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Bill W. Documentary Film Review |
From Mitchell K.
Here is a little something I recently wrote after seeing the new Bill W.
documentary film....
Over the decades I hope that I have evolved, grown, mellowed and matured. There
are times when I know it is more like devolved than evolved but after all, being
human comes with its own set of pitfalls and eureka moments.
I recently went to a showing of the new feature length documentary about Bill W.
put out by Page 124 Productions. As I sat in the packed house I once again fell
in love with the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. This was not a theatrical
production despite the use of actors in some of the scenes. For me, the movie
was a real portrayal of Bill as co-founder, man and alcoholic with everything
each of those parts of his life entailed.
Of course, if the film could tell the “rest of the story” as radio broadcaster
Paul Harvey was famous for doing this movie would be at least 27 hours long and
it would lose its impact and beauty. Yes, I did say impact and beauty. The way
this documentary was presented was impactful and between the new photographs,
use of Bill’s actual voice and words and fantastic musical score it was indeed
beautiful. I liked everything about the movie and probably would have enjoyed a
few more hours of viewing pleasure but I understand that there are plans for
adding additional footage into the DVD release.
Parts of the film reminded me of so many negative remarks I’ve heard over the
years about Bill - some of them came from me. I humbly apologize for those
insensitive and callous remarks, made without the understanding, knowledge and
hopefully, insight I believe I have today.
People talk about Bill’s use of LSD without taking that use into historical
context. When Bill was taking LSD, that compound was not looked upon as it is
today or in the past few decades. It was looked upon at that time as a potential
wonder drug which held promise to help thousands of people suffering from
alcoholism, depression and other maladies. Bill took LSD under the care of
physicians and those trained in the healing arts for specific medical purposes
and not to get high.
I’m sure these same naysayers would also talk about someone using heroin in the
late 1800’s when at that time when the Bayer Company introduced heroin, it was
done so as a non-addictive substitute for morphine. These same people would have
problems in 1885 when Cocaine Toothache Drops with “Instantaneous Cure!” was
advertised for use by children. It is all about historical context. The fact
that Bill had participated in medically approved experiments with LSD given
historical context is really not that important.
The other piece I see people talk about is Bill’s participation in spiritualism.
Once again, historical context proves that much of society was also
participating in spiritualist practices such as séances and use of Ouija Boards.
That was the “IN” thing of that period. Who knows, maybe in 50 or 100 years,
people looking back at us might question our addiction with “Tweeting” or social
networking. It was just what people did back then - historical context. Nothing
evil intended.
Another of the topics always bandied about is talk of Bill’s asking for a drink
on his death bed. None of these people who bring that up as something horrific
ever take into account Bill’s oxygen starved brain, ravages of Emphysema and
other medical factors which came into play during those last painful days of
Bill’s life.
Bill’s relationships with women other than Lois is another big topic of
negativity. I am not going to address any rumors or undocumented relationships
but I will touch on Bill’s relationship with Helen W.
Everyone knows Bill had a long history of severe depression. Lois also had very
little patience dealing with Bill’s periods of depression. Helen on the other
hand often nurtured Bill back to health from these periods lost in the abyss.
There were times when Helen found Bill at the deepest part of his pain and who
knows what would have happened if she hadn’t saved him from those depths he
couldn’t pull himself out of? Where would AA be if Bill W., Co-Founder had
completed suicide or returned to drinking? Where would AA be if it weren’t for
Helen? I thank God for Bill’s relationship with Helen because I may not be alive
today if that relationship didn’t exist. People say they owe their life to Bill
and given how Helen probably saved Bill’s life on several occasions, they may
also owe their lives to her as well.
In all reality, I don’t believe any of the negativity has a whole lot to do with
LSD or séances or Bill’s reported relationships. I think these people just don’t
like AA because of some unfounded hatred of God and rather than just be honest,
they pick on all this other stuff, taken out of historical context and twisted
just to lash out at their God hatred.
AA isn’t about a God of religion or sect or denomination. AA says throughout its
literature it is about finding a God of your understanding. A Power greater than
yourself of your own conception. If really questioned, many of these anti-AA
people aren’t really anti-AA. They are anti-religion. They just don’t want to
understand that AA isn’t about religion or a God defined by religion.
Next time if your child has a tooth ache, think that if this was 1885 you might
be giving them Cocaine Toothache Drops. Think about what people did back in the
1940’s as their “social networking” the next time you “Tweet” or update your
Facebook status. Think about where you would be if Helen had not helped bring
Bill back from teetering on the edge of the abyss and wasn’t there and he had
gotten drunk or completed suicide?
Even the Big Book says we are not saints. Bill certainly was not a saint. I
certainly am not a saint. Are you?