King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

We just passed what would've been Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 90th birthday, so I decided to watch this documentary. You've heard about Martin Luther King, Jr. You've probably seen footage of some of his speeches. But to truly understand him, you have to see Sidney Lumet's Academy Award-nominated "King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis". Originally screened as a one-night event, it's now available for home viewing. The documentary consists of footage of King starting with the bus boycott in Montgomery until his funeral, emphasizing how he called upon the United States to live up to the ideals that it professed. Whether addressing racial and class issues or coming out against the Vietnam War, he was on the front lines of justice every step of the way.

The documentary includes footage of people (Harry Belafonte, Ruby Dee, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, etc) quoting King. It emphasizes the diversity of people who stood on the side of morality. In an era when we see racism coming back to the fore - pushed by the current demagogue-in-chief - it's more important than ever to understand King's legacy. Definitely see this documentary.

More than half a century after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered, I finally looked at this movie. It is a collection of Dr. King's appearances and the events around him, interspersed with celebrities of the day speaking in admiration, edited by two of the leading film makers of the day with the assistance of two editors, attempting to make coherent sense of what, half a century later, is a senseless and evil situation and the effort to remedy it.

It's a huge effort, and brilliantly produced. "How Did We Get Here?" is a question that needs to be examined, if only for its cautionary value.

I looked at this off a TV presentation, skipping the commercial interruptions. I did notice the note "Viewer Discretion Warranted." I suppose people think truth is something people need to be discreet about. Recent events indicate that people have let the lessons I learned as a child drop out out their thoughts, and thereby permitted these hateful actions return. Yes, discretion is required. Otherwise people might remember, and remain silent about them.

The version of this documentary I saw did not contain any of the celebrity "bridges" that Maltin mentioned in his review. The version I saw, ran only 103 minutes (as to the 185 of Maltin's version) and contained only archival footage of Dr. King's career from 1955 to 1968. This version is a pure video diary of King's speeches and marches. It contains amazingly powerful footage of the nonviolent protests and the final moments of King's life.

It's a documentary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life from 1955 to his death in 1968. Except for his first speech at the beginning of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, it is primarily news footage and coverage of his best-known activities during those years and the local circumstances that brought about those activities. The Montgomery speech is audio only. That is both its strength and limitation.

This film is one of the few places you can still see and hear the entirety of King's "I Have a Dream" speech of 1963. There are numerous other memorable speeches; seeing him deliver them visually dramatically increases the impact. It is so focused on King, however, that you don't get an overview of the Civil Rights movement, especially those parts in which he had a limited profile, such as the Freedom Rides in 1961.

There is nothing about King's personal life or the work of his associates. To get better context, you need the background of a good biography like Jonathan Eig's "King: a Life." But to be bathed in M. L. King's oratory, this three-hour film is the place to go.

Some celebrities narrate brief segments intermittently. They are a distraction and add nothing.

Compiled from newsreel footage and interspersed with celebrity commentary, this film has a heavy impact, showing Rev. King, not as a saint, but as a compassionate man of God with great goals for all people. The film quality is rather rough at times, and the racial slurs shouted are harsh, but the film is powerful. Recommended for those who seek an insight to the man behind the dream.