Wednesday 20th December 1989

Filmmaker Michael Moore’s satirical documentary “Roger & Me” opened in theatres across the US. The film chronicled Moore’s unsuccessful attempts to meet Roger B. Smith, the chairman and chief executive of General Motors, who had presided over the closing of 11 factories in Moore’s birthplace, Flint, Michigan, during two decades. As a result, nearly 40,000 people lost their jobs, and Moore wanted to interview Smith about the city’s subsequent decline. Smith, perhaps understandably, chose to avoid that conversation, and his dodges and evasions provided lots of footage for the film.