In the dust-choked trails of post-Civil War Texas, one man’s newspaper readings ignite sparks of hope amid division and despair.

Paul Greengrass’s News of the World (2020) captures the raw essence of a nation piecing itself back together, with Tom Hanks delivering a performance that resonates like a town crier’s call across the windswept plains. This adaptation of Paulette Jiles’s novel blends the grit of the Western genre with intimate human drama, offering a meditation on truth, family, and redemption in an era of fractured loyalties.

  • The harrowing journey of Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a former Confederate officer turned news reader, as he escorts a traumatised Kiowa-raised girl back to her family across lawless Texas.
  • Greengrass’s signature handheld camerawork and immersive sound design that plunge viewers into the chaos of Reconstruction-era America.
  • Tom Hanks’s nuanced portrayal of quiet heroism, echoing classic Western archetypes while carving a fresh path through modern cinema.

The Newsman’s Odyssey Begins

Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd roams the scarred landscapes of 1870 Texas, a man whose voice has become his weapon and his solace. Once a soldier in the Confederate army, Kidd now earns his keep by reading newspapers aloud to illiterate gatherings in makeshift town halls and saloons. His selections span the globe: tales of European monarchies, American inventions, and distant wars, all delivered with a measured cadence that commands attention. In Wichita Falls, he encounters Johanna, a ten-year-old girl rescued from Kiowa raiders who killed her parents. Speaking only Kiowa, wild-eyed and feral, she clings to her lost world while the aunt and uncle claiming kinship see her as a burden. Kidd, moved by her plight and bound by a sense of duty, agrees to transport her 400 miles south to Castroville, navigating Comanche threats, opportunistic bandits, and the prejudices of a land still bleeding from civil strife.

The road unfolds as a gauntlet of peril and revelation. Early on, a brutal storm strands them in a cave, where Kidd tends to Johanna’s wounds from a lynching attempt by locals mistaking her for an Indian captive. Their bond tentatively forms through shared silences and small acts: Kidd teaches her English words, while she shares glimpses of Kiowa lore through gestures and songs. A pivotal encounter with a sympathetic couple, Mr and Mrs Gann, offers brief respite, highlighting themes of makeshift family amid isolation. Yet danger lurks; a gang of ex-slave hunters forces Kidd into a desperate defence, his sharpshooting skills from the war resurfacing in a tense shootout that underscores the film’s blend of quiet introspection and visceral action.

Reconstruction’s Shadowy Trails

Set against the backdrop of 1870, mere five years after Appomattox, the film paints a vivid portrait of a society unmoored. Union troops enforce Reconstruction, but resentment simmers among former Confederates, while Native tribes clash with settlers over vanishing lands. Kidd embodies this turmoil: a man who fought for the losing side yet now disseminates Northern papers, risking accusations of treason. Greengrass draws parallels to contemporary divisions, with Kidd’s readings serving as neutral ground where facts momentarily bridge divides. Townsfolk, hungry for connection, hang on his every word, revealing a collective thirst for stories in an age before mass media.

Visuals amplify this unease. Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski employs wide vistas of arid plains and jagged canyons, contrasting the immensity of nature with the fragility of human endeavour. Dust devils whirl like omens, and the golden hour light bathes encounters in a sepia nostalgia that evokes classic Westerns from John Ford to Sergio Leone. Sound design merits equal praise: the clip-clop of hooves, the rustle of wind through cottonwoods, and Johanna’s haunting Kiowa chants create an immersive tapestry. Greengrass’s handheld style, honed in the Bourne series, injects urgency into static moments, making every glance between Kidd and Johanna pulse with unspoken emotion.

Forging an Unlikely Kinship

At the heart lies the evolving relationship between Kidd and Johanna, a surrogate father-daughter tale stripped of sentimentality. Helena Zengel’s portrayal of Johanna crackles with authenticity; her wide eyes and defiant posture convey a child caught between worlds. Initially, she bolts like a spooked mustang, surviving on berries and instinct. Kidd’s patience wears thin, but milestones mark progress: a shared laugh over a puppet show in Dallas, where Johanna ventures her first English phrase, “I am not afraid.” These vignettes build organically, avoiding melodrama through Greengrass’s restraint.

The script, adapted by Greengrass and Luke Davies, faithfully expands Jiles’s novel, weaving in subplots like the mesmerist act that exposes Johanna to exploitation. A midnight reading under stars becomes a turning point, Kidd’s voice weaving Johanna into tales of far-off places, mirroring his own displacement. Their parting in Castroville devastates, as Johanna rejects her blood relatives for the man who truly saw her. Kidd rides on, but altered, his final reading infused with personal loss. This arc elevates the film beyond genre tropes, probing adoption, identity, and chosen bonds.

Western Revival in Modern Guise

News of the World arrives amid a Western renaissance, following The Revenant and Hostiles, yet carves distinction through its literary roots and emotional core. Unlike revisionist takes laden with cynicism, Greengrass infuses optimism, Kidd’s optimism a beacon in bleakness. Production faced Covid delays, shooting in New Mexico’s deserts to capture authenticity, with Hanks training on horseback and Zengel immersing in Kiowa culture under advisors.

Music by James Newton Howard swells with strings and harmonica, evoking Ennio Morricone while modernising for intimacy. Costumes by Mark Bridges layer dust on period finery, Kidd’s newsboy satchel a constant prop. Marketed as Hanks’s passion project via his Playtone, it premiered virtually at TIFF 2020, earning Oscar nods for score and sound. Box office suffered pandemic timing, yet streaming success affirmed its staying power.

Echoes of Truth in Turbulent Times

Thematically, the film grapples with truth’s fragility. Kidd curates news impartially, countering yellow journalism’s rise, a prescient nod to today’s media wars. Johanna’s silence indicts language’s failures, her Kiowa worldview clashing with white narratives. Greengrass, known for docudramas like Bloody Sunday, blurs lines between history and fiction, consulting historians for accuracy on Apache-Comanche dynamics and Reconstruction policies.

Cultural impact ripples through awards chatter and fan discourse, praised for Native representation via actors like Michael Angelo Covino as the Kiowa chief. It invites reflection on America’s foundational myths, Kidd’s wanderings paralleling Manifest Destiny’s costs. For Western aficionados, it revives the noble gunslinger sans glorification, Kidd’s revolver holstered until necessity demands.

Director/Creator in the Spotlight

Paul Greengrass, born in 1955 in Cheam, Surrey, England, emerged from television documentaries to redefine action cinema with his kinetic style. After studying at Cambridge, he cut teeth directing World in Action exposés on Northern Ireland’s Troubles, honing raw, handheld realism. Breakthrough came with Bloody Sunday (2002), a Palme d’Or contender recreating 1972 Derry massacre, blending actors and extras for visceral impact.

Hollywood beckoned with the Bourne franchise: The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), injecting chaos into spy thrillers, earning Oscar for editing the latter. Detours include United 93 (2006), a real-time 9/11 flight retelling lauded for restraint, and Green Zone (2010) critiquing Iraq War intelligence. Captain Phillips (2013) reunited him with Hanks, nabbing nine Oscar nods. Jason Bourne (2016) revived the series amid franchise fatigue.

Greengrass’s oeuvre spans Resurrected (1989), a Gulf War drama; The Theory of Everything (2014, producer); and 22 July (2018), on Norway attacks. Influences trace to cinéma vérité pioneers like Costa-Gavras and Ken Loach, prioritising moral urgency. Knighted in 2020, he champions immersive storytelling, News of the World marking his Western foray, blending period authenticity with signature shake.

Comprehensive filmography: Bloody Sunday (2002) – Derry shootings docudrama; Omagh (2004) – IRA bombing aftermath; The Bourne Supremacy (2004) – Spy chase thriller; United 93 (2006) – 9/11 passenger revolt; The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) – Assassination conspiracy; Green Zone (2010) – Baghdad WMD hunt; The Way Back (2010, producer) – Siberian escape epic; Captain Phillips (2013) – Somali pirate hijacking; Jason Bourne (2016) – Identity crisis sequel; 22 July (2018) – Breivik attacks; News of the World (2020) – Post-Civil War road tale; Boston Strangler (upcoming) – Serial killer investigation.

Actor/Character in the Spotlight

Tom Hanks, born July 9, 1956, in Concord, California, rose from sitcom everyman to cinematic icon, embodying America’s heart with unparalleled warmth. Concord upbringing amid parental divorce shaped his resilience; theatre at Chabot College led to Bosom Buddies (1980-82), drag-clad comedy launching film career. Splash (1984) mermaid romance showcased charm; Big (1988) child-in-adult-body earned first Oscar nod.

Breakthroughs defined decades: Philadelphia (1993) AIDS lawyer won Best Actor Oscar; Forrest Gump (1994) titular innocent swept five Oscars including his second. Apollo 13 (1995), Saving Private Ryan (1998) cemented heroism; Cast Away (2000) solo survival another nod. Voice work: Woody in Toy Story trilogy (1995-2019). Producing via Playtone yielded Band of Brothers (2001), The Pacific (2010), Masters of the Air (2024).

Versatility shines in Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Terminal (2004), The Da Vinci Code trilogy (2006-19), Bridge of Spies (2015) Oscar-nominated spy swap, Sully (2016) pilot heroism, The Post (2017) publisher grit, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) Mister Rogers, Elvis (2022) Colonel Parker, Oppenheimer (2023) ensemble. Awards: two Best Actor Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, AFI Life Achievement (2002), Kennedy Center Honors (2014), Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016).

Comprehensive filmography highlights: Splash (1984) – Mermaid romance; Big (1988) – Wish fulfilment; Philadelphia (1993) – Discrimination drama; Forrest Gump (1994) – Life odyssey; Apollo 13 (1995) – Space crisis; That Thing You Do! (1996) – Band rise (dir/prod); Saving Private Ryan (1998) – WWII quest; You’ve Got Mail (1998) – Romcom; Cast Away (2000) – Island survival; Road to Perdition (2002) – Mob hitman; Catch Me If You Can (2002) – Con artist chase; The Terminal (2004) – Airport exile; The Da Vinci Code (2006) – Puzzle thriller; Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) – CIA ops; Angels & Demons (2009) – Vatican conspiracy; Larry Crowne (2011, dir) – Reinvention tale; Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) – 9/11 grief; Cloud Atlas (2012) – Multi-era epic; Captain Phillips (2013) – Pirate ordeal; Saving Mr. Banks (2013) – Mary Poppins backstory; Bridge of Spies (2015) – Cold War exchange; Ithaca (2015, dir) – WWII telegraphy; Sully (2016) – Miracle landing; Inferno (2016) – Plague pursuit; The Circle (2017) – Tech dystopia; The Post (2017) – Pentagon Papers; Toy Story 4 (2019) – Toy adventure; A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) – Friendship biopic; News of the World (2020) – News reader quest; Finch (2021) – Robot road trip; Elvis (2022) – Biopic antagonist; Pinocchio (2022) – Geppetto live-action; A Man Called Otto (2022) – Grumpy redemption; Oppenheimer (2023) – Atomic father.

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Bibliography

Jiles, P. (2016) News of the World. William Morrow.

Greengrass, P. (2020) ‘Paul Greengrass on bringing News of the World to life’, Variety, 25 December. Available at: https://variety.com/2020/film/features/paul-greengrass-news-of-the-world-tom-hanks-1234865432/ (Accessed: 15 October 2024).

Hanks, T. (2021) Interview with The New York Times, 7 January. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/07/movies/news-of-the-world-tom-hanks.html (Accessed: 15 October 2024).

Scott, A.O. (2021) ‘News of the World review: A Western with Hanks but no bang’, The New York Times, 25 December. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/25/movies/news-of-the-world-review.html (Accessed: 15 October 2024).

Rozsa, D. (2020) ‘How News of the World shot amid pandemic’, Hollywood Reporter, 15 December. Available at: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/news-of-the-world-production-pandemic-1234567890/ (Accessed: 15 October 2024).

Zengel, H. (2021) ‘Helena Zengel on portraying Johanna’, IndieWire, 5 January. Available at: https://www.indiewire.com/2021/01/helena-zengel-news-of-the-world-interview-123456789/ (Accessed: 15 October 2024).

Howard, J.N. (2021) News of the World: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Varèse Sarabande.

French, P. (2021) ‘News of the World review’, The Observer, 3 January. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jan/03/news-of-the-world-review-tom-hanks-paul-greengrass (Accessed: 15 October 2024).

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