Matthew S. Collier - Controversy

Controversy

American film-maker Michael Moore was born three years before Matthew Collier in Davison, Michigan, a nearby suburb of Flint. Collier described the neighborhood of his youth as a young boy in the 1960s as a utopian experience. Flint, however, later struggled economically, sharply deteriorating during Collier's time at West Point and throughout his six years in the army, during the GM layoffs that would become the centerpiece of the film Roger & Me. During that time, the Flint area became increasingly riddled with crime and poverty.

While Collier was interviewed by Michael Moore during his mayoral campaign as the movie was being filmed, Collier did not appear in the movie. Nor did his administration have any reason to believe the film would gain any significant attention.

In 1989, midway through Collier’s four-year term in office, Michael Moore’s movie, Roger & Me, premiered nationally. The film described the effects of General Motors’ cutbacks on Flint during the 1970s and ‘80’s. According to Collier “the film crippled the city’s self-image and demoralized the city as a whole.” He stated that “the film ultimately made it increasingly difficult for him and his administration to champion the city’s successes.” Collier's administration starting receiving the pity of the nation and the administration was getting phone calls offering to donate literally $1 at a time to the city.

The administration fought against the portrayal of Flint in Roger & Me and Collier was quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and was featured on PrimeTime Live, among others, challenging the accuracy of the movie. The film did not directly criticize Collier's mayoral performance and the events portrayed in the film took place just prior to and up to the very first few months of, his term.