I too have a good opinion of WB. "Reds" for me stands out as one of the most sympathetic, substantive platforms ever afforded the U.S. left in a commercial film. This counts for a lot in comparison to painless political endorsements of the routine hollywood left sort. In its way Reds had more guts than any of the radical strike or insurrection films; the latter rested their case on an unambiguous portrayal of injustice. In Reds, much of the argument comes right from the mouths of leftists, with no supporting, artificial visual vignettes.
My impression is that WB had a personal debt to Kazan because the latter had helped WB's career. It was his misfortune to owe Kazan, and to his credit that he felt obliged to honor a personal debt to a scoundrel before a political one. So I don't fault him. I still say you stand by your friends first, whether it's Sid B or Kazan. If your friends are scum, that's your cross to bear. (Here as elsewhere, there can clearly be exceptions.)
I was fascinated to note the audience reaction. A few people like WB stood up immediately, and not with much company. But they ended up being joined by the bulk of the audience. The ones remaining seated with their hands folded looked scared -- like they had put their property on a losing number (which they may have).
I don't think this argument is nearly over. In fact, an almost immediately, eloquent rejoinder was in the montage of Kubrick's films, where the famous "bodily fluids" line from Stangelove was replayed. Rock's bit has been noted. There was also Robin Williams' parody of the controversy and implicitly intimations of Kazan's martyrdom -- with the mock plea, "Let Lainie Sing!"
Per Gar's quote, Will always wins arguments he allows himself to script in his columns. But the simple word "rat" is very evocative, as Linda Tripp can testify. It summons up the whole machinery of a state's arrogant abuse of power and its consequent relinquishment of moral authority. The episode has arguably pushed to the surface enough information for people to develop a more informed, nuanced disapproval of Kazan (especially his revolting autobiographyy), against which the award is relegated to the gesture of indulgent superficiality that it is.
mbs