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Milk
The true story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man ever elected to public office. In San Francisco in the late 1970s, Harvey Milk becomes an activist for gay rights and inspires others to join him in his fight for equal rights that should be available to all Americans.
2008 · Directed by Gus Van Sant · 128 min · History · Drama · Screenplay in the scene database · 10 frames
Tagline
Never blend in.
Plot
On the evening of November 27, 1978, Dianne Feinstein announces to the press that Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone have been assassinated. Milk is seen recording his will nine days before the assassinations. The film then flashes back to NYC on May 22, 1970, Milk's 40th birthday, and his first meeting with his much younger lover, Scott Smith.
In 1972, dissatisfied with their lives and in need of a change, Milk and Smith move to San Francisco, hoping to find greater acceptance of their relationship. They open Castro Camera in the heart of Eureka Valley, a working-class neighborhood evolving into a predominantly gay neighborhood known as The Castro.
Frustrated by the opposition they encounter in the once-Irish-Catholic neighborhood, Milk uses his background as a businessman to become a gay activist, eventually becoming a mentor to Cleve Jones. Smith serves as Milk's campaign manager, but he grows frustrated with Milk's devotion to politics and leaves him. Milk later meets Jack Lira, a sweet-natured but unbalanced young man. As with Smith, Lira cannot tolerate Milk's devotion to political activism and eventually hangs himself. Milk clashes with the local gay establishment, which he feels is too cautious.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Written by: Dustin Lance Black
- Cinematography: Harris Savides
- Edited by: Elliot Graham
- Music: Danny Elfman
- Production design: Bill Groom
- Produced by: Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks
Cast
- Sean Penn as Harvey Milk
- Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones
- Josh Brolin as Dan White
- Diego Luna as Jack Lira
- James Franco as Scott Smith
- Alison Pill as Anne Kronenberg
- Victor Garber as Mayor Moscone
- Denis O'Hare as John Briggs
- Joseph Cross as Dick Pabich
- Stephen Spinella as Rick Stokes
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: English
- Studios: Focus Features, Axon Films, Groundswell Productions, Jinks/Cohen Company
- Budget: $20,000,000
- Box office: $54,600,000
- Themes: california, election campaign, politics, homophobia, san francisco, california, 1970s, mayor, politician, biography, based on true story
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