America’s Heart and Soul – A Movie Review

Way back in July 2004, Disney released America’s Heart and Soul without any fanfare. We reported about the release of the movie and I indicated that I was eager to see it. While the film received virtually no screen time, it is now available on DVD. I finally viewed the movie tonight and I am perplexed as to why Disney did not put some promotion muscle behind this brilliant and inspiring picture!
America’s Heart and Soul is a film by Louis Schwartzberg, a Hollywood veteran who is complete enchanted by the people and the land known as America. In a ninety-minute time span, Schwartzberg takes us on a spectacular sea-to-shining-sea voyage in which we meet dozens of Americans from just about every walk of life. From steel workers and gospel singers to a blind mountain climber and a Manhattan delivery boy, the documentary tells stories of real Americans sharing a piece of their heart and soul merely by doing what they do best.

Schwartzberg’s eye for beauty is striking as the cinematography is breathtaking. Whether buzzing the brilliant autumn trees lining the hills of Vermont, the sandy beaches of California, the swamplike Everglades of Florida or the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky, the images are absolutely stunning, and they reveal what an incredibly diverse land we live in.
But more striking than the landscapes are the beautiful, humorous and inspiring stories of our neighbors all across the fruited plains. Every person has a story to tell and Schwartzberg has a way of making the focus of each vignette feel like family to the viewer.
We get to meet Patty Wagstaff, a three-time national aerobatic champion, as her plane cruises, dips, twists and dives through the air. Specially mounted cameras bring the voyage to life and we get to experience the passion that gives Patty life and meaning.
A trip to San Francisco takes us to Glide Memorial Methodist Church, where Reverand Cecil Williams has been ministering to the outcasts of society for forty years. Seeing him feeding the hungry, clothing the poor and loving the unlovable should be an inspiration to all who have a desire to make a difference.
Crossing the country to Boston introduces us to Rick and Dick Hoyt, a father/son team who have just finished their eighteenth Boston Marathon. The hitch? Rick is a quadriplegic with non-speaking cerebral palsy and is bound to a wheelchair, able to speak with the aid of a computer. The relationship between Rick and Dick lifts spirits and demonstrates how even the most severely handicapped individuals can strive to fly and do incredible things.
The film introduces us to Dan Klennert, a man who takes junk seriously, creating art from trash. We encounter steelworkers in Weirton, West Virginia, where a failing steel company has become owned by the employees who refuse to give us on an industry that has supported their families for generations. Music plays a large part of America’s Heart and Soul, as a trip to Louisiana and cajun country introduces us to a people who come from a long line of musicians.
There are many more stories to tell. America’s Heart and Soul barely touches the tip of the iceberg. After all, there are approximately 300,000,000 people in America. But Schwartzberg has succeeded in creating a timeless piece of Americana that I highly recommend to ALL Americans.
In a day and age where politics and things that divide us have dominated the news and water cooler discussion, it is refreshing to be reminded of the things that bind us together as Americans. Determination. Persistance. Faith. Family. Freedom.
Sick and tired of the anti-American blather constantly streaming from the mouths of TV’s talking heads? Had enough with Michael Moore’s attack on America? Go back to the basics and find out what makes us really great. Rent or buy a copy of America’s Heart and Soul today. Click here to buy on sale at Amazon.com.