Teele Documentary Sparks Praise, Debate
By Rene Rodriguez, The Miami Herald
Mar. 2–Heated debaters among movie buffs are a common sight during the Miami International Film Festival. But it wasn’t just cinema that was being discussed — and occasionally shouted about — following a world premiere of Miami Noir: The Arthur E. Teele Story at the Colony Theatre Saturday afternoon.
The movie, written and directed by 22-year-old University of Miami seniors Josh Miller and Sam Rega, is an hourlong documentary about the life and death of Arthur Teele, the Miami commissioner who committed suicide in the lobby of The Miami Herald building on July 27, 2005.
Judging by some of the audience comments during a panel discussion following the film, it was obvious that Teele remains as controversial in death as he was in life.
“I was one of those voices who wouldn’t classify Commissioner Teele as a saint,” said Leo Casino, a veteran actor and jazz musician who plays Teele in the film and clashed with him.
“We had quite a few blacks in the cast who said he was a great man or he was railroaded, or somebody put a gun to his head,” Casino said.
“But I think it’s the worst sin a person can do to steal from those who have none.”
Other audience members rose to defend Teele, who faced state and federal charges of fraud and money laundering at the time of his death.
“Teele did bad things and he did great things, like any human being,” said Martin Siskind, of Miami.
“Mr. Teele rented motel rooms that I know about so homeless artists who were living on the street could have a place where they could shower.”
A brief shouting match ensued, which was quickly brought under control by panel moderator Alberto Ibarguen, the former Miami Herald publisher who is now president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
“This discussion, which has had lots of emotion and personal disclosure, tells you that you picked the right story,” Ibarguen told the filmmakers.
Made over the course of two years on a budget of $18,000, Miami Noir mixes archival news footage, recent interviews and dramatic reenactments to recount Teele’s career and the events leading up to his death.
Shrewdly edited, briskly paced and handled with intelligence and sensitivity, the film generated unanimous praise from the panel participants, which included County Commissioner Katy Sorenson and former Miami Herald columnists Robert Steinback and Jim DeFede.
DeFede, who had written extensively about Teele, was fired for taping the final phone conversation he had with the former commissioner just minutes before Teele shot himself in the head.
He said the aftermath of Teele’s suicide made him a better journalist.
“I got a taste of what it’s like to be under scrutiny, to be second guessed, questioned and criticized,” DeFede said.
“We ask a lot of our politicians, as well we should. They need to be held accountable and they come up short far too often.
“But we also need to recognize that they have flaws and weaknesses and shortcomings and we can only ask the most of them that they can [do], not expect heroic things from them all the time.”
This being a film festival, some of the discussion did eventually return to the movie.
One audience member, after praising the filmmakers, asked if there was a way to get a tape of Miami Noir.
“We’ll let you know if we get distribution,” Rega said, with a thrilled grin.
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