Movie Monday: "Selma," a film by Ava DuVernay, 2015

Yoichi Okamoto [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Films that depict historic events often come with the necessity of literary license in the specific content of the film, either because there are gaps in the historical record or the success of the film relies on dramatization. Much has been said about the film Selma, and I am happy to have seen it on Amazon Prime. This historical drama depicts the events of the Civil Rights Movement that lead up to the march to Montgomery and, eventually, President Johnson calling for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. What members of the various movements endured, the struggles and challenges not only from Southern whites favoring the status quo, but the doubts that arose in their own minds, and I love that about film.

The film showcases the acting abilities of a variety of quality actors, including David Oyelowo, who depicts Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tom Wilkinson ably commands the screen as both a talented actor and an embodiment of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Carmen Ejogo shines as Coretta Scott King, and was personally approved by Ms. King to portray her in the film. Tim Roth brings his acting abilities to bear as Alabama Governor and (at the time) unashamed segregationist George Wallace, who also memorably stood at the doorway of the University of Alabama's Foster Auditorium as the college was desegregated by law. I believe the casting was very carefully done, as no major faults in delivery or quality exist in this film for me.

The film opens with two events that shape the flavor and nature of the Civil Rights Movement. First is the image of Dr. King (Oyelowo) receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. This is paired with scenes of the 1963 KKK bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, which left four children dead. The circumstances and context for the film are set up early, with a scene where Annie Lee Cooper (played by Oprah Winfrey) is denied the right to vote by the white registrar in Selma (although legally African Americans were afforded the right to vote, the decision of "fitness" for that right was largely left to individual registrars who, in the South, set up arbitrary, impossible questions and conditions for applicants). These events set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement's various organizations (including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)) to respond with different tactics and philosophies, both of which are touched upon in this film.

One of the most important outcomes of films like Selma, that moves beyond their occasional lack of historicity, or absolute historical authenticity, is that audiences are reintroduced to significant events in history. My hope is that viewers will explore the fight for civil rights as conducted by King and others on their own, while also realizing that the fight is not yet won. Selma and other films like it are, at their core, films about American identity, but also what it means to be part of the human species. It calls us to recognize the inherent worth in ALL people, regardless of race or religion.

The great tragedy of the events in this film is, while some creative license is taken when interpreting individual characters or their thoughts on Civil Rights (most critical was the portrayal of President Johnson as a reluctant supporter of Civil Rights when, from the documents, Johnson was a firm believer in King's mission), the core events, murders and prejudicial treatments of African Americans is true and largely uncontested. Anglo American supporters of the Movement were often branded "white niggers" and brutally attacked and murdered. African Americans who peaceably protested the systematically unfair treatment were imprisoned by their government, and spit on by their neighbors. Dr. King was assassinated.

American civil rights are an ongoing fight, and not only for African Americans, but all ethnic groups. Civil rights for African American populations are also at the forefront of current events, with murders of African American suspects plastered all over the headlines of the national media. Though we as a country have come a long way since 1965, Americans must all look to their consciences and continue to question just what values will be carried forward into the future, not only for the country itself, but for international relations and human rights, as well. The eyes of the world are always upon us, are we acting in a way to warrant such attention? Selma is a great introduction for further exploration of what the Civil Rights Movement in the US meant to the development of our yet imperfect Union.

Stream "Selma" on Amazon Prime.

Film Review: "House of Saddam," directed by Alex Holmes and Jim O'Hanlon, 2014.

House of Saddam. Directed by Alex Holmes and Jim O'Hanlon, writer, Stephen Butchard, featuring Igal Naor, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Amr Waked (HBO Films in association with BBC, HBO, 2008), Streaming (Amazon Prime Streaming, 2014).


House of Saddam provides the viewer a docudrama with a healthy mix of suspense, action, and emotional turmoil that surrounds the near 25 year regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. The total series is split into four parts, each focusing on a specific year in his life.

Part One: 1979 showcases his coup over then Iraqi President Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr and his rise to president.

Part Two: 1988-1991 reveals a few of the origins of Iraq's war with Iran, as well as Saddam's eldest son Uday's increasingly erratic behavior as the son of a dictator. We also see Saddam meet personally with US ambassador April Glaspie, whose carefully diplomatic statement of "no opinion" on the regional conflicts between Kuwait and Iraq provides Saddam with an opening to initiate hot war for economic disagreements.

Part Three: 1995 sees Iraq's economy in disarray, between the disastrous Gulf War and UN sanctions, as Saddam's attention focuses on establishing a familial tie to the Prophet Muhammad. Even as his eldest son's behavior becomes increasingly troubled and UN Inspector Rolf Ekeus takes a hardline approach to his work, Saddam's own inner circle of trusted advisors begin questioning his ability to lead.

Part Four: 2003 Charts the US-led invasion of Iraq under President George W. Bush. Saddam's hold on power continues to decline as the economy and military abilities of Iraq cripple under the superior resources of the coalition forces. Saddam is forced to go into hiding as his sons face an American siege. The film ends with Saddam's 2006 trial for crimes against humanity.

Overall, this series of films provides a satisfying look into the Machiavellian ideology Saddam Hussein brings with him as he gains and holds power in Iraq. Any film with a controversial figure as its subject demands a team that carefully balances the political with the economic and the human. These films do not adequately showcase the political interplay between the international community and Saddam's Iraq, particularly the various cooperative agreements between the West and Iraq when it suited the former. The human aspects of the regime are displayed well, however it might have strengthened the film to explore what little is known of Saddam's upbringing.

Saddam's adherence to gaining and maintaining power through intimidation and fear shows what happens under such regimes. The sheer ignorance of what his people experienced under his control, either through blindness or a lack of care, is displayed alongside his other brutal ways of maintaining power. This film is a testiment to the lead actor Yigal Naor's abilities, as he captures the dictator's mannerisms and emotional displays well. The supporting cast also provide a strong accompaniment to bringing this interesting story to life.

Historians will cringe at the lack of depth, but viewers would be well suited to see this series as a new glimpse into the lives of a thoroughly propagandized figure. The team focused on research and accuracy to the best degree they could. Alex Holmes states:

"We set out to talk to as many people as we could who had known Saddam first-hand in order to piece together a picture of what life was like inside Saddam's ever-shrinking inner circle. We spoke to his allies and to his adversaries; to politicians, exiles, palace insiders, his cooks, his menservants, friends of the Hussein family and government ministers. We interviewed people inside and outside Iraq.

"We cross-referenced these interviews with pictures and home movies left behind by the Hussein family, some produced for propaganda purposes, but others more candid, salvaged from the regime's destroyed palaces. And we accessed the partial trail of documents that emerged following the fall of the secretive and obsessively bureaucratic regime. The process took three years and involved a team of three researchers, all Arabic speakers. What emerges is a distinct and independent portrait of a dictator and his center of power."

The paper trail is impressive, and provides strong support for what is displayed. It is a welcome addition to the variety of films seeking insight into shadowy, controversial figures that impacted nations.

Recommended Films: W.; The Hurricane, Man on the Moon; Ray; Ali