Malcolm X (1972)

Director:

Arnold Perl

Writers:

Alex Haley (book), Arnold Perl,

Stars:

James Earl Jones, Ossie Davis, John Ali

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Earl Jones	...	Biographical Narration (voice)
Ossie Davis	...	Eulogy (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Ali	...	Himself (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali	...	Himself (archive footage)
Leon Ameer	...	Himself (archive footage)
Vida Blue	...	Himself (archive footage)
H. Rap Brown	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Rap Brown)
John Carlos	...	Himself (archive footage)
Stokely Carmichael	...	Himself (archive footage)
Eldridge Cleaver	...	Himself (archive footage)
Ella Collins	...	Herself - Remarks After Death of Malcolm X (archive footage)
Angela Davis	...	Herself (archive footage)
Lee Evans	...	Himself - 1968 Olympics (archive footage) (as L. Evans)
Charles Evers	...	Himself (archive footage)
James Farmer	...	Himself - Remarks After Death of Malcolm X (archive footage)

Storyline

---

Plot Keywords:

speech | civil rights | african american | interview | based on autobiography | 

---

Genres:

Documentary | Biography

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 May 1972 (USA)

Box Office

Gross:

$48,100,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Did You Know?

Connections

Features The Littlest Rebel (1935)

User Reviews

the man who never sold out....

a gripping documentary of the old school (subject centred) we see Malcolm in the raw for most of the footage is him speaking at rallies and direct to the media of the day.

A great intro to Malcolm's early beliefs influenced by the black Muslim movement, and his development into an independent thinker, who had to stand alone, and ultimately pay the price of turning his back on the narrow minded and self seeking Elijah Mohammad.

the fire and intensity of Malcolm x never seems to have dimmed in all his speeches and interviews, he focused the whole time on the one great goal: the raising and liberation of the black consciousness to acts of self determination.

he was a man who struggled perpetually for others, as the film shows abundantly. his great love for mankind unfolds before the viewer in a way that will doubtless be a surprise to those who have only heard the company line; that Malcolm was some kind of 'racist in reverse' or that he advocated violence for violence sake.

the and of the film with latter day opinions that his assassination was state-sponsored is probably not in doubt, even tho in retrospect it has become clear that the black Muslim movement was certainly the 'hand that fired the gun'.

the final analysis: that Malcolm died as he did will always be less important than the fact that he lived as he did: a man of unerring courage drawn from the deep well of spiritual quest for kinship with God and man. he stands as an inspiring example of how to live, without swallowing our tongues in fear at those who would have us live a life of lies so that we can conspire to cover up their lies as well.... so when you know the truth, speak out!