Through archival news footage, photographs and recent interviews to provide context, “Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter” shared the story of proud Texan and UT alumna Mary Elizabeth Sutherland Carpenter in its premiere at SXSW on Sunday. In nearly an hour and a half, the film detailed Carpenter’s early career as a reporter, rise to power in political circles, trailblazing in women’s rights and her whimsy.
The documentary’s retelling of Carpenter’s career and life feels personal and gives viewers the sense they’re hearing stories about an old family member. This is undoubtedly because the documentary was directed by Peabody award-winning director Abby Ginzberg and her friend Christy Carpenter, Liz Carpenter’s daughter. Throughout the film, scenes cut to Christy contextualizing the experiences of her full-time working mom as portrayed in the documentary’s news footage. At one point, she shares the story of her mom being so distracted that she accidentally brought the wrong dog home from the vet, not realizing until Christy and her brother spoke up.
The first portion of the documentary details how Carpenter went from reporting for The Daily Texan and the Austin American-Statesman to being Lady Bird Johnson’s press secretary during the Johnson presidency. From her early career, Carpenter chose not to be thrown into societal reporting — the typical role of women in the newsroom at the time. She pushed to be involved in the center of the political sphere in Washington, D.C., with the support of her husband, fellow journalist and UT alumni Les Carpenter. Photographs from social events balance with home footage of the two’s young family early in the documentary.
Emphasizing that Carpenter served as a strong asset to both Lady Bird and Lyndon B. Johnson, memorable moments include the image of the speech she wrote for President Johnson to give after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and footage of her campaigning alongside Lady Bird through the South to support the Johnson presidency, equal rights and environmentalism.
Carpenter’s unique humor serves as a strong theme throughout the documentary. Though it’s emphasized that Carpenter was stubborn and extremely driven to fight for women journalists and advocates, it’s also emphasized that Carpenter’s wit and jokes helped people be more agreeable with her and the causes she supported. Her use of theatrics crops up in photographs from social events Carpenter would host at her home in Austin in her later years. An especially funny photo of Carpenter in a hot tub with writer and politico party invites with the dress code of ‘nearly naked’ near the end of the film leaves the sense that Carpenter would have been a great ally but also a fun friend to have.
The passion from Carpenter’s career bleeds through “Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter,” helping viewers understand the kind of grit it took to be a female trailblazer in the 60s and 70s. Christy Carpenter’s loving storytelling about her mother reinforces the lessons that can be taken from her mother’s career — making a difference can be made easier with flair and a bit of Austin’s weirdness.
4 flamboyant canes out of 5
