With God On Our Side: Prophets and Advisors

Thematic Perfect and Otherwise: Documenting American Politics Curated by R.J. Cutler

This episode of the comprehensive six-hour series With God On Our Side explores the rise of the Moral Majority and its influence during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. In the 1970s the Reverend Jerry Falwell felt that it was his duty to politically activate his followers. By preaching the gospel of civic responsibility, he summoned a powerful voting base that threw its weight behind Reagan, a candidate who said all the right things in the lead up to the 1980 election, supporting the return of prayer in public schools and speaking out against abortion. But by the time Reagan took office, his strident stance had relaxed, most evident in his nomination of Sandra Day O’Connor for Supreme Court. Through interviews with individuals who felt besotted and then betrayed by Reagan’s shift in focus, the film recollects the complex dynamic between power and perspective.  ST

Director

David Van Taylor

Producers

Calvin Skaggs, Ali Pomeroy

Editor

Pamela Scott Arnold

Cinematographer

Steve Schecter

Release Year

1996

Festival Year

2016

Country

United States

Run Time

56 minutes