Film Review: Unraveling a Family Mystery

Jimmy in Saigon, a Film by Peter McDowell

By Michael Jacobsohn

Nearly to the day of the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the Vietnam War, I ventured to the Cinema Village Cinema to see Jimmy In Saigon. The film is unwavering 12 year commitment by filmmaker Peter McDowell to unearth the truth about the death of his brother Jimmy, which was untimely and mysterious. For that lengthy time, McDowell labored to negotiate the maze of the unspeakable. 

Through moving family heirlooms of photos, 8mm films, and well researched additional archival material, the viewer is whisked back to the 1960s, where we meet the McDowell family, living a comfortable life in Illinois. All is well until Jimmy, their eldest son, decides that his middle class existence is intolerable so he drops out of college, and soon after is drafted and sent to Vietnam.

With extensive family emotional correspondence, in the midst of the horrific war, we find out that Jimmy is managing to cope in Vietnam. Like many soldiers, he succumbs to drug usage, including smoking heroine. Thankfully he makes it through his tour of duty and, to the consternation of his parents, he decides to stay in Vietnam. A year later he tragically dies in a hospital. The film pivots around what made him stay in Vietnam. Was it the distaste for the United States, was it access to drugs, was he gay and did he have a lover in Saigon?

McDowell documents his on-camera journey of discovery as he travels throughout the United States and ventures to Paris and twice to Vietnam in pursuit of the truth. The memories, pain and grief are recounted by emotional interviews with family members and friends. Slowly but surely McDowell gathers definitive clues to his brother’s tragic death.

Over the years I have seen many personal documentaries that attempt to share the filmmaker’s family secrets. McDowell’s memoir of his brother’s death and his personal sojourns to foreign countries stands out as a well-made tribute to his brother and family. I got the sense that McDowell shed clarity on a tragedy and brought the family closer to closure. Don’t miss this film, it is now available on VOD places like iTunes and Amazon.

McDowell was in New York City for his recent Jimmy In Saigon film run at Cinema Village, and so I had the opportunity for a sit-down interview where I was able to learn more about the making of the film and his distribution plans. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did the journey of making Jimmy in Saigon begin?
I started the project in 2010 and finished the final cut in 2022. The film’s journey didn’t end there, we spent the last two years touring it to 40 film festivals, and I personally attended 30 of them. It’s been an incredible ride, taking me all over the world.

What inspired you to start this project?
It began with a conversation with my mom. I told her I wanted to do an oral history project about Jimmy, and she gave me her blessing and suggested people to talk to. I set out to interview everyone who ever knew my brother and to walk in his footsteps. Initially, I didn’t call it a documentary, partly to avoid alarming my family, and partly because I wasn’t sure it would become a film. Eventually, I had to tell them that it was going to be public, which took some adjustment.

Was there a central mystery you were trying to solve?
Yes, there were two main questions: Was Jimmy gay, and how did he die? When I was in my twenties, my mom casually mentioned she wondered if Jimmy might have been gay, but she was never certain. There was also confusion about his relationships in Vietnam and the circumstances of his death. Was it drugs, disease, or something else? My family didn’t have answers, and I realized the only way to find out was to meet the people who knew him.

Did making the film change your family?
I didn’t set out to make the film as therapy, but it did have a therapeutic effect. Secrets don’t help families heal or be honest with each other. Now, my siblings and I get along really well. My brother John even wrote the soundtrack for the film.

How did the film find its audience?
It’s not an “issue film.” It’s a personal journey about family loss and grief. Thanks to Jeffrey Winter from the Film Collaborative, we premiered at the British Film Institute in London. We extended our festival run as long as possible while searching for a distributor, and eventually signed with Dark Star Pictures. They arranged a theatrical run in New York, LA, and Chicago to build reviews before moving to Video On Demand.

What’s next for the film and for you?
The film will be available on VOD places like iTunes and Amazon and all details will be on my website, jimmyinsaigon.com. I’m realistic about its prospects. I don’t expect a runaway hit, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I hope word of mouth continues to grow. I’m ready to move on to new projects, confident that Jimmy’s story will find its audience.

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Michael Jacobsohn is an independent New York filmmaker. His recently completed “The Cornelia Street Cafe In Exile” documentary screened successfully at New Plaza Cinema and there is talk that it will screen in the IFC Center. He also curates a bi-monthly screening of short films by New York filmmakers at New Plaza Cinema.