Malcolm X died in 1965. Most individuals who knew him well are no longer alive. And first-hand accounts of the man will disappear in the coming years. So Malcolm X's legacy will depend on the work of historians, authors, and filmmakers. And the most definitive movie about the civil rights icon is Spike Lee's Malcolm X.
Malcolm X in March 1964 (wikipedia.org)
It's hard to predict whether future generations will remember a historical figure. But continuing to be part of the cultural narrative is integral in determining one's legacy. Even though Alexander Hamilton is on our ten-dollar bill, many Americans were unfamiliar with his achievements until Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2015 musical about his life. And his celebrity does not appear to be proportional to his accomplishments but to the popularity of the Broadway show. Similarly, few knew Nikola Tesla until Elon Musk named his electric vehicle company after the Serbian-American inventor in 2003. And Tesla's name will live on as long as the company remains successful.
Movies play an important role in shaping our culture. Popular actors are more famous than most authors and scholars. Thus, historical movies can help preserve the legacy of notable individuals. But to do so, a film has to be popular. The public must want to watch it, not just to be educated but also to be entertained. So how relevant is Malcolm X the movie? Will future generations watch it? What role will it play in shaping the public's perception of the man?
Before watching Malcolm X, I had limited knowledge of the African American activist. I was aware that he was a controversial figure during the civil rights movement, countering Martin Luther King Jr.'s peaceful message. I knew that he rejected his last name because it arose from slavery. And I knew he was assassinated. That's about it. I wasn't even familiar with all the facts listed on his Wikipedia page's short first paragraph. For instance, I did not know that he was a Muslim. And I never heard of Nation of Islam, the organization that he followed for most of his adult life.
The 2020 film One Night in Miami challenged my ignorance. Kingsley Ben-Adir plays Malcolm X, one of the four prominent African American figures of the 1960s featured in the movie. From the little I knew of the activist, I expected an angry man yelling diatribes. Instead, Ben-Adir's Malcolm X is generally good-natured. He is a principled and deeply religious man but not enraged or violent. I was surprised by the portrayal and was interested in seeing a different perspective. And Spike Lee's 1992 film is the most well-known movie about his life.
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X in One Night in Miami
Malcolm X is ambitious, following the title character's life from childhood to death. The movie shows the transformation from a troubled youth to a violent criminal. In prison, he becomes a Muslim and seeks redemption. Malcolm X, played by Denzel Washington, gains national attention as the leading voice of the Nation of Islam, a radical black nationalism group. He then grows disillusioned with the organization, questioning the morality of its leader, Elijah Muhammad. Near the end of his life, Malcolm X changes to a less extreme figure, willing to work with more moderate civil rights leaders.
Denzel Washington in Malcolm X
Spike Lee's film's final scenes' time frame coincides with One Night in Miami's fictionalized events. Thus, Malcolm X's portrayal in the 2020 film matches the 1992 film, but only for a brief period. Despite living only 39 years, Malcolm X was a complex individual with multiple personas. The challenge for the 21st-century audience is to determine the authenticity of the varying narratives about his life.
1992 film is based on the 1965 autobiography, so it is at least how Malcolm X wanted to be remembered. But there are only a few other dramatic works that can challenge Spike Lee's portrayal's accuracy. And it is the only major cinema release with Malcolm X as the central character. Thus, aside from archival footage of his speeches, Malcolm X may be the most common way the public will remember him.
But who's going to watch Malcolm X? Is the audience limited to history buffs? Or will its entertainment or artistic value draw viewers to the film? More obscure figures in history gained fame because they were subjects of acclaimed movies. The most notable example may be Oskar Schindler from Steven Spielberg's 1993 Academy Award Winning Film Schindler's List. But can the significance of Malcolm X's legacy grow because of the greatness of his biographical movie?
Critics agree that Malcolm X is a very good movie, garnering an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. On the IMDb website, it has the 94th highest user rating for a biography: not bad, but hardly earth-shattering. One can imagine if the movie were more popular, attracting a varied audience, Malcolm X's achievements would be more entrenched in today's society. And that's a shame because the story of the civil rights icon should be more familiar to everyone, as systemic racism remains a shameful stain in the American landscape.
I thought the movie was enjoyable, with an outstanding performance from Denzel Washington. He is in almost every scene and successfully carries the narrative through the many versions of Malcolm X. But, there is one glaring problem with the movie: it is 3 hours and 22 minutes long. According to IMDb, it's the fourth-longest biography (out of 384 titles considered), only surpassed by Lawrence of Arabia, The Irishman, and Andrei Rublev. To be honest, I would have passed on the movie due to its length if it wasn't for my history teacher's high recommendation. And that would have been unfortunate because the movie didn't feel that long. It was entertaining and educational, a film everyone in my generation should watch.
By the way...I wonder what would have happened if Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote a musical about Malcolm X and made it two hours long. It would undoubtedly be more popular than the 1985 opera, X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X, by Anthony Davis.
Andrew’s Grade: B
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