From the Journals of Jean Seberg

Mark Rappaport and Mary Beth Hurt get meta in From the Journals of Jean Seberg

Mark Rappaport's From the Journals of Jean Seberg, from 1995, deftly interweaves and juxtaposes clips from Ms. Seberg's films with fellow Iowan Mary Beth Hurt's dead on screen narration and commentary. Rappaport's cinephilia suffuses the film, as he provides a meta commentary on Seberg's career and those of her peers in the industry such as Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave. The only sour note is Rappaport picturing Seberg as a victim with big bad wolves such as J Edgar Hoover, Otto Preminger and Clint Eastwood abusing St. Jean. Of all the rogues that plagued her, her mate Romain Gary seems the most culpable. His cinematic collaborations with Seberg, psychodramatic portraits of their troubled union, certainly border on abuse. By casting her as a victim, Rappaport robs Seberg of her agency and leaves big questions about her political thought and activity unanswered. Still, despite my petty carping, From the Journals of Jean Seberg is a treat for film lovers.