Watch Citizen Jane: Battle For The City

Citizen Jane: Battle for the City is a 2016 documentary that explores the legendary conflict between writer and activist Jane Jacobs and New York City Planner Robert Moses. The film, directed by Matt Tyrnauer, takes a deep dive into the social, economic, and political factors that led to urban renewal projects in New York City in the mid-20th century and the resulting struggle between those who favored modernization and those who sought to preserve historic neighborhoods.

The movie features interviews with a number of experts in the fields of architecture, urban planning, and sociology. These include Thomas Campanella, a historian of urban planning, who provides historical context for the events depicted in the film; Vincent D'Onofrio, who narrates the story in a compelling and authoritative voice-over; and Mindy Fullilove, a psychiatrist and activist who offers insights into the impact of urban renewal on communities and individuals.

The film begins by painting a picture of New York City in the early 20th century as a bustling metropolis struggling with issues of overcrowding, poverty, and inadequate infrastructure. Enter Robert Moses, a driven and charismatic planner who was intent on modernizing the city through large-scale public works projects. With support from the government, Moses initiated a series of projects, including the construction of highways and bridges, public housing, and parks.

However, Moses' vision for the city often clashed with the views of local residents, who felt that their neighborhoods were being destroyed by the projects. This is where Jane Jacobs comes into the picture. A writer and activist who lived in Greenwich Village, Jacobs became a leading voice in the movement to preserve historic neighborhoods and to advocate for more human-scale urban planning.

The film delves into the various campaigns, protests, and legal battles waged by Jacobs and others against Moses' plans. These included the fight to save the vibrant and diverse neighborhood of Greenwich Village from being bulldozed for an urban renewal project, as well as battles over the proposed construction of a giant highway through Lower Manhattan.

One of the strengths of Citizen Jane is that it does not shy away from acknowledging the complexity of the issues at play. While many of Moses' projects were opposed on the basis of their destructive impact on communities, the film also acknowledges that urban renewal was driven by a genuine desire to improve the lives of city residents. The film also acknowledges that Jane Jacobs, while a passionate advocate for community-led urban planning, was not without her own blind spots and biases.

Overall, Citizen Jane is a fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of the history of urban planning in New York City and the ongoing debate over what constitutes good urban design. The film does an excellent job of weaving together interviews, archival footage, and animations to take viewers on a journey through the complex and often contentious history of urban renewal in the United States. While the film focuses specifically on the Jacobs-Moses conflict, its larger themes are relevant to anyone interested in the intersection between urban planning, community activism, and social justice.

Citizen Jane: Battle For The City is a 2017 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 32 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0 and a MetaScore of 70.