Trumbo (2007)
Trumbo (2007), directed by Peter Askin, starring Joan Allen and Michael Douglas.
score
Hollywood Blacklisted Him… But He Had The Last Word.
Synopsis
Through a focus on the life of Dalton Trumbo (1905-1976), this film examines the effects on individuals and families of a congressional pursuit of Hollywood Communists after World War II. Trumbo was one of several writers, directors, and actors who invoked the First Amendment in refusing to answer questions under oath. They were blacklisted and imprisoned. We follow Trumbo to prison, to exile in Mexico with his family, to poverty, to the public shunning of his children, to his writing under others' names, and to an eventual but incomplete vindication. Actors read his letters; his children and friends remember and comment. Archive photos, newsreels and interviews add texture. Written by
- Peter AskinDirector
- Kurt EngfehrEditing
- Alan KlingensteinProducer
- David ViolaProducer
About the film
Trumbo is a 2007 American documentary film directed by Peter Askin, produced by Will Battersby, Tory Tunnell, Alan Klingenstein, and David Viola, executive produced by Jim Kohlberg, and written by Christopher Trumbo. It is based on the letters of Christopher Trumbo's father, Dalton Trumbo, an Oscar-winning screenwriter who was imprisoned and blacklisted as a member of the Hollywood Ten, ten screenwriters, directors and producers who refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1947 during the committee's investigation of Communist influences in the Hollywood film industry.
The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and includes film clips and interviews, readings from Trumbo's letters by performers such as Michael Douglas, Joan Allen, Donald Sutherland, Liam Neeson, and Paul Giamatti, and a reenactment by David Strathairn of a speech given by Dalton Trumbo in 1970. The readings include parts of what the New York Times calls "Dalton Trumbo's remarkably stage-ready personal letters" that cover the period from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Interspersed with these are archival clips from the HUAC hearings, footage from home movies, and "exceptionally well-selected interview clips with Trumbo".
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Trumbo is a 2007 American documentary film directed by Peter Askin, produced by Will Battersby, Tory Tunnell, Alan Klingenstein, and David Viola, executive produced by Jim Kohlberg, and written by Christopher Trumbo. It is based on the letters of Christopher Trumbo's father, Dalton Trumbo, an Oscar-winning screenwriter who was imprisoned and blacklisted as a member of the Hollywood Ten, ten screenwriters, directors and producers who refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1947 during the committee's investigation of Communist influences in the Hollywood film industry.
The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and includes film clips and interviews, readings from Trumbo's letters by performers such as Michael Douglas, Joan Allen, Donald Sutherland, Liam Neeson, and Paul Giamatti, and a reenactment by David Strathairn of a speech given by Dalton Trumbo in 1970. The readings include parts of what the New York Times calls "Dalton Trumbo's remarkably stage-ready personal letters" that cover the period from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Interspersed with these are archival clips from the HUAC hearings, footage from home movies, and "exceptionally well-selected interview clips with Trumbo".
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 82% of 55 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating was 6.8/10. The site's consensus reads: "Trumbo celebrates the life and work of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo with measures of humor and sadness." Metacritic rated the film 71/100 based on 18 reviews.
References
External links
Trumbo at IMDb
Dalton Trumbo - Interview with Director Peter Askin
Text from Trumbo (2007 film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trumbo_(2007_film)
Trivia
- It premiered on September 10, 2007, a Monday.
- It runs 1h36 — a typical feature length.
- This film's quiz has 10 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosThirteen, Safehouse Pictures, Reno Productions, Filbert Steps Productions
- CountriesUnited States
- LanguagesEnglish
- StatusReleased
Cast
-
Joan Allen
Self -
Michael Douglas
Self -
Liam Neeson
Self -
Paul Giamatti
Self -
Josh Lucas
Self -
Nathan Lane
Self -
Brian Dennehy
Self -
David Strathairn
Self -
Donald Sutherland
Self - Emanuel Azenberg Self - Interviewee
-
Walter Bernstein
Self - Interviewee - Christopher Trumbo Self - Interviewee
- Mitzi Trumbo Self - Interviewee
-
Dustin Hoffman
Self - Interviewee -
Kirk Douglas
Self - Interviewee - Kate Lardner Self - Interviewee
Quiz about this movie
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Tags
Crew
- Peter Askin Director
- Kurt Engfehr Editing
- Alan Klingenstein Producer
- David Viola Producer
- Tory Tunnell Producer
- Will Battersby Producer
- Robert Miller Original music
- Christopher Trumbo Screenplay
Questions about this film
What is Trumbo about?
Trumbo: Through a focus on the life of Dalton Trumbo (1905-1976), this film examines the effects on individuals and families of a congressional pursuit of Hollywood Communists after World War II. Trumbo was one of several writers, directors, and actors who invoked the First Amendment in refusing to answer questions under oath…
Who directed Trumbo?
Trumbo was directed by Peter Askin in 2007.
Who stars in Trumbo?
The cast of Trumbo includes Joan Allen, Michael Douglas, Liam Neeson, Paul Giamatti and Josh Lucas.
How long is Trumbo?
Trumbo runs for 96 minutes, or 1h36.
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Page updated on 09/10/2026.
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