The film News of the World opens with civil war veteran Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd preparing for another newspaper reading in a new town. The camera directs the eye to elements of this habitual routine- the crumpling of papers, the careful tightening of his tie, shots of his wife, who is only there to accompany him as a framed picture on his table. And as the audience quiets, and Kidd begins his reading, he marks the beginning of a literal and metaphorical journey for closure. His first words are timeless. “Maybe, just for tonight, we can escape our troubles and hear the great changes that are happening out there.”
And so, they begin. Kidd is in the midst of traveling to a new reading destination, and he is greeted by a shocking scene- an overturned wagon and the lynched body of the black man driving it. It is a reminder to the watcher of the definite injustices that persisted post-civil war. Hidden in the trees, he discovers Johanna Leonberger, an orphan, twice over. The Kiowa family that took her in were killed by white settlers, and so the young girl was being transported for a reunion with her German aunt and uncle in Castroville. With the Indian Affairs Agent unavailable, Kidd takes it upon himself to bring Johanna there. News of the World is a Western Drama with emotion and intention as it explores closure- it is worth a see for any viewer who appreciates both a strong message and historical elements.
As one watches Johanna and Kidd embark on their journey, what stands out is how the script seamlessly creates dialogue and forges an unlikely closeness between the two despite the language barrier. Their conversations, such as teaching each other words in Kiowa and English represent their dynamic- and how they both have demons to face at the end of the road. As they journey, the film slowly reveals what these are and other details.
NEWS OF THE WORLD: THE READING OF AN AMERICAN STORY
{Leah K.}
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