MovieChat Forums > The Phenix City Story (1955) Discussion > Supreme Irony

Supreme Irony

posted 13 years ago by BelleCBelle
4 replies | jump to latest

I was reading about Phenix City on Wiki, and ran across this fact - "In 1955, it won the All-America City Award from the National Municipal League."

I had to look further, because I just couldn't believe it. You know how there are organizations formed to further one specific goal, such as to smear a political candidate, and the group is given a legitimate-sounding name like "Veterans and Friends of Government," to disguise their true intention? I thought the National Municipal League might be something like that, but nope, they are legitimate.

I wonder what they were thinking about when they bestowed their award on Phenix City. The organization, now called the National Civic League, was founded in 1894. Their own web-site states: "Since 1949 the All-America City Award has encouraged and recognized civic excellence, honoring communities of all sizes (cities, towns, counties, neighborhoods and regions) in which residents, government, businesses and voluntary organizations work together to address critical local issues."

Perhaps the League got the facts wrong, forgot about the state troops being called in, and thought, I don't know, that their award might be a healing gesture or something? I just don't understand.

Human Rights: Know them, demand them, defend them.

[–] The_Dying_Flutchman 13 years ago

I don't understand why this film is so popular as I have tried on 3 different occasions to sit thru it. I know it has historic importance but it is so hackneyed today. The first 20 mins are like listening to the most boring sermon ever penned. I guess its just something you have to be forced to watch. If ever I get the urge to make a fourth effort, I'll have to glue my eyelids open. Just torture.

Let it be unsaid: insignificance is the locus of true increpation.

[–] zurichpoet 13 years ago

Popular with the popcorn addicts because when someone wants to know “what it is about”, you can snap off the noirin' retort, “the scallywags who controlled all the o's in Phenix City.”

[–] lkroger 8 years ago

That was my reaction as well. There was no real drama, just cartoonish good guys and cartoonish bad guys, following a script that a no-talent hack could have written in his sleep. And the fight scenes were pathetic. The only organic parts were a few moments of seedy atmosphere that weren't focused on the actors, such as the blues song. Unwatchable stuff.

I can't say whether it's true to life, so I'm not commenting on the historicity. But history generally requires some careful editing and maybe a few liberties in order to translate into meaningful drama.

[–] whiskeyTango-06 10 years ago

________________________________________________________________________

"Since 1949 the All-America City Award has encouraged and recognized civic excellence,
honoring communities of all sizes (cities, towns, counties, neighborhoods and regions) in
which residents, government, businesses and voluntary organizations work together to
address critical local issues."

________________________________________________________________________

i think you answered your own question -- and it is not ironic at all to me.

perhaps they rewarded the great efforts it took the people of phenix to "address (their very own) critical social issues" against such a history of despicable and unfettered corruption.