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The Shame of a City
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Wikipedia article
'fThe Shame of a City' is a 2006 feature-length documentary directed by Tigre Hill about the final month of the 2003 Philadelphia Mayoral Election. During that election, incumbent Democrat John Street sought to defeat his Republican challenger Sam Katz. Philadelphia is predominantly Democratic, but early polls showed Katz with a small lead. Twenty-seven days prior to the election, the FBI revealed that it was investigating Street for corruption, but polls showed that the public supported Street 'more' after the scandal broke. Hill attempts to investigate how Street turned the corruption scandal into an advantage.
The film is named after Lincoln Steffenss 1904 book 'The Shame of the Cities', which sought to expose the wrongdoing of public officials in cities across the United States.
Plot summary
Twenty-seven days before the election, an FBI bug was found in the mayors office. When asked about the bug, the FBI admitted that Street was under investigation. The discovery at first seemed like a death knell to the Street campaign and a near certain victory for Katz. But Street and his supporters argued that the FBI investigation was an instance of institutional racial prejudice, polarizing the campaign. Moreover, Street successfully reoriented the campaign away from local issues and towards a referendum on the locally unpopular, Republican-controlled federal government. As a result, Street won re-election by a sixteen-point margin even as his closest supporters were indicted.Shame of a City Offers Inside Look at Fractious 2003 Mayoral Election, 'The Evening Bulletin', April 3, 2006
Media attention
The film won Best Feature-Length Film at the 2006 Philadelphia Film Festival's Festival of Independents and was reviewed positively by the 'Philadelphia Inquirer'.
'Shame of a City' would be shown atamong other placesthe National Constitution Center, and be referenced by name in five successive issues of 'Philadelphia' magazine.
Hill was interviewed on MSNBC about the documentary.Imus in the Morning," April 26, 2007
Selected quotes
Political impact
The timing of the documentary's initial release benefited reform-minded city council member Michael Nutter, who was attempting to succeed Street as the Democratic nominee for mayor.Hill: Players Remain the Same, 'Metro', March 27, 2007 Nutter's primary opponents were Congressmen Bob Brady and Chaka Fattah, two Street supporters portrayed negatively in Hills movie. After receiving Hills endorsement, Nutter himself screened 'The Shame of a City' five times to sold-out audiences, using it to raise money and awareness. The DVD release was also timed to coincide with the primary election cycle, reminding voters of the previous elections' controversies. Although he began as underdog, Nutter would eventually win the May 2007 (Democratic) primary and then defeat his (Republican) opponent in the general election.
'The Shame of a City' also provided an introduction to a Katz campaign consultant, Carl Singley, whose strongly positive appearance in the movie briefly made him the focus of an early, informal city-wide campaign for him to run for mayor.Bit Part Could Be Singleys Big Break, 'The Philadelphia Inquirer', June 22, 2006Carl Singley Loud and Clear, 'Philadelphia' magazine, November 2006 Singley declined to run.Former Street Ally to Eschew Mayoral Run, 'The Philadelphia Inquirer', November 7, 2006
References
Specific citations
General sources
* A Backroom Look at Katz vs. Street, 'The Philadelphia Inquirer', March 31, 2006
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