Watch Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn

Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn is a thought-provoking and often scathing documentary film directed by Ivy Meeropol. Released in 2019, the documentary offers a comprehensive look at the life and career of Roy Cohn, a contentious attorney whose name became synonymous with power plays, political manipulation, and ethical ambiguity within the American legal and political systems.

Roy Cohn first gained national prominence in the 1950s as the chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy during the infamous McCarthy hearings, which sought to root out and punish alleged communists and subversives in the United States. His aggressive tactics and disregard for legal ethics established his reputation as a ruthless and unscrupulous lawyer who would do whatever it took to win his cases and protect his clients, often bending the law to his will.

The documentary delves into Cohn's fascinating trajectory from his early life growing up in a Jewish family in the Bronx, to his rise to power and influence, all the way through to his downfall. Throughout his career, Cohn maintained connections with a wide array of influential figures in politics, business, and the Mafia, including his mentor J. Edgar Hoover and young real estate developer Donald Trump, whom Cohn took under his wing during the 1970s.

The film explores the various facets of Cohn's complex personality—the bully, the coward, and the victim—all of which shaped his modus operandi and how he was perceived by the public. Despite his successful career, Cohn was a deeply divisive figure—admired by some for his unwavering loyalty and fearlessness, yet reviled by others for his manipulative tactics and moral bankruptcy.

One of the fulcrums of the documentary is Cohn's role in the Red Scare of the 1950s, where he played a critical part in the persecution of government employees, writers, actors, and other professionals based on their alleged affiliations or sympathies with communism. This era, which has etched a dark chapter in American history, is dissected through archival footage, interviews, and commentaries from historians, witnesses, and individuals who personally encountered Cohn.

The film does not shy away from the irony and complexity of Cohn's private life. As a closeted homosexual, Cohn publicly led anti-gay crusades while denying his own sexuality until the end of his life. The documentary explores this dichotomy, examining how Cohn's personal identity clash with his public persona and how it affected his actions and legacy.

What sets Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn apart from other historical documentaries is that it was directed by the granddaughter of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed for espionage in 1953—a case where Cohn played a significant and controversial role. This personal connection provides an undercurrent of intimate storytelling, as Meeropol embarks on a journey to understand this man who impacted her family's history so traumatically.

Combining interviews with contemporary observers like Cindy Adams and others who knew Cohn or have studied his impact, along with archival material, the documentary illustrates the duality of Cohn's character—a man who could be charming and conniving, tenacious and treacherous. It also unpacks the lasting impact of Cohn's actions on American politics and the judicial system, tracing the line from Cohn's influence to the rise of his protégés and the modern political climate.

The film’s title—Bully. Coward. Victim.—is a label that encapsulates the multiple, often conflicting dimensions of Roy Cohn. As the documentary progresses, it attempts to peel back the layers of Cohn’s life, offering a balanced view that avoids painting him as a simplistic villain. Instead, it presents him as a deeply flawed individual whose life was marked by contradictions, influence, and a complex legacy.

Overall, Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn is a provocative and multifaceted portrait of one of the most enigmatic figures in 20th-century American history. It is a film that resonates with current political and social themes, offering a cautionary tale about the corrupting influence of power and the costs of sacrificing one's ethics for personal gain. Meeropol's documentary encourages viewers to reflect upon the shaping of history, the nature of legacy, and the human propensity for both greatness and degradation.

Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn is a 2020 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 65.