Matthew Rankin’s Brian Mulroney doc shows politician ‘charming the whole country into oblivion’

In 1990, a figurine of Brian Mulroney's disfigured face was carved into a coin slot, ready to devour Canadians’ hard-earned money. The piggy bank, created by Vancouver artist A.O. Pavlenko, was a satirical representation of the free trade policies and the Goods and Services Tax that Mulroney implemented during his time as prime minister.

Director Matthew Rankin's new documentary, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney," premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival, painting a portrait of the former prime minister as a charming and cunning politician who "charmed the whole country into oblivion." The film, which focuses on Mulroney's rise to power before he became prime minister in 1984, relies heavily on archival footage and interviews to construct a narrative of Canada's Progressive Conservative Party.

Rankin portrays Mulroney as a master of image construction, using television as a tool to shape his public persona. The documentary presents a more nuanced view of Mulroney, acknowledging both his political skill and the ruthlessness that sometimes characterized his actions.