Malcolm X (1992)

The biopic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader.

Director:

Spike Lee

Writers:

Alex Haley (book), Malcolm X (book),

Stars:

Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Delroy Lindo

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Denzel Washington	...	Malcolm X
Angela Bassett	...	Dr. Betty Shabazz
Albert Hall	...	Baines
Al Freeman Jr.	...	Elijah Muhammad
Delroy Lindo	...	West Indian Archie
Spike Lee	...	Shorty
Theresa Randle	...	Laura
Kate Vernon	...	Sophia
Lonette McKee	...	Louise Little
Tommy Hollis	...	Earl Little
James McDaniel	...	Brother Earl
Ernest Thomas	...	Sidney
Jean-Claude La Marre	...	Benjamin 2X (as Jean LaMarre)
O.L. Duke	...	Pete
Larry McCoy	...	Sammy

Storyline

Biopic of Malcolm X, the famous African American leader. Born Malcolm Little, his father (a minister) was killed by the Ku Klux Klan. Malcolm became a gangster, and while in jail discovered the Nation of Islam writings of Elijah Muhammad. He preaches the teachings when let out of jail, but later on goes on a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca, there he converts to the original Islamic religion and becomes a Sunni Muslim. He changes his name to El-Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz and stops his anti-white teachings, as he realizes the error of his mistakes. He is later on assassinated and dies a Muslim martyr.

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Plot Keywords:

jail | gangster | african american | islam | religion | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for a scene of violence, and for drugs and some language

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 November 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

X

Filming Locations:

300 Wyckoff Avenue, Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$33,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$48,169,908 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Largo International N.V., JVC Entertainment Networks, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

202 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film shows a white student girl who offers her help to Malcolm X and then gets rudely denied. It's actually based on a real-life event about which after leaving NOI Malcolm X regrets saying "Brother, remember the time that white college girl came into the restaurant - the one who wanted to help the [Black] Muslims and the whites get together - and I told her there wasn't a ghost of a chance and she went away crying? Well, I've lived to regret that incident. In many parts of the African continent I saw white students helping black people. Something like this kills a lot of argument. I did many things as a [Black] Muslim that I'm sorry for now. I was a zombie then - like all [Black] Muslims - I was hypnotized, pointed in a certain direction and told to march. Well, I guess a man's entitled to make a fool of himself if he's ready to pay the cost. It cost me 12 years."

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Goofs

When Malcolm is in the jazz club with Sophia, there is a jazz ensemble with a vocalist and a trumpet soloist. The trumpet soloist is playing on a Monette trumpet. This unique line of trumpets was not produced until around 1983.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Announcer: In the name of Allah the merciful, all praises due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The one God to whom praise is due forever. The one who came to us in the person of Master Fard Muhammad and raised up the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Amen.
[pause]
Announcer: Asalaamalaikum!
Crowd: Alaikum-salaam!
Announcer: How do you feel?
Crowd: Good!
Announcer: Who do we want to hear?
Announcer: Malcolm X!
Announcer: Are we gonna bring him on? Yes, we gonna bring him on. Well let us hear from our minister, Minister Malcolm X. Let us bring him on with a round of ...

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Crazy Credits

The credits feature many prominent African-American entertainers (Bill Cosby and Janet Jackson among others) wearing X-Caps and using their arms to make the "X" symbol.

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Connections

Featured in Bamboozled (2000)

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Soundtracks

"My Prayer"
Written by Jimmy Kennedy and Georges Boulanger
Performed by The Ink Spots

User Reviews

Spike Lee's best movie ever

Reaching his apex of greatness, Spike Lee created a perfect biography of the Black Nationalist leader. In the title role, Denzel Washington literally becomes the character. From the opening, when he accurately accuses the white man of all the injustices that the white man has perpetrated, to his conversion to Islam (and rejection of his slave surname), to his eventual assassination, the movie is top-notch in every respect.

Having read Malcolm X's autobiography, I can affirm that the movie followed it very closely. Reading his autobiography will actually help you understand him even further. As will his indication that African-Americans bled for the white man in Korea, Japan, Italy, etc., so why shouldn't they bleed for their freedom at home? Anyway, "Malcolm X" is a perfect movie in every way.