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Touch The Heart
FRANK PROVENZANO SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
T
Artist Larry Coffin
Lacquered Aluminum Chair
Sugar Tree Square
6239 Orchard Lake Road • West Bloomfield
(810) 932-2299
wenty years after the fall of
Saigon and Americans are
still struggling for perspec-
tive on the war in southeast
Asia.
For some, it's a question of na-
tional identity and lost innocence.
For others, the Vietnam War is
the symbol of why the federal gov-
ernment should be mistrusted.
The tragedy of Vietnam lies in
the sheer numbers of lives lost for
a cause that remains ambiguous
at best.
Those who lost sons, daughters
brothers, sisters and fathers may
have reached some closure about
the fate of their loved ones. But for
those 2,206 American families
who still do not know what hap-
pened to their loved ones, there
has been no consolation for those
soldiers tagged "missing in action."
Local filmmaker Philip Han-
dleman's documentary "Our Miss-
ing In Action," to air on
WTVS/Channel 62 Sunday, May
28, focuses on the stories of five
MIA families. What becomes
painfully obvious is that the
wounds of war are as deep and
unhealed as they were when these
families first heard the news. Time
does not heal all wounds; it only
teaches how to live with the pain.
"Our Missing In Action" is a
montage of interviews. The sons,
brothers, fathers and mothers of
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MIAs speak about the prewar
days in a nostalgic spirit that nev-
er grows sappy or melodramatic.
And it becomes apparent that
hope, for many of these families,
has no boundaries, while for oth-
ers 21/2 decades of hoping has left
them begging for some type of clo-
sure.
Mr. Handleman lets the MIA
families tell their own stories.
Walking in the cold steps of un-
certainty could give many film-
makers a platform to moralize.
But Mr. Handleman prefers to let credits includes Remembering the
the camera roll.
Holocaust, interviews with sur-
He captures a sister of an MIA vivors in metro Detroit, and Medal
whose tears fill her eyes and roll of HonorRag, a docudrama about
down her checks with the relief the life of a Vietnam vet, which
of a deep sigh, and an elderly aired on PBS's American Play-
man who struggles to remain house and Bravo in 1982.
calm as he recalls when his son,
"The common theme in my
a high-school quarterback, car- work is that the films are consid-
ried him off the football field af- ered intellectually stimulating and
evoke an emotion," Mr. Handle-
ter a victory.
"Our Missing In Action" first man said. "I like to think that my
aired in 1987 and was distributed programming is a viable alterna-
nationally by PBS. It took 10 tive to what's on television."
He has also produced docu-
months and a shoe-string budget
to make. Looking back, Mr. Han- mentaries on the Detroit Public
dleman sees the time line slight- Library, the Detroit Concert Band,
and several aviation specials.
ly different.
Indeed, aviation provides a con-
"When you engage yourself in
this type of endeavor, you're stant source of inspiration for Mr.
putting all the experience of your Handleman. He is author of eight
life in the effort," he said. "So, I books on subjects including gen-
say, 'It took me 44 years to make eral aircraft history, combat and
the program.' " (Of course, Mr. air shows.
His mother's stories of the fa-
Randleman is 44 years old.)
The last five minutes of the doc- mous pilots who flew at nearby
umentary have been reshot to re- Hopkins Airport in her hometown
flect a national focus, said Mr. Cleveland, and the American
Handleman, a Birmingham res- space program, instilled a love of
ident. The new ending combines flight. And, flight, philosophy and
images of the Vietnam Veteran's filmmaking seem to have coa-
Memorial in Washington D.C. lesced naturally.
Today, Mr. Handleman, who
with the strained chorus of "My
Country tis of Thee." It is a sub- has had his pilot's license for 24
years, is a recognized avi-
tle, yet effective way to
pay homage to the dead Filmmake r Philip ation expert. He owns two
Handle man
while asking: "Why?"
antique class planes,
f or new
which he flies on average
For Mr. Handleman, strives
heig hts.
twice a week. Fly-
ing above mundane
earthly boundaries,
he admits, has
brought a perspec-
tive to his writing
and filmmaking.
"As a flyer, the
single most impor-
tant element is hon-
esty," he said.
"There's no bluffing
in the sky. And that
perspective in the
pursuit of filmmak-
ing and writing
gives me an advan-
tage."
These days, Mr.
Handleman is as
comfortable talking
about pilot legends
Roscoe Turner or
Jimmy Doolittle as
the MIAs serve as a symbol of the he is discussing Spinoza or
constant need to raise moral ques- Sartre. He does a lot of his re-
tions about issues and policies of search in his Birmingham home
library, where he has collected
national purpose.
"These were young and very the books handed down by his
brave Americans whose where- grandparents and parents, who
abouts are still a mystery," he said. founded, then built, the Handle-
"It's one of the most poignant is- man Company into the largest
entertainment-software distrib-
sues."
In choosing a subject for a doc- utor in the world.
"I know that I've been given an
umentary, Mr. Handleman holds
up a simple criteria. "It must touch opportunity because of my fami-
the heart," he said.
ly's business success," Mr. Han-
His 15-year list of documentary dleman said. "I hope that I
L.