Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life

For a film about the founder of Objectivism, Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life is not very objective. Less a documentary than a 145-minute panegyric to the author/philosopher, the movie plays as a long testament to the triumph of Ayn Rand's will. Writer/director Michael Paxton tries to illustrate the artist's ideas, to portray her sense of life. Unfortunately, only half a picture emerges. There are lots of interviews with friends and admirers but none with critics. Opposition to her ideas is blamed on the prejudices of liberals and Communists. Questionable actions by Ms. Rand, such as testifying as a friendly witness before the House Un-American Activities Committee and writing a pamphlet against Communist screenwriting, are brushed over. The best parts of the documentary are excerpts of television interviews with Ms. Rand: the author comes across as a provocative thinker who was eager to address criticism. Too bad Paxton didn't take a similar attitude in this documentary. At the Kendall Square.

-- Nicholas Patterson