by Cat Oars
II
Arnold Rump was born on June 16, 1971, the son of Gordon and Samantha Rump. They were a modest family living just north of Boston, in the suburbs of Malden, Massachusetts. Arnold’s father was carpenter, and Arnold’s mother was a nurse. Arnold was an only child. They weren’t wealthy, but they were happy, spending cozy evenings together in their cramped little apartment. Arnold’s father was always building new furniture around the house, and Arnold’s mother was always reading to him as a child. Later, growing up, Arnold’s mother would sit with him in the evenings in front of the television, and they would discuss the programs they watched. From an early age Arnold was fascinated with television. More than anything, though, he was fascinated by documentaries. His mother would find him up all hours of the night watching PBS, documentary after documentary.
By the time he was in high school, Arnold was filming his own documentaries. All his teachers said he had a great eye, and a wonderful gift for telling a story. His journalism teacher said he was a natural. His photography teacher said he was the real deal. Arnold just said he was pursuing his passion.
Arnold would go on to receive a full scholarship to the New School in New York City, where he continued on his filmmaking path. Two years into his college career, he shot a documentary on the history of the East Village. This documentary was shown at a small film festival in the city, and caught the attention of Documentarian giant Samuel Wentworth. After seeing the film, Wentworth arranged for a meeting with Rump, saying: “This kid Rump may very well be the future of the Documentary.”
III
That afternoon Wentworth took a car out to meet his agent. His agent confirmed the rumor. “They say this kid Rump really is onto something. He’s challenging everything you built. Call me paranoid, but I’d say this kid is gunning for you. He’s not just after your spot; he’s after your vision.”
His agent pulled out a copy of the Daily News. “You see what he says right there? ‘The Documentarian who views Documentary as propaganda is not an artist. He’s the equivalent of a dishonest journalist. If he’s any kind of artist at all, it’s nothing more than a con artist.’ ”
“Well …” said Wentworth.
“Oh, it goes on. Look: ‘Any true artist is dedicated to the truth. The Documentarian bears the burden of relating history to the generations. A propagandist is a liar after the public’s reality. Such a man is no artist at all.’ ”
Wentworth’s agent looked up. “There’s more, too. See – ”
“I’ve heard enough.”
IV
Samuel Wentworth was born on Aug. 23, 1941 on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The son of two New York socialites, Wentworth grew up among well-known artists and celebrities. From an early age, Wentworth showed a talent for reading and writing. It was only, however, once he reached his college years that he began to pursue a career in film. It was Sheila Maxim, a talented young photographer and his college sweetheart, later to become his lifelong companion, who convinced him he should try his hand at making documentaries. Wentworth, who believed in doing everything to the full, dived into the art with fervor. He studied the history of the documentary, spending days and nights watching film after film, taking notes and – in the meantime – writing a dissertation on the theory of the Documentary. His dissertation was published in 1965 under the title “Documentary and Propaganda: A study of the History of Filmmaking.” It was greeted with much critical acclaim, and a few years later, Wentworth made his first full-length documentary on the ’60s youth culture.
By the mid-’70s Wentworth was already a household name. His neoclassical, black and white documentaries were meant to strike an emotional chord with his viewers. He almost always hit the mark, winning him his first Academy Award for best film in 1978. When accepting the award, the host smiled, shook his hand, and said: “Wentworth, you know, you may very well be the future of the Documentary.”
V
From the very beginning Wentworth and Rump had differences, but Rump was learning a lot from his mentor. He was the most talented person Wentworth had had the pleasure of tutoring. Rump caught onto the nuances of the craft as if he were born knowing them. “Like he just had to recollect them,” Wentworth said of his protégé.
But the first time Rump shot a documentary in color, Wentworth was upset. “Color upsets the balance. It lets the viewer see things that you as the director might not see. Documentary, more than any other film is about holding your viewer hostage. You have a perspective you’re coming from, and you cannot leave anything up to the viewer. It is a dictatorship, a documentary.”
VI
In 1999, Wentworth and Rump had a public falling out. Wentworth called Rump, “an arrogant young upstart.” Rump said Wentworth was, “a dinosaur who needed to die off so younger artists could breathe.” Each announced they were at work on a documentary of the other.
VII
When Arnold Rump heard that Samuel Wentworth was nominated, along with himself, for the Academy Award, he put down his morning coffee, looked out the window at the long stretch of buildings beneath his Manhattan penthouse, and wondered if his whole life had been a series of mistakes.
Editor: Francais
Co-editors: Ghostofmajestic, R_Toady, BowlOfCherries
Cover: Daniel
Special Thanks: Craig Newmark
Dedication: To all who’ve pulled for us and against us.
For information on paperback editions, e-mail:
catoars at rocketmail.com
