Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn is directed by Ivy Meeropol, granddaughter of the Rosenbergs, so it’s not entirely surprising that the documentary doesn’t cast the most positive light on its subject, but honestly, it would be nearly impossible to do so. There was another side, a somewhat more private side, to Cohn. He was a gay man working against the gay community. He said he didn’t believe in gay rights. Yet he paraded around Provincetown with men much younger than himself. Writer-director John Waters spent a lot of time in Provincetown during that same era, and said of the rampant partying and cocaine use, “I wouldn’t have my nostril on the same straw as that pig.” In the ’80s, Cohn had a relationship with model Peter Frazier who he used to launder his money in addition to being his arm candy.
The thing that humanizes Roy Cohn, and is actually deeply sad, is his death by AIDS in the ’80s, which was the subject of Tony Kushner’s brilliant play/ HBO miniseries Angels in America. Cohn never admitted that he had the virus, which was killing off the gay community lock, stock, and barrel. Instead, he said he had liver cancer, as he was ashamed to admit he was gay, even though everyone he associated with knew. Cohn also didn’t want to admit weakness of any kind. The title of the movie is taken from a panel on the famous AIDS quilt, which said “Roy Cohn. Bully. Coward. Victim.” The three words really and truly do describe the man to a tee.
“…thorough and not singularly-lensed.”
Ivy Meeropol does a good job being thorough and not singularly-lensed. She interviews Cohn’s friends and family members, with his cousin, David Lloyd Marcus, called the man evil. Attorney John Klotz was on a task force with Cohn and said he was “one of the most evil presences in our society for most of my adult life.” Even though Meeropol tries to remain objective, it’s almost impossible to find a good word anyone has said about him. It’s sad that someone so smart and good at his job couldn’t have done something more positive instead of working with the mob and shark-like businessmen such as Donald Trump. The documentary also shows how Cohn got the ball rolling on the Trump train back in the ’80s, putting him in the loop with the Reagans and getting Donny’s sister a position as a Federal judge. So in some way, we have him to thank for the mess our country is in now.
Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn will leave you angry and amazed that this man had such an ill effect on the history of our country and was left to do whatever he wanted relatively unchecked until a horrible illness took him out. It’s also incredibly fascinating to see how much of our political history is interconnected with corruption, and people are out here talking like it’s a new thing. The film is required viewing if you want to know more about the true history of America. It’s on HBO right now, so tune in.
Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn screened as part of the 2020 AFI DOCS.
"…required viewing if you want to know more about the true history of America..."
I read your review and I felt you missed some of the points. Cohen very much had his defenders. Cindy Adams seems to have been a friend to the very end. Many people in New York supported him and enabled him. Dershawitz obviously liked him. Of course both of those people are equally detestable people. My point is that Cohen was the hero of his story and he wasn’t alone in this belief.
Lastly, the documentarian shys away from the documentation that says his Father was a spy and did commit numerous crimes against the county. He most likely aided in the guilty verdict of his own wife by not telling the truth. All of this is skipped over in the movie. In it’s own way it feels like a manipulation about a great manipulator. It’s easy to skip over the faults of the movie when desipicable men keep flashing on screen.