King in the Wilderness

"King In the Wilderness" (2018 release; 112 min.) is a documentary about Martin Luther King's roughly last two years. As the movie opens, we are reminded that MLK was murdered on "April 4, 1968" and that "50 years later, friends recall his last years". We then go to "Atlanta, Georgia", where we hear about his kids begging King to not go to Memphis on that fateful day. It's not long before we then go back in time to "Ebenezer Baptist Church, May 8, 1967", where King is interviewed about his involvement in the civil rights movement and the peace movement (the interview takes place a month after King's groundbreaking anti-Vietnam speech in New York). At this point we are 10 min. into the documentary, but to tell you more of the 'plot' would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest TV documentary from veteran filmmaker Peter Junhardt ("Becoming Warren Buffett", "Nixon by Nixon: In His Own Words"). Here Junhardt revisits Martin Luther King's last 18-24 months, and the results of this "refresh" are quite remarkable. Yes, we get a good sense of the fabled public speaker that he was, and yes, we also get s good sense how hard he was on himself, "he worried about dying before he had accomplished enough", comments one of the talking heads. But what sets this documentary apart is that is showcases like never before the incredible anguish King experienced in that time frame, resulting from his long silence on Vietnam so as not to offend President Johnson (who had done much to support the civil rights movement). Even more palpable is the tremendous pressure on King from many different sides to support yet more causes (the "poor people's campaign", the extension of his Southern Christian Leadership Conference into the north (Chicago, specifically), etc., etc. King is overextended, exhausted, and frustrated, all while he continues his work relentlessly." The documentary features rare footage that I had never seen before. Check out the surprise party the CSLC staff throws on King's birthday on January 15, 1967, where the camera catches King in a broad smile (a rare thing in his last year). And of course the documentary is peppered with memorable quotes from King, such as "It's not how long you live, it's how well you live", and later on "To be free, one must overcome the love of wealth and the fear of death", wow, just wow. Andrew Young, Jesse Jackson, and many other prominent figures who worked closely with MLK address the camera (and us) extensively throughout the documentary.

HBO commissioned this documentary for the 50th anniversary of King's assassination. Somehow I missed this when it premiered last April, but recently I stumbled on this while looking for something good on HBO On Demand. So glad I finally caught this. If you have an interest in American history and politics, I strongly encourage you to check this out, be it on VOD or on DVD, and draw your own conclusion. In my book, "King In the Wilderness" is a WINNER.

This is essentially a talking heads documentary about the final years of MLK, yet it's quite compelling. To a great part this is simply because the people speaking of him speak with such a depth of passion, and because everything you learn shows what a truly remarkable individual he was. Which makes the ending so hard.

Well worth watching.

What a wonderful idea to get together the people who were close to MLK and, 50 years later, talk to them about the man and especially the last 2 years of his life. I found it educational. I gave it a 9 instead of 10 because it is very much "talking heads" and I wish some more engaging techniques could have been used. Well worth watching.

Moving. Intelligent, sensitive man who knew the path to inclusion is through non violent, peaceful, collaborative means. The same is true today.

I went into this thinking its like making a new documentary about World War 2, what hasn't already been said. But as a history buff that has seen untold amounts of documentaries, I found this to be a detailed telling of lesser known MLK works. Also as a history buff I expected to see the same old footage, same old speeches, and the same old messages. But what I found was a a fascinating story of final years of MLK's, with amazing footage I have never seen, phone calls never before been heard, photos and stories of lesser reported works by MLK. The film deals with many seriously tough times, how MLK lived like the poor he worked for, his message that many whites wanted civil rights for African Americans as well, and the complicated relationship between the rise of Black Power and MLK's belief of non-violence. Many serious questions and situations dealt with, should one be violent in their oppression? How does violence affect their movement? The complicated dynamics with the Vietnam War, MLK's relationship with LBJ, many things are tackled.

Above all I found the documentary to be profoundly fair, showing situations from all sides, hearing everyone's perspective in these times. The film confronts the appalling living conditions of many peoples, the racial hatred of the times, as well as the feelings of the many communities discussed. Many times in racial documentaries, whether about whites or blacks, things are often once sided, and thankfully this is not here. The film shows the daunting racism faced by African Americans, as well as the legitimate fears of communities and law enforcement during times of riots and distrust. It was a tough time for both sides, some more than others, but all deserve to be heard. The film seamlessly tells these stories withe stunning footage, interviews, and much more, it tells the immense tense feeling for everyone in those times. The film delves deep into MLK's character and his reaction to these many events at the end of his life, many of the things he truly wished for and felt about s=certain things.

As an avid documentary watcher and as a republican voter, I highly recommend this film.