Filmmaking | Interviews

Small State, Big Story

1 Jun , 2004  

Written by Desiree Seeman | Posted by:

Controversial politics. Five years in the pen. And yet, still Providence’s sweetheart. Cherry Arnold’s film 'Buddy: An American Story' promises to be a fascinating account of the legendary mayor whose character, charisma and actions dwarf the tiny state of Rhode Island.

He was the longest serving mayor in United States history. Vincent "Buddy" Cianci Jr. spent 22 of the last 30 years as mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. Now he is serving time in the Federal Correctional Institution at Fort Dix, N.J.

A lot has happened since Cianci first took office in 1974. Providence, a dying city, was salvaged and reborn. Cianci himself repeatedly charmed the citizens, shocked them with his notorious mob-like political tactics, and then charmed them again. Filmmaker Cherry Arnold left Providence, attended boarding school and college, and spent a decade building a career in New York. A change of career and interest in her hometown politics brought her back in 2002 to film Cianci’s last year as mayor — the year his questionable conduct landed him in front of a federal jury.

Now, two years later Cianci is a year and a half into his sentence, and Arnold is weeks away from screening "Buddy: An American Story" at the Newport Film Festival.

DS: When did you become interested in documentary filmmaking?

Arnold: I’ve always been a big fan of documentary. I used to represent photographers and commercial directors in Philadelphia and New York. I produced mostly advertising work and then spent a long stint producing big projects in the Internet industry. I started to go to a lot of film festivals and spending time with fellow filmmakers, and I started to dabble a little bit while working fulltime.

DS: So how did you make the break and change careers?

Arnold: The Internet stuff had run its course, and I was ready for a change and a break from New York.

DS: And did you jump right in?

Arnold: First I did a couple of intensive courses at the Center for Film and Television — the Maine workshops — to fill in some gaps I felt needed to be filled for filmmaking.

DS: How did your interest in Buddy Cianci develop?

Arnold: When I was still in New York, the Times did a big article on him and Operation Plunder Dome — the FBI’s four-year investigation into Providence’s City Hall. I just couldn’t believe his story.

I lived in Providence until I was 12. His house was three away from ours and he was always larger than life to me. When I’d come back to visit, it would be a matter of minutes before Cianci came up. The feelings about him were always so passionate and so polarized. People either totally loved him or they hated him. So when he was indicted I thought, "Someone’s got to do this documentary." It was so obvious. It’s an incredible story.

DS: So why not you, right?

Arnold: After my film program I started sniffing around to see if anyone else was working on anything. I found there wasn’t anything happening yet, so I pitched him.

DS: Describe that process.

Arnold: I started the letters in November, but it took a long time to see him and for him to say yes. Here he was heading into this big trial — he had absolutely no reason to say yes. He finally gave me access in January.

DS: Why do you think he did?

Arnold: I didn’t make any promises. I said, "I think your story really needs to be told. It’s incredible." I think he trusted me not to trash him like so many other people have. So many depictions are cartoon-like and very black and white. He’s had his ups and downs, but Cianci’s done a lot for Providence.

DS: Why did he grant you such extensive access?

Arnold: To be honest, there were no parameters. He just said, "I’m not going to kick you out if I see you around." By the time the trial was happening I had played my cards well enough, ingratiating myself with the people that worked around him and not pissing him off. While he had shut down every other press outlet, he said, "You’re the only one left standing, and it’s because you’ve inextricably linked yourself with my entire staff."

DS: Did Cianci’s demeanor change over the course of the trial or with his conviction?

Arnold: He has this drive, perseverance and endurance you can’t believe. It’s an important character trait and a point we make in the film. Throughout the trial, conviction, and the subsequent months leading up to the sentencing, he kept his head high and very rarely showed any down emotions. I think he felt the need to keep a game face going to help support the rest of his staff. It was fascinating to watch. So many people would come by and offer their support. We would be out and I’d have a wireless mic on him, and people were always leaning in to him saying, "I’m rooting for you. Keep your head up." He was like, "Don’t worry. Don’t worry, we’re going to be fine." And that’s what translated to his staff. They would say the same things, even though they were rattled.

DS: Did your feelings about him change over the course of this project?

Arnold: It’s not so much my feelings. After Cianci went to prison I really dug into his history and have interviewed a lot of people both on camera and off. He’s just the most incredibly complex figure and so difficult to figure out. Brian Mooney of the Boston Globe said something once that I thought was so interesting. It’s like a multifaceted gemstone — you hold it up to light and there’s all these different sides depending how you turn it slightly. Cianci’s sort of like that.

Shakespeare tries to teach you that people aren’t just good or bad. There are many gradations to them. I want people to really squirm and question their feelings about this film. Cianci’s done all sorts of great stuff for Providence, and his personality and charisma are so intoxicating. It’s like an elixir. People are so affected by it. And yet, he was convicted of assaulting someone in 1984 and had to leave office. He’s been known to use machine-like tactics. He’s got a dark side.

Cianci commands loyalty in the people around him. To break that loyalty is one of the biggest mistakes someone could make with him. In the trial you see these people that didn’t break that loyalty. The FBI had nothing on Cianci. That was one of the interesting aspects of the trial — he was cleared of 26 of the 27 charges against him. It was a very strange verdict that still has people scratching their heads. The jury convicted him of racketeering conspiracy, not actually racketeering. This was basically saying they believe he is head of a racketeering enterprise and was conspiring, even though they had no direct evidence on him.

DS: What do you think Cianci will be remembered most for?

Arnold: Turning Providence around. During the course of his reign Providence was transformed from the armpit of New England to a great renaissance city. What he says again and again is that it’s not about the rivers being moved or the new development downtown, it’s about raising the self-esteem of the city. And that’s what you’ll see in the film — how people do love him for that. They’re proud of Providence now. So Providence is a supporting character in the film. You feel that transformation. That change. And that’s what he’s most proud of and what he wants to be remembered for.

DS: How does this project differ from the others you’ve done?

Arnold: I really didn’t know what I was getting into because I didn’t realize all the aspects of his story. So what originally was a character-narrative sort of documentary became a fairly extensive historical one. It’s taken me a long time because I keep discovering other meaningful aspects of the story — like the culture of favors, and why machine-style politics have stayed so strong here for so many years. Technically I had all this great stuff shot from 2002, but then I realized I needed to gather a lot more footage and background material to support some of these themes I wanted to sew in.

DS: How far are you from being finished editing?

Arnold: We’ll have a rough-cut in July. We’re doing a work-in-progress screening at the Newport Film Festival, screening a little more than an hour and getting some feedback.

DS: What are your expectations for the screening?

Arnold: I’m so nervous. Wherever I go, people tell me their own Buddy Cianci stories and how the feel about him. People will question me on how I’m coming down on him, because it’s that same black and white feeling. People want to categorize him. They want to put him on one side or the other. They want me to tell them whether I’m going to be good to him or bad to him. I don’t necessarily want to give away what we’re doing at the screening. I sort of want the film to be finished so I can go, "There you go," and leave town for a bit. My co-writer Jack McDonald is always joking that I’m going to have to move somewhere else.

For more information about the film, visit www.buddycianci.com. Cherry Arnold received a 2004 Moving Image Grant by the LEF Foundation. For more information, visit their web site.


For more information about the film, visit www.buddycianci.com. Cherry Arnold received a 2004 Moving Image Grant by the LEF Foundation. For more information, visit their web site.

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