Dirty Pictures
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Frank R. Pierson
Nicky Guadagni
Craig T. Nelson
Marnie Mcphail
Richard Sali
Nadine Strossen
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In 1989, Dennis Barrie, the director of the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, booked "The Perfect Moment," an exhibit of 175 controversial photographs by the late artist Robert Mapplethorpe. Although he anticipated opposition from a select few who may have labeled the photographs as pornographic, Barrie never expected that it would go as far as his indictment and began to feel apprehensive about the negative impact on his family. However, Barrie's firm belief in the individual's right to choose and view art in his own way motiviated him to proceed.
When Simon Leiss, Jr., the Sheriff of Hamilton County, decided that five of the Mapplethorpe photos depicting acts of sado-masochism and homosexuality and two nude portraits of children were obscene, he sought not only to shut down the exhibit, but to prosecute and imprison Dennis Barrie. opening of the exhibit approached, Barrie found himself the target of right-wing conservative groups, who subjected him and his family to a series of personal and professional attacks. On April 7, 1990, the museum opened its doors to a throng of spectators -- some art lovers, and curiousity seekers drawn to the exhibit by its subject matter and controversy. That same afternoon, Cincinnati police arrived with an indictment against Barrie for obscenity and an order to shut down the exhibit.
On September 28, 1990, a jury of eight was chosen and the trial began, which lasted seven days. Barrie ultimately took the stand in his own defense -- a public fight to uphold the integrity of the First Amendment. On October 5, 1990, the jury entered the courtroom with a unanimous decision.
Director
Frank R. Pierson
Cast
Nicky Guadagni
Craig T. Nelson
Marnie Mcphail
Richard Sali
Nadine Strossen
Michael Caruana
Diana Scarwid
Ann Marin
Dave Nicholls
Frank Moore
Sanjay Talwar
James Woods
Kenneth J Mcgregor
Rachael Crawford
Jon Evans
Fran Lebowitz
Barbara Radecki
Michael Dyson
Adrian Roberto
Linda Goranson
Allegra Fulton
Michelle Muzzi
Arnie Achtman
Colin Fox
Kathryn Haggis
Judith Goodwin
Geoffrey Bowes
Conrad Bergschneider
Jesse Mcbride
Nancy Beatty
Barney Frank
Ian Orchard
Bill T. Jones
Salman Rushdie
David Huband
Judah Katz
Leon Pownhall
Sally Cahill
Matt North
Susan Sarandon
Martin Roach
Lawrence Bayne
Graham Losee
Michael Seater
Tony De Santis
Arnold Lehman
Brett Heard
Stephen Joffe
Jeff Pustil
William F Buckley
Brad Borbridge
Jonathan Wittaker
R D Reid
Mary Boone
Holly Sedgwick
Crew
Lloyd Adams
David Bailey
Erik Berger
Jessica Berman-bogdan
Mary Boone
Nancy Botting
William F Buckley
Kevin Burns
Randy Butcher
Luther Campbell
Glenn Cater
Janus Cercone
Ilene Chaiken
Jeff Charbonneau
Robin D. Cook
Shelley Cook
David Coulter
Barney Frank
Candide Franklyn
Andrea Franks
Jeff Fruitman
Freddie Godden
Mike Gow
Kathleen Graham
Anthony Grani
Arv Greywal
Vicky Herman
Janet Hirshenson
David P Hobbs
Jane Jenkins
Blair Johannes
Bill T. Jones
Alicia Keywan
Fran Lebowitz
Arnold Lehman
Gai Loper
Michael Manheim
Jesse Mcbride
Jerome Mccann
Anthony Miller
Regan Moore
Hiro Narita
Hiro Narita
Billy Oliver
Todd Orr
Richard Parker
Aaron Pelman
Tom Perry
Susan Pilcher
Andy Potvin
Ed Queffelec
Tammy Quinn
Larod Rebhun
Mark D Ross
Salman Rushdie
Bennett Salvay
Susan Sarandon
Susanne Schlomer
Alan Roy Scott
Mark Snow
Bruce Speyer
Bruce Springsteen
John Stoneham
Nadine Strossen
Michael Tassie
Franco Tatta
Catherine Taylor
John J Thomson
Chad Tomasoski
Ron Van Hart
Steven D Williams
Tamara Winston
Chris Wong Won
Alan Zielonko
Peter Zinner
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Aired in United States May 27, 2000
Released in United States on Video November 21, 2000
Began shooting early November 1999.
Completed shooting December 14, 1999.
Filmed in cooperation with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation; features over 200 of the artist's original photographs.
The film is intercut with commentary by prominent figures on both sides of the issue, including: conservative commentator William F. Buckley, Jr.; National Endowment For the Arts Chair John Frohmeyer; author Salman Rushdie; ACLU President, Nadine Strossen; choreographer Bill T. Jones; New York art dealer Mary Boone; and Jesse McBride, who was photographed by Mapplethorpe as a child. Also includes filmed interviews with Robert Mapplethorpe before his death.
