Recently my wife, one of our sons and I had the priviledge of seeing Milk in San Francisco’s Castro District.
As most if not all, of you know, Milk was filmed in Castro and is the place where Harvey Milk lived, worked and loved. To have the opportunity to see Milk there is a memorable experience that we recommend for EVERYONE. Not only does the theater provides an ambiance of stepping back into yesterday with it’s rich ornate architectural details while including a live performance by an organist playing Somewhere Over the Rainbow but, it’s Castro. Do I really need to explain? Okay. Remember, the opening song to Cheers? "Where everyone knows your name"? Somehow, walking in Castro you hear that? It’s like the sidewalks and storefronts permeate a sense of belonging or, okayness? Castro is the world that should be everywhere — I am not even gay and I can feel it…..
Totally cool!
And the movie? Well what can I say? Sean Penn played Harvey Milk stunningly. Just as we have come to expect of any role he plays. The movie both grabs you with its ability to succinctly execute to the history of this tragedy and yet, successfully instills in your heart the understanding of and belief in perseverence and faith in hope. Hope for the day when our GLBT brothers and sisters no longer fear and no longer are faced with questioning their position anywhere and everywhere.
For those that don’t get it? A must see but I would caution them to commit themselves to an open-mind and an open-heart so they do not scorn at or pass judgement on physical or love relationships that they themselves cannot relate to. Tell them, ‘It’s not about that!’ It’s about people. yes, people different from you but PEOPLE. Perhaps then they will put stuff aside and see through to the human condition and the struggle of then AND today. Perhaps then they will see the total liberation that is overdue.