Saturday 22 July 2023

Milk - Film Review

Milk has been getting much respected adulation for this independent film telling us of the true story of the first openly gay American Senator Harvey Milk played by Sean Penn.

This is a powerful portrayal of Harvey Milk which sean Penn has made a point in his acting career of making films especially independent films of stories that matter.

A film like this wouldn't have been made by the top-gun studios as homosexuality is still not accepted by the American establishment.

In the 70's a period following on from the civil demonstrations on such issues as the Anti-War protests and black civil rights marches of the 60's, so it's seeming fitting someone like Harvey Milk would say, 'Hang-on what about gay rights?' Thus, a movement was born.

In 1970 Harvey Milk turned 40, and started like the most of us have, or will do and question one's life. What is it all about? Mid-life crisis is what it's termed. So, Harvey Milk with his lover moved to San Francisco the gay capital of America and the western world, and set-up a shop called Castro Camera in the poor working-class neighbourhood of Castro.

It's in San Francisco that Harvey Milk gets the notion of 'change' and to get equality across the board in American society. In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into major public office in America.

Milk is available on DVD

Susan Hopfield

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