Malcolm X, written by Spike Lee and Arnold Perl, based on the books by Alex Haley and Malcolm X respectively, 9 out of 10

Malcolm X, written by Spike Lee and Arnold Perl, based on the books by Alex Haley and Malcolm X respectively

9 out of 10

Notes and thoughts on other books are available at:

-              https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEVa4_CsRStSBBDo4uJWT8BSWtTTn0N1E and   http://realini.blogspot.ro/

This is a phenomenal film.

The hero is controversial and there many sides of him that were loathsome, but his complexity makes the story ever more interesting.

This could be the best film directed by Spike Lee, even if I have also appreciated 25th hour, with the outstanding Edward Norton and equally fabulous Philip Seymour Hoffman, the excellent Anna Paquin, winner of an Academy Award at an early age.

Denzel Washington is in top form and he was nominated for both an Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

The film begins with Malcolm Little- who would only later become “X”- as a young man, interested to look…white.

He keeps using a substance on his hair that seems to be both dangerous and really painful, setting his head on fire, if not literally, at least raising the temperature to an unbearable degree, judging from the hilarious reactions to it.

There are flashbacks and frequent references to a childhood in which the family suffered from racism and violence.

Members of the Ku Klux Klan came to the house and Malcolm’s mother could hardly get the away by saying that her husband is gone.

When he was home, the powerful, strong man used his gun to scare the assailants, without shooting any of them.

His spouse emphasizes that he could, but this did not save him from being attacked and then placed on the railway line to be killed.

The childhood of the would be political and religious leader was terrifying and explains to large extent some of his later stands on violence and other topics.

As a young man, he liked white women and he gets involved with West Indian Archie, brilliantly portrayed by Delroy Lindo.

Malcolm Little is caught after committing a crime and sentenced to a maximum term, even if first time offenders, including the white accomplices were treated with lenience, because they have been with white women and those judging were racists.

In jail, he is insubordinate and has to spend long periods in solitary confinement, after which he meets with a follower of Elijah Muhammad.

Enchanted with this faith, after an initial, strong rejection, Malcolm Little becomes a strong believer and preaches in the name of the Nation of Islam, always proclaiming the sanctity and wisdom of Elijah Muhammad.

The name X indicates the fact that the white men took into slavery the free men and women of Africa and gave them names that do not reflect a choice on the part of the slaves, who have been tortured and abused for so long.

Malcolm X is outraged by what happened to African Americans and he is rather radical in advocating gun clubs and the right to defend themselves against whites that he considers bad without exception.

When JFK dies and Malcolm X is interviewed he says he is not sorry, he is glad, because this is what the white man had unleashed and as a farm boy he sees this as just “the chickens coming home to roost” and this is payback for violence.

This brings to the forefront an increasing tension between Malcolm X and those close to the leader Elijah Muhammad.

The latter calls the younger, ascending X and criticizes him vehemently for his position on the death of the extremely popular John F. Kennedy, banning him from speaking in public for a very long period and antagonizing him.

Innuendo from the sexual activities of the supposedly saintly Muhammad entered the public life and Malcolm X could hear from various women about what the old man did, opposed to what he preached.

In short, a separation follows and Malcolm X follows a different path, followed nevertheless by the hatred of the leaders of The Nation of Islam.

No spoilers are necessary given that the film is based on the real life of the famous and rather fundamentalist leader.

A trip to Mecca and a period of reflection play an important role in diminishing the aggressiveness of his attitude and position versus the white people and the black leaders that he had considered much too tolerant.

Alas, just as Malcom X becomes somewhat more moderate- without giving in on the right of black people to belong to gun clubs and forcefully stand up to potential violence- his extreme enemies become more determined to use outrageous methods to silence their eloquent adversary and they even attack his family and children…