Last year, when I was still a poor student and not the poor worker I am now, I took a gender studies course. The course was taught by my good friend and somewhat mentor, Maija.
For one of our assignments, I had to write an essay on Harvey Milk. It was then that I was introduced to his fascinating story.
Harvey Milk, for those who don’t know, was the first openly homosexual person elected to major office in the United States. As a city supervisor in San Fransisco, he was a fierce advocate for gay rights and was instrumental in defeating proposition six. The movie Milk tells this story.
It seemed only fitting that I watch the movie with Maija. Although the movie was released on Dec 6th, it didn’t get a wide release and the closest theatre it was playing at was in Oakville. After weeks of waiting and holiday plans, we finally made the trek to Oakville to catch it.
It starts with a closeted Milk, played by Sean Penn, meeting his long time lover, played by James Franco, in NYC and then follows them to San Fran where he evolves into an openly gay business owner and rights activist.
The movie is great in its honesty, not glossing over the failures and defeats he endured on his way to becoming elected. Not glossing over the heartbreak and hypocrisy. Penn does an amazing job, as does almost everyone involved.
It ends with the murder of Milk and San Fran’s mayor at the time, George Moscone, at the hands of former city supervisor, Dan White. Not shown in the movie, but interesting none-the-less, his trial led to the infamous “twinkie defense”.
Perhaps the most interesting and thought-provoking part of the whole film was the dialogue surrounding proposition six, a bill that would have banned gays and lesbians, and possibly anyone who supported gay rights, from working in California’s public schools.
Although the initiative took place in 1978, 30 years ago, a lot of the arguments and statements sound eerily similar to statements and arguments that were being made in regards to proposition 8. You would think after 30 years, the discussion would have evolved a bit.
I think what was most sad, was the fact that in 1978 California voted against proposition 6 and the initiative failed, but 30 years later with the same misinformed and bigoted statements, proposition 8 passed in the same state. I guess we really are heading backwards, not forwards.
The movie is really well done and I think the acting is superb. I’d be really surprised if Penn doesn’t get an award for it. [edit: he did get an award - BFCA critic's choice for best actor]
Anyway, if you have the chance, you should definitely go and watch it.
