I’d like to think that I walked away from watching Milk having learned a few things – mostly in a historical sense. I wasn’t familiar at all with Harvey Milk going in, so the biopic served as a potent historical account, as well as being an entertaining bit drama. The idea of even making a feature film about the life and death of Harvey Milk was inspired by the Oscar winning documentary, The Times of Harvey Milk – that made liberal use of news footage to tell its story (much like Milk did). And as informative as Milk was for me, what could be more informative in regards to the life of Harvey Milk than a movie inspired by a documentary? Why, the documentary, of course!
After watching The Times of Harvey Milk, you realize that some of Milk‘s most poignant scenes actually took place, and that dialogue was actually spoken. So while the writer might not be able to take credit for the films more eloquent oratory, he at least deserves credit for using them to best effect. Timing is the key, and that comes from a writer and a director with a firm grasp of both the script and the story.
The titles of these two films also offer insight into what they are out to accomplish. The dramatic film devoted itself to examining Harvey Milk, the man. Other players in his life were provided screen time as it related to him, but to delve into the lives of all the major players involved, particularly Doug White, in a dramatic fashion would have turned it into an epic. The Times of Harvey Milk on the other hand was concerned with how Harvey had affected the lives of the people around him, and accomplishes this goal with interviews with his friends, colleagues and acquaintances. The documentary is aptly titled because it cast a light on Milk’s moment in history and how the people close to him experienced that moment. It’s a touching and tender portrait and would certainly fill out the experience of those wanting to take their Milk experience further.
The most remarkable thing about watching The Times of Harvey Milk is realizing that this Harvey Milk guy actually existed. That this strange, outrageous man, played masterfully by Sean Penn, walked this Earth. Making use of interviews, news footage, and other pieces of stock material, this documentary fleshes out the life and times of a man that transformed a city, a country and an entire movement.
The Verdict:
