It's incredibly painful to go back and look at how, in the great land of freedom, we shut people of color out of our society. Selma is not easy to watch. But I must recommend it for a very perceptive look at history.
Martin Luther King is an amazing profile in courage. Lest we forget that the South in the 1960s was a battle zone where racists could bully, beat, and murder African Americans, the film reminds us that Dr King and his entourage were willing to lay down their lives for the sake of justice.
MLK was a complex man. He was driven. He was a man of principle and dignity. He was brave beyond all definitions of bravery.
Did you know that LBJ, who has gone down in history as a champion of civil rights in America, was not quite the champion of human rights that we have been led to believe? The film shows us how he dragged his feet on helping people of color get the vote, and how he refused to send in troops to protect those who protested.
And there's more: The famous Pettus bridge, where infamous bloody Sunday occurred, which included the beating and murder of peaceful protesters, still exists as it once was. No big deal? Well, it is. The bridge was named after a grand marshall of the KKK, a man full of hatred who was a legend in the south for his bigotry and racism. Has the name of the bridge been changed? Hmmm....
My reaction to the film: Anger. I must say that I felt rage at those who abused others. My only wish was that I had been older at the time, so I could have joined those brave folks who stood up to injustice in Selma.
Selma, the movie, is a must-see. The acting and scripting are great. My only criticism is wanting even more...more history, more information, more details about a shameful time in American history.
Prepare to have an incredible movie adventure. Prepare to get mad.
We all need to get angry again at the thought of what this country did to a minority.
The movie gets a grade of A+, and I would recommend it above all others. Be sure to take family and friends. No one must forget.
Well-said, David! Excellent overview. (And great to see you in a theater! Haha) Tom and I recently had the pleasure of attending an exhibition of and meeting the author/photographer Dan Budnick who captured this event and now has a huge and extraordinary book, Marching To The Freedom Dream, of his stunning photos. I must point out a huge controversy that hangs over this film, however. Since its release, several major figures from this era have come out unequivocally disputing, with concrete evidence, the portrayal of LBJ. All are saying he was quite unfairly presented. Even film's producers are somewhat acknowledging this. That bothers me a lot! Because, if anything, we need to have the black/white coalition reinforced. It's the only blemish on this film, but it's a big one. Still, it is an important story to tell, and for us to watch during this Black History Month.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Valerie. Yes, you are right, that there is controversy surrounding the portrait of LBJ. However, I do believe the facts speak for themselves. No federal troops were present in Selma to protect those protesters on bloody Sunday. And there is such a hiatus between the 1964 civil rights act and the strong presence of Federal troops in the south in later years to make things right that I do believe the film is accurate. Please let me know if you disagree. Great to hear from you. David
ReplyDeleteWell, I think the disconnect comes in perhaps not grasping all of LBJ's reasons. He may have made errors in strategy, but there is no doubt about LBJ's lifelong commitment civil rights. Yet the film plants some such doubts. Excellent film, though.
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