For many children, long-ago history can mean anything from earlier today to last week, month or year. When you're talking about something that occurred more than half a century earlier, that becomes ancient history to most kids who'd rather play video games than broach something that looks like history class material.
The faculty and administration at Whitwell Middle School, located twenty-some miles from Chattanooga, Tennessee, decided back in 1998 to do something about that. In an effort to teach the kids about history as well as tolerance, they focused on one of the most prominent and certainly the most infamous case of intolerance found in the 20th century, The Holocaust.
To get a grip on the sheer number of people exterminated by the Nazis, and learning that the Norwegians symbolized the event with a paper clip symbol, the kids set out to collect one such clip for every person killed during that reign of terror. Yet, since their economically depressed town only had 1,600 residents, the kids eventually needed outside help and exposure to reach their goal.
Little did they expect, however, that their small class project would have such large and far-reaching results. The documentary "Paper Clips" follows the 8th grade class of 2001 as they start out, organize and then place their plan into motion.
Like any documentary, the film shows all of the behind the scenes actions and reactions, as well as interviews with some of the teachers, administrators, students and even several appearances by real Holocaust survivors who arrive to greet, congratulate and thank the students for their work.
The result is obviously intended to be uplifting, inspirational and moving (no doubt thanks in part to the manipulative score), and for some viewers it will undoubtedly be just that. Yet, as a true documentary, the film isn't terribly deep or informative and it's a bit clunky in terms of its own design and execution.
Yes, it follows the course of events from start to finish and is best when the survivors are on the screen recounting their horrific and moving tales. Writer/director Joe Fab, however, often cuts them off midstream, thus lessening their emotional impact.
The film, of course, is supposed to be about the kids, their endeavor, and what they learn from it, but we're never really allowed to get to know them, at least from an individual perspective. Instead, Fab focuses more on the adults, but even then, the study is only cursory.
The "most" attention is paid to David Smith, the assistant principal who doesn't want his kids (biological and school-based) to grow up with racist influences and thoughts as he did. That's touched on a few times, but there's not much other depth when it comes to the featured people.
Beyond the survivors and the overall nature of the school project, the only other deep moment is when an authentic Nazi "cattle car" is being transported to the school (to serve as a museum and repository for some of the 29 million clips collected). After arriving at the port of Baltimore, it's making its way to Tennessee when the date of September 11, 2001 rolls by. It's an obvious reminder that hatred still exists in this world.
While what the kids achieved is a testament to perseverance as well as goodness triumphing --in a post way -- over evil, it's too bad the documentary doesn't do them as much justice as they deserve. It's certainly not bad and it's nice to see the kids achieve their goal (and then some), with the result being a film that will likely move some/many viewers. I just wished it were more than a cursory summary of what the kids accomplished. "Paper Clips" rates as a 5.5 out of 10.
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