‘A Compassionate Spy’ Review: Steve James’ Doc Is A Compelling Defense Of Treason & A Portrait Of Absolute Love [Venice]

As a child growing up in the United States, you’re taught that betraying the country is a terrible act, punishable by death. Every morning, in most public schools, you’re forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, which overtly puts your patriotism at the forefront of the day’s events. Sure, this is a bit of hive-mind indoctrination, but it’s an accepted way of life. With that in mind, director Steve James has an uphill battle ahead of him as his audiences watch “A Compassionate Spy,” a documentary that not only asks you to listen to the defense of someone who betrayed the United States during World War II by feeding information to the Russians but also implores you to understand his actions and believe that treason can sometimes be the correct solution. And it’s a testament to James’ film that his documentary somehow overpowers years of indoctrination and mostly succeeds in its mission.

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Ted Hall was a brilliant man. There’s no debate there. At the age of 18, while an undergraduate at Harvard, he was recruited by the U.S. Government to take part in the Manhattan Project, a top-secret scientific research team tasked with creating the Atomic Bomb and putting an end to World War II. Ted accepted the job offer, but not for the reasons the government hoped for. You see, Ted was a radical leftist and believed that one country holding the keys to nuclear war was bad for the world, as a whole. So he joined the Manhattan Project, but he also knew that he was going to use that access to give the top-secret information to the Russians, who he believed were misunderstood allies, as a way to balance the world so that one country doesn’t hold all of the power. As you might expect, Ted Hall’s actions led to years of investigations and allegations lobbed against him and his family, with the threat of execution looming. All the while, Ted and his family were forced to live in fear for decades because he believed being a spy was the compassionate thing to do.

This treasonous act (no matter his reasoning, Ted Hall committed an illegal act against his country) is the catalyst for how he lived his life for decades after. And it’s the time after WWII that dominates “A Compassionate Spy,” as we are given access to Hall’s wife, Joan, who not only married him knowing his past but defends him to this day, deep into her 90s. So, while this is definitely a film that asks you to believe that treason is the right way to go, Steve James’ film is ultimately about unconditional, absolute love and the lengths people will go to protect themselves. 

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Through talking head footage of Joan Hall and various people from Ted Hall’s life, the audience learns his motivations for giving away confidential information, knowing full well that this could result in his death and the death of those who conspired alongside him. And thankfully, there’s enough archival footage of Ted Hall (he passed away in 1999) to allow us to hear his defense in his own words. But about 50% of the film is actually comprised of reenactments, with a full cast and elaborate sets. Throughout the film, you might forget you’re watching a documentary and instead are transported back to the ’50s as you see these characters in action. It all comes together naturally in a way that is never jarring, and the reenactments are clearly a step above what you might see in a lesser true-crime documentary. 

Where “A Compassionate Spy” loses itself a little is in the way James’ own editorialization comes into play. A story that centers on such a hot-button issue as treason with deadly importance, it’s presented in a way that makes it seem as if you’re a heartless bastard if you don’t agree with Hall’s actions. There are only a couple of fleeting scenes put in to show the opposition, where someone actually calls for the death of Ted Hall. But for the vast majority of the film, we’re not only given a defense from Ted Hall, Joan Hall, and various other people, but James inserts images from propaganda and newsreels to reinforce the belief that giving secrets to the Russians during World War II was not only appropriate but was also the brave, righteous thing to do. 

Presenting Ted Hall not as a conflicted man, struggling to keep a massive secret for decades to save the lives of himself and his family, but as a hero and potential savior of the human race is ultimately a disservice. Even if you might agree with his actions and understand why Ted Hall did what he did, the way “A Compassionate Spy” is so one-sided makes you wonder if maybe this is just another bit of propaganda, like the horrible examples shown in the film. 

Regardless of James’ editing choices, it’s impossible not to feel the sheer love on display when Joan Hall talks about her husband. Even to this day, more than two decades after his passing, Joan is smitten with Ted and in awe of his brilliance. She firmly believes that her deceased husband is one of the greatest humans to ever walk the Earth. And with that passion pouring forth in everything she says, it’s difficult not to feel the same.

Ultimately, “A Compassionate Spy” is an interesting documentary about a story that many people might not be fully aware of, with stunning interviews with people who knew Ted Hall and faithful, compelling reenactments that put the viewer in his position. Steve James’ film not only convinces you to believe that a compassionate spy can exist but also to have compassion for a man who committed a traitorous act. And even though the editorial choices are leading in their execution, it’s no secret that “A Compassionate Spy” is a moving, thoughtful documentary. [B]

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