In Spielberg’s The
Post (2017), the fateful decision to publish portions of the Pentagon
Papers centers on Katharine Graham’s being willing to rebuff her newspaper’s
lawyers, who represent the company’s financial interests, in favor of Ben
Bradlee’s argument that free speech of the press as a check on government in a
viable democracy—the company’s mission—is of overriding importance. As
important as this critical decision was historically, I submit that the film
allots too much attention to the decision and even the relationship between
Graham and Bradlee at the expense of other deserving matters.
The full essay is at "The Post."
