The story of California’s first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.
“Milk” is a love song film to Harvey Milk and his legacy as a Gay Rights Activist. Harvey Milk’s tireless efforts to give the gay community a voice in America and alter the way Americans see our gay brother and sister is soulfully captured. “Milk” gives reality to the idea that a single voice, no matter the life, can change a nation if you have truth on your side. Harvey Milk, used his voice, the voice for survival and fairness to those oppressed in this great nation. Like Martin Luther King Jr., Harvey Milk had charisma and placed his life on the sacrificial Altar of inclusion so others may live their lives to the fullest.
“Milk” is indefatigable while peering into the heart of Harvey Milk’s life and final years living in San Francisco, 1970 to 1978, where his activism leads to a political career (he was known as The Mayor of Castro Street ) and the maintenance of equal rights legislation in the US. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office and after serving for approximately one year was assassinated by a fellow councilman (Board of Supervisors in California) bringing to a sudden and sad close to a promising career and powerful voice for human rights in America.
“Milk” opens showing newspaper clipping headlines of anti gay sentiment in the nation and the regular and constant rousting of gay men by police from known gay hangouts in cities and towns all across in the US. Director Gus Van Sant introduces us to Harvey Milk at his kitchen table speaking into a microphone taping himself saying for posterity, (I paraphrase here), “…this tape should be played upon my death should I be assassinated”. Van Sant returns often to Mr. Milk sitting at his kitchen table recording high points in his life as a well placed narration throughout the film.
Van Sant and writer Dustin Lance Black reflect upon the Religious Right attacks on gays in the work place with footage of anti gay rights activist/singer Anita Bryant, crusading across America giving speeches of hate glorified by her beliefs in God. When we compare those views from the 70’s to today, it is remarkable how far we’ve come as a nation and the distance we have yet to travel in our universal perspective of our children and neighbors.
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