Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney: A Documentary (Like Mulroney Himself) You’ll Never Forget
I’ve always preferred biographical pictures that aren’t a realistic break down of the subjects career. Movies like Oppenheimer (2023) and Spencer (2021) were far more interesting films analysing an idea rather than films like Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) and Michael (2026) which tend to feel like the Greatest Hits of the subjects career at the cost of a captivating story. Whenever people argue against biopics having unrealistic depictions, I’ve always argued that “they’re movies, watch a documentary if you want an honest depiction of the events”. Matthew Rankin’s documentary Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney puts to rest any pre-conceived notions on what a documentary should be. It strays from the Wikipedia article that most documentaries (and even musical biopics) have unfortunately gravitated towards, creating a narrative about the election of Mulroney akin to a Shakespeare tragedy. The documentary blends over 80,000 pieces of archived footage into a hypnotic fever dream regarding the inevitable rise of Canada’s 18th Prime Minister. Rankin’s documentary presents the political campaign of Mulroney episodically, transporting the audience into an absurd world through the viewpoint of Mulroney himself. The archival footage isn’t presented in order to outline the events in the early 1980s but rather create a mythical tale.
The documentary is an incredible piece of filmmaking for any audience member across the Canadian borders but its unearthed clips of Canadian television channels, notable jingles, and references to Canadian iconography have allowed this documentary to feel like a time capsule of 1980s nostalgia for Canadian audiences. The film consistently idolizes the Canadian mythos while ripping it apart at the seams, as seen in the opening sequence where the documentary plays the Canadian national anthem as the country crumbles in the name of progress. While the anthem begins with depictions of breathtaking Canadian lakes and forests, it quickly devolves to blowing up mountain sides and capturing wildlife while playing “God keep our land, glorious and free!”. The clash of Canada’s national anthem, a declaration of love for Canadian soil, with images of that soil being uprooted in the name of progress is the perfect tone going into the documentary. The anthem ends with towering skyscrapers, Canada has progressed as a nation but at a cost.
The rise of Progressive Conservatives in Canada rings a similar warning throughout the film. The six episode structure creates smaller narratives within the film that consistently envelope an emotional connection with Mulroney’s mindset. The first episode is Mulroney’s first campaign for elected office within the Conservative party; Mulroney himself soars into the sky, stating his prophecies (or the modern term “policies”) with a beam of light as God himself speaks to his disciples. The speech ascends the great Canadian plains, a voice from the high heavens gracing the Canadian voters only to be thrown aside from his serpent tongued opposition, John Diefenbaker. The public, unprepared for the young passionate Mulroney, felt more comfortable sleeping with the fiery eyed and monstrously disfigured Diefenbaker. That’s the first episode, chaotic and frantic, embodying Mulroney’s intense opening attempt into office. The following episodes throughout his career are equally artistic and intense, but much more controlled. Mulroney learns how to contain that aggressive passion into charisma, making his rise through the Progressive Conservatives party merely inevitable.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney collects multiple forms of media, blends them together, and serves an interesting concoction probably best served having a few cocktails prior. The documentary merges pieces of Canadian television ranging from 1980 public service announcements, advertisements, and everyone’s favourite talking pineapple Ananas from Téléfrançais!. Additionally, the documentary’s commentary on the world’s obsession with progress in the early 1980s is aided with Hollywood’s sci-fi films from that era, directly referencing 1982 classics such as Tron and Blade Runner. The country desperately seeks change and after decades of Prime Ministers from the Liberal party, it’s unsurprising that the change in government falls onto the lap of the charismatic conservative with the promise to make things better. From the small town of Baie-Comeau, Quebec (the film will repeatedly ensure audiences remember it), Mulroney morphs into the very devil he swore against. Diefenbaker, once the fiery demon Mulroney fought against in the opening episode, wound up becoming the foundation for Mulroney’s campaign. Rankin’s documentary is both an admiration for the charismatic persona Mulroney is known for and also resents that his campaign for progress might have been the inciting incident that destroyed Canada. The film asks the terrifying question: if God failed to keep our land glorious and free, was it because the devil made him do it?
Rating: 4.25/5
