Now that is a movie, and every movie like it says this at the beginning in some form, “based on actual events.” Similarly, “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” is not billed solely as that. It is not billed as co-written by Malcolm X and Alex Haley, it is exactly billed (with extreme foresight) “as told to Alex Haley.” You can never be sure as to the accuracy of what is within, it all depends on the intentions and acts of those who produced it.
In the case of the book that pretty much all falls down to Alex Haley, one man.
In the case of the film, it comes down to Spike Lee and legions other people. Films of that magnitude cost money and Lee petulantly and likely with a ton of sincerity demanded that he be given as much money as he needed to put out his version. I saw him do it in person speaking at the University of Berkley. He finally did so by asking for gifts (not loans) from people with money like Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, and many others.
I find Lee to be a sincere and fair filmmaker at least in the making of “Do the Right Thing” and “Malcolm X.”
All films have messages, and all films have some degree of real truth in them. Some movies “based on actual” events, especially based on race have been filled with not only lies, but lies that are so absurd they actually destroy and misrepresent the true inspiration of the events that they were allegedly trying to inspire you about. Look into Disney’s “Glory Road” and then read the accompanying book telling the same story of the main character (who was white) of that movie as written by Don Haskins. I did (because I was told to by Malcolm in Haley’s book) and there is nothing about that film that doesn’t repulse me.
One is a big budget movie made by a corporation and the work of many men. The other is low budget bare bones recollection by one man who was actually there and a hired writer.
My first impulse (seen again though the prism Malcolm and Haley’s book) is to trust the book more. My second impulse (also from Malcolm and Haley) is to find more books to read about the events, which may have less reasons to not be more objective.
Some movies (and I think Malcolm X qualifies) are relatively sincere in their messages. Other movies are purposefully insincere. Both are propaganda to to extent. Propaganda can be used for good or evil and maybe even those that produce it have no real idea of its value to humanity or its long term effects.
Malcolm had a story and a message. His message to the one who finally conveyed it was apparently that he needed a “writer,” and that those he considered “his people” needed many.
Spike Lee had a message in “Do the Right Thing” and even though it appeared to be histrionic and confusing, it was actually subtle and clear.
The last words of Lee’s previous film, “School Daze” were “wake up!” The first words of “Do the Right Thing” were “wake up.” The message of “Do the Right Thing” was indeed “wake up.” That message was ignored and Lee consciously did not make Malcolm X as subtly, especially the “bookends” that surround the film.
I think it was pretty a pretty sincere and fair movie minus those “bookends,” but the name of the film is not “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” or “The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley,” the film’s name is “Malcolm X.” It may have even been called “X” had Lee had his way and no marketing concerns and backers to consider.
By that time it was not only Lee’s story, but Marvin Worth’s who had acquired the rights, James Baldwin’s (who was originally commissioned to write it; knew Malcolm; had his opinions on Malcolm; had many opinions of his own;and had sparred with Malcolm frequently on film or TV), Arnold Perl’s (who contributed to the screenplay and had once been blacklisted in the McCarthy days), Alex Haley’s, Malcolm X’s, Denzel Washington’s, and literally too many more to mention with another 10,000 words.
One thing I did not personally like was the depiction of this scene.
All of that is in Haley’s book. Every bit of it. What is also in Haley’s book, but not in the film was that Malcolm regretted answering that sincere question with the answer “Nothing.” What was or was not accurate as to Malcom’s real feelings, is relatively irreverent. It is in the book, and it is not in the movie. Both were conscious decisions. It’s exclusion in the movie was not a slip up or mistake it was not there for a reason.
