4 Little Girls (1997)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Spike Lee

Release Date:

9 July 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | History

Tagline:

Birmingham, 1963. A single explosion rocked a community and awakened a sleeping nation.

Plot:

A documentary of the notorious racial terrorist bombing of an African American church during the Civil Rights Movement.

Plot Keywords:

Church | Bombing | Civil Rights Movement | Civil Rights | Birmingham Alabama

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Maxine McNair	...	Herself (Mother of Denise McNair)
Chris McNair	...	Himself (Father of Denise McNair)
Helen Pegues	...	Herself (Denise's Aunt)
Queen Nunn	...	Herself (Neighbor of Denise McNair)
Arthur Hanes Jr.	...	Himself (Defense Attorney for Bob Chambliss)
Howell Raines	...	Himself (New York Times Editor)
Harold McNair	...	Himself (Denise's Uncle)
Carole C. Smitherman	...	Herself (Denise's Childhood Friend) (as Carole C. Smitherman Esq.)
Wamo Reed Robertson	...	Herself (Carole's Aunt)
Dianne Braddock	...	Herself (Carole's Sister)
Carolyn Lee Brown	...	Herself (Carole's Childhood Friend)
Alpha Robertson	...	Herself (Mother of Carole Robertson)
Wyatt Tee Walker	...	Himself (Former Executive Director of SCLC)
Fred Shuttlesworth	...	Himself (Pres. of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights) (also archive footage)
Florence Terrell	...	Herself (School Teacher)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Company:

40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks

Trivia:

One of the victims, Denise McNair, was a friend and classmate of future Secretary of State 'Condoleeza Rice'.

Quotes:

Chris McNair: You must understand that a Bull Connor can not exist without the nods of the status quo people. You know, the big boys in any town. He can't exist without them. He may be the person who actually does the talking; but believe me the Bull Connors have the blessings of someone else.

Movie Connections:

References "60 Minutes" (1968)

Soundtrack:

Birmingham Sunday

Solid Documentaryof a tragic event

This is a great documentary which speaks to the central battles of the civil rights movement and the still present racism in America. Wide range of interview subjects from family members, politicians and those who covered the story when it happened. Spike Lee's work elicits strong emotions at times but also leaves you to provide your own conclusions as well. Recommended along with dramatized movies such as Ghosts of Mississippi, Mississippi Burning and the little watched A Long Walk Home. Watch these to learn something of the darker side of American history and decide for yourself how far we have come in the last forty years.