King

Made at a time before King had achieved public sainthood and acceptance by the ruling class, this mini-series changed the way many people felt about civil rights. Expertly scripted and directed by Abby Mann, the film centers on Paul Winfield's excellent interpretation of a man who was a great poet and writer as well as a leader. If it's ever released on DVD, it will be recognized as a classic biography.

I must admit, although I have always admired Martin Luther King Jr. for what he had attained, I never knew much about him. I saw this film with my family the day before the holiday designated in honor of him. There are few (non animated) films my three young boys will sit through, especially historical. However they were actually interested in this one. I was never one to be impressed by television mini-series (especially 70's) however this film holds it's own. The performances by the entire cast were well above board. At times I had to remind myself that this was a cast. The performances by both Paul Winfield as Mr. King and Cicely Tyson as His Wife (Coretta Scott King) were outstanding. As is to be expected since they are both fine actors, outstanding in their field. They both earned an Emmy nomination for their work on this film. It garnered a total of 8 nominations, and won for 'Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) for the composer Billy Goldenberg. The direction and production values were extremely well done. The most important effect this film had on me, was in raising the awareness of what an amazing gentleman he was. I was born in the early 60's in the west, and was raised by open, loving parents to believe that all persons are equal. And that the content of one's character really was the only way to judge someone. ( Regardless of race.) I rarely saw the hatred that was so prevalent in the south in the 60's. Although I studied about it in school, and have seen documentaries of his life in the past, this film really stood out in making those horrors real to me. I have never been able to understand how anyone can have so much hate for anyone. If this film opens just one child's eyes to the horrors or racism, so that those atrocities are never to be repeated, it is a great film. Mr. King made great sacrifices, let us never allow them to be in vain. (9 Stars)

Ten years after his assassination, this fine mini-series documents the adult life and times of Martin Luther King who despite some other fine folks in the field is recognized as premier among the black civil rights leaders. So acknowledged by the fact it is his birthday that is now a national holiday.

Paul Winfield with one magnificent voice captures the cadence and rhythm of Martin Luther King's poetical style of preaching. His abilities as an actor cover the inner emotions and the reasons that King is moved to do the work he did.

From being a newly minted minister and suitor for the hand of Coretta Scott played by Cicely Tyson we see the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s progress through the eyes of its titular leader.

In the supporting cast I like both William Jordan and Cliff DeYoung as the contrasting personalities of the brothers Kennedy. Jordan as the cool John F. Kennedy and DeYoung as the passionate Robert F. Kennedy. DeYoung really got the accent down impressively.

Martin Luther King certainly did have a private life and if he's regarded for sainthood by some it's for his achievements in advancing civil rights as opposed to any kind of probity in his private life. I doubt most could have stood up to the intense scrutiny he was under Said scrutiny was ordered by that most misanthropic of men in the last century J. Edgar Hoover the 48 year head of the FBI. Things that disturbed the social order like the civil rights movement got Hoover's attention. He spent his last years looking to discredit the movement quite unsuccessfully, but doing a lot of damage along the way. There's a quiet evil in the way Dolph Sweet portrayed him.

In fact some of the private behavior of King is shown in those documented moments before he's shot on a motel balcony in Memphis. You see him among his colleagues there in some down time and these guys could be a salty and rough house bunch, divinity degree notwithstanding.

One thing that did not make me happy was the elimination of Bayard Rustin from the story. I'm thinking Roscoe Lee Browne as Philip Harrison is Rustin and he's as eloquent as I remember him. I actually did meet him during the gay rights struggle in New York City when Rustin finally made it official. In 1978 his gay story was still a hush hush matter. Had King the mini-series been made in 1988 the year after Rustin died he no doubt would have been there in name as well as fact.

The best thing about King is that it makes the civil rights struggle of the time quite real and relevant. You understand the indignities that some minorities have heaped upon them. After that you just might make the connection for all minorities. If that happens you will have been to the mountaintop and seen the promised land.

Paul Winfield effectively showed the charisma of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a speaker and leader. He also showed as a human side to Dr. King, a man who could be scared and even cry privately, a man who could laugh and have fun with his family and friends, and yet a man who didn't understand why people wanted him to lead the movement. He didn't feel confident about his own abilities, yet he made the most of what he had and, based on what I saw here, few if any could have done better. Winfield looked too old for the younger King, and he didn't deliver the 'I have a dream' speech exactly as King did (though imitating might not have been as effective), but these are minor flaws.

And there were too many good acting performances to list. Cicely Tyson as Coretta, Ossie Davis as an angry King Sr., Dick Anthony Williams as an evil Malcolm X--just a few that I remember; there may have been others but I didn't recall the name of the characters. The only performance I was not happy with was Cliff De Young as Robert Kennedy, who came across as a whiny teenager.

This was a good presentation of the Civil Rights Movement--a little violent at times, but the violence was necessary. We saw the determination of the leaders and of ordinary people, even children. The 6-letter word starting with N was of course used a lot and no one censored it. A couple of times King's last name was changed, by opponents, to that of the small mammal with the black mask.

I was always intimidated by the length of this program, but one station in my area showed it a whole week before the King holiday, while the other waited until this past weekend. It definitely was worth seeing.

The film "King" 1978 is everything one could hope for in a dramatization on the life of Martin Luther King Jr. Paul Winfield and Cicely Tyson were the perfect pairing of actors to portray MLK JR. and Coretta Scott King. They literally bring history back to life. After years of watching a pre-recorded VHS tape of this classic film, I just received the 2005 DVD (MGM) and it looks as good as ever. Winfield captures the very essence of MLK the ups and downs, the fear and the gallantry that was Dr. Martin Luther King, with a fabulous supporting cast. A perfect casting choice was also the great Ossie Davis as Martin Luther King SR. There is however one caveat that I just discovered,which is within the screenplay, about the three American civil rights workers, James Earl Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael "Mickey"Schwerner, who were murdered in the early to mid-sixties. This is concerning the actual time period when this event occurred. That said,the rest of the movie is accurate events wise, and sometimes hard to take, for the true to life aspects of this film. I highly recommend "King"