The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Director:

Rob Epstein

Writers:

Judith Coburn (narration)
Rob Epstein (written by)

Release Date:

20 September 1985 (Finland)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography | History

Plot:

A documentary of the successful career and assasination of San Francisco's first elected gay councillor.

Plot Keywords:

Harvey Milk | Assassination | 1970s | Homosexual History | Riot

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Harvey Milk	...	Himself (archive footage)
Harvey Fierstein	...	Narrator (voice)
Anne Kronenberg	...	Herself
Tory Hartmann	...	Herself
Tom Ammiano	...	Himself
Jim Elliot	...	Himself
Henry Der	...	Himself
Jeannine Yeomans	...	Herself
Bill Kraus	...	Himself
Sally M. Gearhart	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Briggs	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jerry Brown	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jimmy Carter	...	Himself (archive footage)
Dianne Feinstein	...	Herself (archive footage)
David Fowler	...	Himself - TV Interviewer of Dan White (archive footage)
Joseph Freitas	...	Himself (archive footage)
Terence Hallinan	...	Himself (archive footage)
George Moscone	...	Himself (archive footage)
Dan White	...	Himself (archive footage)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | Australia:PG | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Black Sand Productions

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dianne Feinstein: As president of the board of supervisors, it's my duty to make this announcement. Both Mayor Moscone and supervisor Harvey Milk have been shot and killed.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Schau mir in die Augen, Kleiner (2007)

Oh yeah. It's good. Real good.

I caught this on IFC a few weeks back. I've had the original Mark Isham score for years, and love that, but I never put any effort into finding and watching the film. It's wonderful. Even listening to Harvey Fierstein's voiceover doesn't get irritating because the subject matter is at once riveting and heartfelt, exuberant and crushing. The thing that makes this movie so effective, I think, is that it was clearly pieced together for a mixed audience. This is not a gay film, or a political film, or something only San Franciscans will understand. It brings you in and allows you to really see and hear how this man affected lives around him, including the life of the man who shot him. Fascinating. Haunting. Wonderful. Go see this film.