Moses comes across as the ultimate capital-G godfather, the final arbiter with the power to serve as judge, jury and executioner. Tenements are bad, so he wipes them out. By focusing on high-rise projects in New York (championing a movement that swept across the nation), Moses bulldozed anything in his path with casual arrogance, watching from his insulated god’s-eye remove.
Jacobs, author of 1961’s The Death and Life of Great American Cities, had her feet firmly planted on the ground, walking the streets, studying the organic intermingling of people, families and cultures. But Jacobs wasn’t merely an objective academic, surveying a scene; she and her family lived in the heart of New York during this pitched battle. She wanted to protect urban neighborhoods because she belonged to one.
Moses saw the battle as one of philosophy and principle and he wholeheartedly engaged in the defense of his ideas. He, the irresistible force, met an immovable object in Jacobs, who tapped into salient swirling movements of the day — Civil Rights, anti-war and feminism — to galvanize a diverse collection of individuals into an informed, engaged army. And as the war to protect cities from demolitions and bad developments rages on everywhere, this is a perfect time to consider the story of Citizen Jane, one of the seminal compassionate warriors on the front lines.
This Thursday (May 25), Spring in Our Steps — a group devoted to reviving pedestrian use of Cincinnati's public steps, alleys and sidewalks — will host a panel discussion after the 7:20 p.m. screening of Citizen Jane after introducing the film at 7:10. For more information about the group, visit springinoursteps.com.
(Screening at the Esquire Theatre.) (Not Rated) Grade: A
