Judge for Yourself

Judge Marvin Shoob had a remarkable and courageous career on the federal bench out of Atlanta, often taking on the U.S. government and powerful national interests.  Judge Shoob turned 90 only about a week ago, and in honor of the occasion this wonderful 16-minute tribute was put together.  It's highly-worth watching -- there's nothing dry here.  At times -- from the very opening, in fact -- you'll think you're watching a news story today.  (Seriously.  That is not hyperbole.)  This is a short film about honor and sticking to your principles against great pressure, and includes coverage of him on national stories from 60 Minutes to Nightline, and elsewhere.  And if you remember the BNL Bank scandal in 1989 -- something you might know better by the name, "Iraqgate" -- it was Judge Shoob who stood up to the George H.W. Bush White House and helped break the case open.

(The was the scandal where the Atlanta branch of the bank was making over $4 billion unauthorized loans to Iraq, paid for by the Department of Agriculture supposedly for exports, but used instead to buy weapons.)

A story he tells about a WWII experience that shaped his life speaks volumes of how and why his standards were so high and unshakeable.  The whole thing a moving tribute to a deserving and little known national figure. 

And it's made all the moving by virtue of having been put together by his son, filmmaker Michael Shoob.  Among Michael Shoob's own admirable career work is the well-regarded documentary, Bush's Brain, based on the book about Karl Rove by James Moore and Wayne Slater.  He also wrote and directed the film, Driven.  (Not the Stallone film, but an independent movie in 1988 about cabbies.)  Both are on Netflix and worth tracking down if you haven't seen them. 

(By the way, though he modestly kept himself largely out of the closing montage of family members, that's the director with his wife on in one quick shot the beach at the 16:16 mark...)

Take a look.  And appreciate quality.