2013 Thin Line Film Fest - Swingman
February 16
Filmmaker Mark Birnbaum and subject Captain Allen in attendance.
Firefighter Marshall Allen always said when the Grim Reaper came calling, they would find claw marks on the wall where he fought him to the end. A man of his word, Capt.Allen fought back and won. After twice being returned to an adoption agency once his true ethnicity was discovered, Capt. Allen was abused in the foster care system, only to be adopted by an abusive family. His severe depression remained undiagnosed despite building rage and hopelessness while he became a Golden Gloves boxer, the first black firefighter in Salt Lake County, Utah, and a power-lifting champion. As he continued to outscore everyone on written and physical tests, fire protocol was literally changed because of Capt. Allen. He was slated to be the next battalion chief in the Fort Worth Fire Department when a freak accident occurred. As word got around that Capt. Allen lay motionless in a hospital bed, the Dallas Baylor Hospital employees had to hand out tickets in the waiting room for the popular fire fighter. No one knew for certain what had happened but they were certain he would be okay. He was Capt. Allen. He was Superman. What no one could have believed was that he would never walk again. And no one could have believed how he would thrive. The accident left him physically paralyzed and emotionally cured. It left him a quadriplegic in a wheelchair only to discover the first blood relative he would ever know. It left him in wonder.
Film Details
Duration: 53 mins
Director/Producer: Mark Birnbaum
Information from the festival website
No users have favorited this yet. Be the first!
Here are some nearby...
Places to eat:
Drink Specials:
- Hooligans: $1.25 select domestic drafts / $2 premium drafts
- Fry Street Tavern: $3 freezer shots, $2.25, domestic drafts, $2 double wells and tangos, additional daily drink specials
- The Loophole Courthouse Pub: $10 buckets / $2.50 wells
- J&J's Pizza: $2 domestics, $0.50 off everthing else
- The Loophole Courthouse Pub: $1 domestic drafts
Related stories
Nearby stories
- Denton Square Donuts up for sale
- 35 Denton's pop-up venue The Hive will soon be a permanent live music spot
- Restaurant review: Michael's Kitchen makes mediocre meals unlikely to impress or offend
- Chef Tim Love brings fine dining to the Denton Square with Queenie's Steakhouse
- Denton's Bavarian beer house, Gerhard's, gets stamp of approval from German natives
Related events
Latest Contests
Latest comments...
Fort Worth City Council discusses rooster ordinance
The title "What Do You Think" means nothing. The cops aren't going to enforce any ordinance against
X Factor strikes gold with Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio as new judges
Can't wait to see Paulina Rubio on the judges table!!
Deep Ellum boasts Dallas' first communal workspace Common Desk
well nice.....what a stick....I would like something more boheminana with orgnization.....and Europe

What do you think?