to others to be Jewish. Most notably, they started the Daniel Pearl Foundation, an organization with a mission to "promote cross-cultural understanding through journalism, music, and innovative communications." The foundation sponsors concerts, lectures, panel discussions, and journalism awards and fellowships.

It was a miracle to see so much goodness rise from the ashes of such horror and violence and hatefulness. But this didn't make it any easier for me to watch A Mighty Heart and revisit the events of 2002. I had to wait until I felt strong enough to handle the feelings I knew the film would trigger.

Last night I was stunned by the way Angelina Jolie disappeared into Mariane Pearl. She was almost unrecognizable to me. She delivered a focused, understated performance, free of sentimentality or hysteria or any of the emotional dramatics you'd expect Hollywood to produce with a story line like this one. Indeed, the entire movie stays true to that tone. It is taut, surprisingly objective, almost journalistic as it brings those weeks of Mariane's life to the screen.

The tension is there as Mariane, Daniel's colleagues, diplomats, Pakistanis, security forces, and the FBI work nonstop to unravel the intricate plan to kidnap Pearl and to find him in a city teeming with millions of people, chaos, and unrest. The magnitude of their task, their refusal to give up, their ability to work together all makes for a riveting story. The movie is from Mariane's perspective, and so we don't see Daniel's story, except through her eyes. This was a relief for me because I'm not sure I could have watched if the camera had been on Daniel.

Even knowing how the story would end did not diminish its impact. I'm glad I plugged that DVD in last night and woke up this morning reflecting once again on Daniel Pearl's life and death and the courage of his wife and family who refused to be silenced by terror and preserved and advanced Daniel's ideals and legacy.

May 6, 2008

Comments

[Di]

Hey thank you, I didn't realise this was out there. It occurred to me that their work is similar to what the ngo I work for is trying to do.

I must find it anyway. I'm glad you had the courage to watch and then that you enjoyed it. xo

[apathy lounge]

I confess that I don't have the courage to watch that movie. Reading about Pearl and everything accompanying his abduction and death totally blew me away. And the fear that his story brings out in me is something I don't think I can handle.

[V-Grrrl]

Di,

I thought of you and your work immediately when I read about the Foundation.

[crazymumma]

You make me want to see the movie. I was shying away from it BECAUSE of ms. Jolie

[Amber]

Oh my gosh, you know, I felt the same way. I put off watching this movie for so long...And it just made me weep, but not because it was all so "hollywood" dramatic, but because it was all so real and almost quiet. I agree that Jolie and Pitt did an honorable job telling this story. And I am in awe of Marianne, and her grace. I am not sure I could have been like her.

:)

[Peter]

It takes a lot of courage to sit back and tell the story of your late husband, especially since Daniel died in such gruesome circumstances. Even if I would have been an experienced journalist focusing on my partner's legacy, I wouldn't have been able to do it.

[Di]

Wish you were here, smelly grrrl.
(Lol, I can still see A's face when I called him 'smelly boy' ... how to explain it's a term of affection. The Curly-grrrl doesn't take it well either.

Missed you today but you were surely there in spirit on the balcony over at Peter's. We're practicing for you come back and visit.
xo

[Shirley]

I haven't been able to summon the courage to watch this movie yet. I saw Marianne Pearl on Oprah after their son was born and she was incredible. People with such tremendous grace and strength always leave me in such awe and appreciation. Like you, I remember the horror when the images of his death were released and I cried, too. Somehow his kind and gentle spirit had permeated the news reports, most likely from the few dignified, yet quietly emotional interviews that Marianne gave where she talked about "Danny." I felt a loss for him and his family, and the shock and horror at what was unfolding in the world.

[Jack]

Daniel Pearl is a bit older than I am, or should I say he would be. We grew up in the same general neighborhood, went to the same high school.

I have a B.A. in Journalism and had intended to pursue it as a career. Add that I am Jewish and you can see that I took his murder very seriously.

It is a terrible tragedy.

[Diane Mandy]

I also felt so sad during the Daniel Pearl tragedy, and thought his parents and wife were such amazing spirits. I thought the movie was a wonderful tribute.

[J]

I'm not sure I'll ever be brave enough to watch this movie, or any detailing the events of September 11. It's all still so raw. But I'm glad that they took it on and handled it with the grace and dignity it deserved.