"City of Hope," A Great Local Government Ethics Film

I was fortunate today to see an American film focused almost entirely on local government ethics. Although it is an excellent film, it has not been included in City Ethics' (but not my) Top Ten Ethics Films list or in any of the comments suggesting additions. The film is City of Hope (1991), written and directed by the great John Sayles, most of whose films involve important ethical quandaries.

The film presents a dark picture of a very unhealthy ethics environment in a small-to-medium New York-area city. The environment has corrupted pretty much everyone involved. Sayles is smart enough to ensure that there is no black and white. Even the most sympathetic character, a young, idealistic black council member cannot help caving in to pressures.

The best thing about the film, government ethicswise, is the emphasis on the conflict between the personal and the ethical. The film tells a story about characters torn between what they know is right, what they feel they need to do for their family, what is politically possible, what they are told to do by high-level officials, and their personal feelings.

The biggest problem with the film is that, other than rampant nepotism, almost everything in the film involves a quid pro quo deal. One character even uses the term in a conversation about a deal. In other words, the misconduct is criminal, not about conflicts of interest. And the enforcement, or threatened enforcement, is all criminal and politicized, especially due to the district attorney's desire to run for the Senate. The criminal justice system is involved in just about every deal the film shows.

In addition, the ethics environment has gone beyond the stage of institutional corruption, where ethical misconduct is legal. There is no question of legality, only of enforcement by a corrupt system. The city government is a "machine." Except for the young black council member, everyone has compromised themselves long before the film takes place.

But this is a fine film that everyone interested in local government corruption should watch. The problem is that it is difficult to find. It is not available in DVD format (anyone still have a VCR?). It's not on Netflix, but it is available on Amazon instant video. I saw it in 35 mm at Yale.

For film buffs, the cast (and the acting) is amazing and the writing, directing, and cinematography excellent. The main protagonists are played by Vincent Spano and Joe Morton. The cast also includes Chris Cooper, David Straithairn, Angela Bassett, Tony Lo Bianco, Lawrence Tierney, Gina Gershon, Josh Mostel, and John Sayles himself.

Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics

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