Malcolm X

PG-13

11/18/19923h 22m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ Scholar, convict, leader, disciple, hipster, father, hustler, minister, black man, every man. ~

Overview:

A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride.

Director:

Spike Lee

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$34,000,000.00

Revenue:

$48,169,908.00

Key words:

prison
new york city
police brutality
beach
assassination
muslim
police
ku klux klan
prison cell
koran
jail guard
bible
civil rights
islam
biography
martin luther king
nation of islam
mekka
pilgrimage
cabriolet
historical figure
based on memoir or autobiography
african american history

Cast

Denzel Washington

~ as ~

Malcolm X

Angela Bassett

~ as ~

Betty Shabazz

Albert Hall

~ as ~

Baines

Al Freeman Jr.

~ as ~

Elijah Muhammad

Delroy Lindo

~ as ~

West Indian Archie

Spike Lee

~ as ~

Shorty

Theresa Randle

~ as ~

Laura

Kate Vernon

~ as ~

Sophia

Lonette McKee

~ as ~

Louise Little

Tommy Hollis

~ as ~

Earl Little

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 2 year(s) ago
7
I cannot imagine the hoops Spike Lee must have had to jump through to get any form of investment into either the concept or the production of this truly groundbreaking study of a man who divided opinion in a way few others have since the end of the Second World War. I say a study of man, but this is way more than just about him, it identifies and develops themes about inter and intra racial and gender attitudes and leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. All of that said, it does struggle as a piece of entertainment. I don't mean to trivialise the subject matter, but if it wanted to be a documentary then it should have been more tightly focused on fact and less on the dramatisation of events, some real, some not. As a biopic, it kind of falls between two stools. We are presented with, essentially, a collective of unpleasant individuals who either started out that way, or were corrupted by the environments in which they existed and/or created - clearly illustrated, for example, by the way the women are treated by their husbands/bosses etc. This left me with an overwhelming feeling that had there been more general respect and decency on offer here - across the board - then a lot of the violence from both "sides" might have been avoided. It is a must see movie, but perhaps time has robbed it of much of it's potency and left us with a sad reflection of a time when vileness didn't care about your colour.