Podcasts about compassionate spy

Filmmaker Steve James burst onto the scene in 1994 with his iconic documentary, "Hoop Dreams", a film that is widely considered one of the great works of American nonfiction cinema. His latest film, "A Compassionate Spy", tells the incredible story of Manhattan Project scientist Ted Hall, who, fearing the post-war risk of a nuclear holocaust, shared classified nuclear secrets with the Soviets. In today's episode, Steve discusses with Tiller the lasting legacy of "Hoop Dreams" (2:30), why he's made films outside of the streamer system (5:15), why he chose to make "A Compassionate Spy" (10:35), trusting his gut instinct (17:50), the production plan for "A Compassionate Spy" (22:40), how Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" helped revitalize this time period for storytelling (34:40), and the shocking misconceptions he uncovered about WWII, Ted Hall, and the Military Industrial Complex (40:00).

Director Steve James discusses his new film, A Compassionate Spy, with fellow Director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses his process of shooting reenactments, the discovery of archival footage of Ted, and his aim to show the nuances and motivations of Ted's decision. The film tells the true story of eighteen year-old physicist Ted Hall's recruitment into the Manhattan Project. In 1944, concerned about U.S. having a monopoly on such a devastating weapon, Ted decides to divulge classified information about the world's first atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/November2023/DocSeries_A_Compassionate_Spy-1023.aspx

When he was 18 years old, Ted Hall, then a Harvard undergraduate, was recruited to join the Manhattan Project, becoming the youngest physicist on the U.S. team racing to build an atomic bomb before the Nazis. When it became clear that Germany would lose the war, Hall feared that the Americans might maintain a monopoly over nuclear weapons, an imbalance he thought could lead to global tyranny. So he decided to share secret designs with the Soviet Union, which was then an ally of the United States on its own path to build a bomb.That fateful action, and the life-long consequences for Hall and his wife, Joan, are the subject of filmmaker Steve James' new documentary, “A Compassionate Spy.” Using original interviews with members of Hall's family, and archival footage of the now deceased physicist, James explores Hall's motivations for sharing nuclear secrets and the FBI's attempts to charge him with that crime. It's a complex story about espionage, idealism, and ultimately the love between Ted and Joan that helped to keep the truth hidden for decades.Shane Harris spoke with James about the film and his career as a documentary filmmaker. James directed several acclaimed films, including “Hoop Dreams,” “Life Itself,” and “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail.”“A Compassionate Spy” trailer: https://participant.com/film/compassionate-spySteve James' filmography: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416945/ Also discussed in this interview:“Mission to Moscow,” the surprising pro-Soviet film from “Casablanca” director Michael Curtiz: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036166/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_39_dr“Bombshell: The Secret Story of America's Unknown Atomic Spy Conspiracy,” by Joseph Albright and Marcia Kunstel https://www.amazon.com/Bombshell-Secret-Americas-Atomic-Conspiracy/dp/081292861XThe Venona program, which helped to finger Hall as a spy for Moscowhttps://www.nsa.gov/Helpful-Links/NSA-FOIA/Declassification-Transparency-Initiatives/Historical-Releases/Venona/https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1945-present/venona.htmChatter is a production of Lawfare and Goat Rodeo. This episode was produced and edited by Cara Shillenn of Goat Rodeo. Podcast theme by David Priess, featuring music created using Groovepad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When he was 18 years old, Ted Hall, then a Harvard undergraduate, was recruited to join the Manhattan Project, becoming the youngest physicist on the U.S. team racing to build an atomic bomb before the Nazis. When it became clear that Germany would lose the war, Hall feared that the Americans might maintain a monopoly over nuclear weapons, an imbalance he thought could lead to global tyranny. So he decided to share secret designs with the Soviet Union, which was then an ally of the United States on its own path to build a bomb.That fateful action, and the life-long consequences for Hall and his wife, Joan, are the subject of filmmaker Steve James' new documentary, “A Compassionate Spy.” Using original interviews with members of Hall's family, and archival footage of the now deceased physicist, James explores Hall's motivations for sharing nuclear secrets and the FBI's attempts to charge him with that crime. It's a complex story about espionage, idealism, and ultimately the love between Ted and Joan that helped to keep the truth hidden for decades.Shane Harris spoke with James about the film and his career as a documentary filmmaker. James directed several acclaimed films, including “Hoop Dreams,” “Life Itself,” and “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail.”“A Compassionate Spy” trailer: https://participant.com/film/compassionate-spySteve James' filmography: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416945/ Also discussed in this interview:“Mission to Moscow,” the surprising pro-Soviet film from “Casablanca” director Michael Curtiz: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036166/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_39_dr“Bombshell: The Secret Story of America's Unknown Atomic Spy Conspiracy,” by Joseph Albright and Marcia Kunstel https://www.amazon.com/Bombshell-Secret-Americas-Atomic-Conspiracy/dp/081292861XThe Venona program, which helped to finger Hall as a spy for Moscowhttps://www.nsa.gov/Helpful-Links/NSA-FOIA/Declassification-Transparency-Initiatives/Historical-Releases/Venona/https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1945-present/venona.htmChatter is a production of Lawfare and Goat Rodeo. This episode was produced and edited by Cara Shillenn of Goat Rodeo. Podcast theme by David Priess, featuring music created using Groovepad.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mickey and Eleanor co-host this week's episode of the Project Censored Show. In the first half of the program, Mickey speaks with Dave Lindorff about the remarkable story of Ted Hall, a scientific genius who was put to work on the WW II Manhattan Project while still in his teens, then gave his knowledge of atomic secrets to the USSR, to prevent the US from being the world's sole nuclear power. Lindorff also shares information from declassified military documents from the 1940s and 1950s about US planning for a nuclear first strike against the USSR. In the second half of the show Mickey and Eleanor discuss recent attacks against press freedom in the US, from the now-well-known police raid on the Marion County Record in Kansas, to other cases of government interference with media that haven't had as much scrutiny. Dave Lindorff is a long-time investigative reporter who written on topics from health care to the Mumia abu-Jamal case. His new book on Ted Hall, “Spy For No Country: The Story of Ted Hall, The Teenage Atomic Spy Who May Have Saved the World” will be in print later this year. He's also the co-producer of a new film about Hall, “The Compassionate Spy.” His online work can be found at www.thiscantbehappening.net The News That Didn't Make the News. Each week, co-hosts Mickey Huff and Peter Phillips conduct in depth interviews with their guests and offer hard hitting commentary on the key political, social, and economic issues of the day with an emphasis on critical media literacy. The post The amazing true story of Ted Hall / Mickey and Eleanor discuss press freedom – Project Censored – September 1, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

Filmaker Steve James talks about his latest documentary—A Compassionate Spy. It tells the story of Ted Hall, a brilliant scientist at Los Almos who actually did what the fantasies accused Robert Oppenheimer of doing—turning nuclear secrets over to the Soviets. It's also a love story, featuring Joan Hall, Ted Hall's wife, who was a poet and linguist and street smart woman from Chicago. One of Steve's best films. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Sterritt is a film critic, author, teacher and scholar. He is most notable for his work on Alfred Hitchcock and Jean-Luc Godard, and his many years as the Film Critic for The Christian Science Monitor, where, from 1968 until... Read More ›

David Sterritt is a film critic, author, teacher and scholar. He is most notable for his work on Alfred Hitchcock and Jean-Luc Godard, and his many years as the Film Critic for The Christian Science Monitor, where, from 1968 until... Read More ›

David Sterritt is a film critic, author, teacher and scholar. He is most notable for his work on Alfred Hitchcock and Jean-Luc Godard, and his many years as the Film Critic for The Christian Science Monitor, where, from 1968 until his retirement in 2005, he championed avant garde cinema, theater and music.He has a PhD in Cinema Studies from New York University and was, until 2105, Chairman of the National Society of Film Critics. Sterritt is known for his intelligent discussions of controversial films and his lively, accessible style.

For teenage genius Ted Hall, the opportunity to work alongside the great minds of his time was too great to turn down. But during his time on the Manhattan Project - the WW2 nuclear development program headed by J. Robert Oppenheimer - Ted grew uneasy about the world-shattering power he had helped to unleash. In this episode of True Spies, documentarian Steve James joins Daisy Ridley to tell Hall's story - the life of a man who spied, not for personal gain, but out of compassion for the world and its peoples. A Compassionate Spy, Steve Jones' documentary film about Ted Hall, is out now in US cinemas. A UK release is to be announced. From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Matthew Nelson. Music by Nick Ryan.

Today on the Show: FOOD FIGHT returns with Keith McHenry.  Keith remembers his friend Tortuguita, and what McHenry maintains was his  needless death in Atlanta, at the Cop City protests. And McHenry reflects on the growing violence against the unhoused and  hungry people in this country. And we rebroadcast our interview on the Compassionate Spy who gave the US secret for the Plutonium Bomb but were never prosecuted The post Food Fight with Keith McHenry of Food Not Bombs appeared first on KPFA.

We nearly come to blows over Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem plus we also discuss Nimona, A Compassionate Spy, Squaring the Circle, Rapid Fire, The Age of Influence, The Pope's Exorcist, Hijack and Friedkin Uncut. 0:00 - Intro 24:07 - Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 1:05:44 - Other Stuff We Watched: The Age of Influence, Hide and Seek, Shadow Conspiracy, Paul T. Goldman, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie, Universal Soldier, Rapid Fire, Showdown in Little Tokyo, The Pope's Exorcist, Friedkin Uncut, Nimona, A Compassionate Spy, Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis), Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Hijack, Love is Blind 2:02:10 - This Week on DVD, Blu-ray and VOD 2:06:25 - Outro 2:11:38 - Spoiler Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

In Ohio, voters rejected a proposal to make the state's constitution harder to amend. Why? Reporter Abbey Marshall tells us about it. And, three years ago, rapper Tory Lanez shot fellow artist Megan Thee Stallion in the foot. We unpack the role of hip-hop in the legal case that ensured with Andscape senior culture writer Justin Tinsley. Then, a new documentary called "A Compassionate Spy" tells the story of Ted Hall, the scientist-turned-spy who gave secrets to the Soviet Union while developing the atomic bomb. Documentary filmmaker Steve James joins us.

Over the course his storied career, filmmaker Steve James has delved into the many ways in which individuals—frequently residents of his hometown of Chicago—are subject to the whims of history, society, and life itself. Whether detailing the struggles young athletes in his watershed 1994 documentary Hoop Dreams, the heroic efforts of anti-violence activists in 2011's The Interrupters, or the daily experience of high schoolers in his 2018 series City So Real, James has combined a sharp social analysis with a striking warmth and sympathy for his subjects. His latest documentary, A Compassionate Spy, might seem, on the surface, to be a departure. The film tells the story of Ted Hall, a physics prodigy who, at age 18, was invited to join the Manhattan Project. Perceptive beyond his years, Hall found himself haunted by the implications of his work and, in 1944, made the decision to share nuclear secrets with the Soviet Union. As compelling as this tale of espionage is, James's film become, in the director's words, “a love story,” with Ted's widow Joan taking centerstage as she recounts their life together, sharing the burden of her husband's secret. For today's episode, Film Comment editor Clinton Krute called up the director to discuss the impetus behind A Compassionate Spy, the film's surprising use of recreations, and how Ted Hall's fascinating story might complement—or offer a counter to—the themes of a certain summer blockbuster about atomic weapons.(Hint: it's not Barbie).

Directed by two-time Oscar® nominated filmmaker Steve James (HOOP DREAMS, LIFE ITSELF, ABACUS: ), A COMPASSIONATE SPY is a gripping real-life spy thriller about controversial Manhattan Project physicist Ted Hall, who infamously provided nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union, told through the perspective of his loving wife Joan, who protected his secret for decades. Recruited in 1944 as an 18-year-old Harvard undergraduate to help Robert Oppenheimer and his team create a bomb, Hall was the youngest physicist on the Manhattan Project, and didn't share his colleagues' elation after the successful detonation of the world's first atomic bomb. Concerned that a U.S. post-war monopoly on such a powerful weapon could lead to nuclear catastrophe, Hall began passing key information about the bomb's construction to the Soviet Union. After the war, he met, fell in love with, and married Joan, a fellow student with whom he shared a passion for classical music and socialist causes -- and the explosive secret of his espionage. The pair raised a family while living under a cloud of suspicion and years of FBI surveillance and intimidation. A COMPASSIONATE SPY reveals the twists and turns of this real-life spy story, its profound impact on nuclear history, and the couple's remarkable love and life together during more than 50 years of marriage. Award winning filmmaker Steve James (Abacus: Small Enough To Jail, City So Real, America To Me) joins us for a conversation on the fraught political circumstances that brought Ted Hall to make such a radical decision, how Joan and Ted navigated their post war life, and why having a more nuanced understanding of the Cold War and nuclear destruction may save the world from an unimaginable conflagration. For more go to: magpictures.com/acompassionatespy Watch at home at: magpictures.com/acompassionatespy

Steve James, the documentary filmmaker behind Hoop Dreams is out with The Compassionate Spy, which tells the story of a young scientist named Ted Hall who worked on the Manhattan Project and then gave nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union. His motivation was to checkmate the United States nuclear power, which he did, but at the cost of Soviet advancement. Plus, Devon Archer causes Tucker Carlson to cackle, and Major Garrett gets right to the point. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Subscribe to The Gist Subscribe: https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ Follow Mikes Substack at: Pesca Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Schager makes his weekly visit reviewing The Trench (theaters), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (theaters) and A Compassionate Spy (theaters). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve James ("Hoop Dreams", "Life Itself") returns with his latest documentary "A Compassionate Spy", a timely Oppenheimer adjacent story of scientist Ted Hall. And Jeff L. Lieberman discusses his documentary about the pioneering congress member Bella Abzug in his film "Bella!".

Nick Schager makes his weekly visit reviewing The Trench (theaters), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (theaters) and A Compassionate Spy (theaters). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Agents Scott and Cam engage in a little youthful espionage while delivering an exclusive DECLASSIFIED review of the new documentary A Compassionate Spy. Also, Scott talks to director Steve James about bringing this unbelievable real-life story to the screen. Directed by Steve James. A Compassionate Spy can be seen in select theatres and on VOD. Become a SpyHards Patron and gain access to top secret "Agents in the Field" bonus episodes, movie commentaries and more! Pick up exclusive SpyHards merch, including the "What Does Vargas Do?" t-shirt by @shaylayy, available only at Redbubble. Social media: @spyhards View the NOC List and the Disavowed List at Letterboxd.com/spyhards Podcast artwork by Hannah Hughes. Theme music by Doug Astley.

Austin Cross and LAist film critics  Claudia Puig and Tim Cogshell review this weekend's new movie releases in theaters, streaming and on demand platforms — in three minutes or less!

What a perfect storm of consequences. The legendary film maker Steve James is back with a new documentary, A Compassionate Spy. And the timing couldn't be more perfect as its subject was part of that little thing called The Manhattan Project. You know, you might have been inundated with the subject with it being the main focus of a little movie called Barbie...I mean Oppenheimer! We were lucky enough to have some time to talk with Steve about his new documentary as well as his cornerstone revolutionary doc, Hoop Dreams. Tune in for a great one here! A Compassionate Spy is in theaters and on VOD this Friday, August 4th. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/overduerentals/support

There are TWO MOVIES out about the A-Bomb and about two amazing Physicists who created them. One is Oppenheimer about Robert Oppenheimer and the other is A Compassionate Spy about Ted Hall. In this episode, Harvey and Jim discuss and reflect on Oppenheimer and then they will introduce you to A Compassionate Spy by the name of Ted Hall. You have probably seen the first and never heard about the second even though both are getting great reviews, both involve the creation of the A-Bomb and both reflect on the dilemma of conscience of these two men that worked on it. This is truly fascinating. We also honor Sinead O'Connor.

Summary Steve James (IMDb) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss his new film, A Compassionate Spy. 18-year-old Ted Hall was the youngest physicist working on the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos.  What You'll Learn Intelligence Soviet-American relations during WWII The Manhattan Project and the development of the Atomic Bomb  Motivations for atomic espionage The life and story of Theodore Hall Reflections With great power … comes great responsibility State allegiance vs. personal conscience And much, much more  And… Steve James has been nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Documentary Feature in 2018 for Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, and Best Film Editing in 1995 for Hoop Dreams. Steve is the first Oscar nominee to join us on SpyCast since Robert de Niro sat down with our first host Peter Earnest in 2009!  Quotes of the Week “Ted was young and naive in some ways, but his reasons for what he did were not grounded in fantasy … Whether you support what he did or not, I don't know that the U. S. having the bomb all to itself would have been a great thing, given that we are the only nation to have actually dropped the bomb on anyone, period.” – Steve James. Resources  SURFACE SKIM *Headline Resource*  A Compassionate Spy, Steve James, Magnolia Pictures (2022) Available in select theaters and streaming on August 4th *SpyCasts* Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East vs. West with Calder Walton (2023) St. Ermin's Hotel, London – The History of a Legendary Spy Site with Stephen Duffy (2023) Becoming a Russian Intelligence Officer with Janosh Neumann (2022) The Nuclear Doomsday Machine with Sean Maloney on Cold War Emergency Plans (2022) *Beginner Resources* What Was the Manhattan Project?, T. Metcalfe, Scientific American (2023) [Article] U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms Control (1949-2021), Council on Foreign Relations (n.d.) [Timeline] Theodore Hall: American-born physicist and spy, Encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d.) [Encyclopedia entry] DEEPER DIVE Books Sleeper Agent: The Atomic Spy in America Who Got Away, A. Hagedorn (Simon & Schuster, 2021) The Manhattan Project: The Birth of the Atomic Bomb in the Words of Its Creators, Eyewitnesses, and Historians, C. C. Kelly (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2020)  Atomic Spy: The Dark Lives of Klaus Fuchs, N. T. Greenspan (Penguin Books, 2020) Bombshell: The Secret Story of America's Unknown Atomic Spy Conspiracy, J. Albright & M. Kunstel (Times Books, 1997)  Video Modern Marvels: The Manhattan Project, The History Channel, YouTube (2020)  Science Behind the Atom Bomb, Nuclear Museum, Atomic Heritage Foundation (2013) Primary Sources  Report by the Ad Hoc Committee to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “Evaluation of Effect on Soviet War Effort Resulting from the Strategic Air Offensive,” National Security Archive (1949) The Evaluation of the Atomic Bomb as a Military Weapon, Harry Truman Presidential Library (1947) A Petition to the President of the United States from Los Alamos Scientists, Harry Truman Presidential Library (1945)  Albert Einstein to Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman Presidential Library (1945) Decision to Maintain Contact with Theodore Hall, National Security Agency (1944) *Wildcard Resource* The development of nuclear weapons not only had a massive impact on history and science – It also inspired new architectural designs and art. Read this Architectural Digest article on the Atomic Age Design and why our brains still register it as “futuristic” 75 years later! 

The world has somehow reached a moment where the use of nuclear weapons has possibly never been closer and the interest in nuclear weapons has possibly never been higher. With the release of Christopher Nolan's “Oppenheimer,” a compelling dialogue emerges concerning the utilization of nuclear weapons, as the biopic delves into the life of the father of the atomic bomb and his profound doubts about the barbaric weapon he unleashed on the world. An even more captivating narrative about dissent amongst the Los Alamos scientists who created the bomb is close to release, and its timing couldn't be more perfect. A Compassionate Spy, directed by two time Academy Award nominated Steve James, delves into the intriguing life of an unconventional hero within the world of nuclear development - a character whose history might be viewed with skepticism, yet is undeniably instrumental in shaping the post Cold War nuclear arms race.

Steve James is a documentary filmmaker whose body of work has taken him from "Hoop Dreams" to the 2008 financial crisis and more. His latest film, "A Compassionate Spy," is about Ted Hall, a physicist who worked at Los Alamos during World War II and helped develop the atomic bomb. You may have heard something or other about the bomb lately, with Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" in theaters now and creating buzz by the gallons. Hall's story is just as important. He took what he learned at Los Alamos and shared it with the Soviet Union, an action that continues to reverberate.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve James is a documentary filmmaker whose body of work has taken him from "Hoop Dreams" to the 2008 financial crisis and more. His latest film, "A Compassionate Spy," is about Ted Hall, a physicist who worked at Los Alamos during World War II and helped develop the atomic bomb. You may have heard something or other about the bomb lately, with Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" in theaters now and creating buzz by the gallons. Hall's story is just as important. He took what he learned at Los Alamos and shared it with the Soviet Union, an action that continues to reverberate.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three years ago, movie-man extraordinaire Steve James directed City So Real, a brilliant documentary about the 2019 mayor's race and the turbulence of the summer of 2020. He returns to talk about what the 2019 race has in common with this election. And what's different. Specifically, why Mayor Lightfoot lost. Willie Wilson's role, then and now. And the transformation of Paul Vallas. Plus a few words about his next two movies--A Compassionate Spy and the Bill Walton Story. Well, actually, I'm not sure it's called the Bill Walton Story. But it should be.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The hidden story of a scientists that leaked classified information about nuclear weapons to Russia after the Second World War.Steve James – A compassionate spy #Venezia79 was first posted on September 3, 2022 at 9:01 am.©2015 "Fred English Channel". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at radio@fred.fm