'King' Disap Oi Controversy on Film's Accur Flares up Amonk Black

ful than Mr. Williams remembers. remembers. Williams Mr. than ful

as weaker, less decisive and more fear,- , , fear,- more and decisive less weaker, as

of Dr. King" because it portrays. him him portrays. it because King" Dr. of

rthe film was completed. Though that that Though completed. was film rthe

that the film "distorts the true image image true the "distorts film the that ern Chritlan Leadership Conference, Conference, Leadership Chritlan ern

-dring, It flared again this week when when week this again flared It -dring,

I:the three-part series .was shown on on shown .was series three-part I:the

t,of Dr. King's widow, Coretta Scott Scott Coretta widow, King's Dr. t,of j•ceriflict was muted by the intervention intervention the by muted was j•ceriflict

i.because, to each of those who partici- who those of each to i.because, executive director of Dr. King's South- King's Dr. of director executive

7 7

black people in America. • • America. in people black

has Issued a harsh statement charging charging statement harsh a Issued has

-Rev. Ralph Abernathy, a close associ- close a Abernathy, Ralph -Rev.

of their own histories and an Important Important an and histories own their of

at what they take to be deliberate dis- deliberate be to take they what at

'''Patecl,Ythe civil rights period and their their and period rights civil '''Patecl,Ythe

tortions of an Intensely personal part part personal Intensely an of tortions part of the history of the struggle of of struggle the of history the of part

movement. Others are simply enraged enraged simply are Others movement.

lieve the film to be a moving and use- and moving a be to film the lieve

the civil rights leader's life. life. leader's rights civil the cies and omissions of Individual and and Individual of omissions and cies

reuired literal fidelity to the details of of details the to fidelity literal reuired

ful evocation of King the man and his. his. and man the King of evocation ful

group contributions because they be- they because contributions group

documentary, which - would have have would - which documentary,

portrayed as being cowardly, Mrs. King King Mrs. cowardly, being as portrayed

fending the fain as a drama that should should that drama a as fain the fending

Dr. King are prepared to ignore what what ignore to prepared are King Dr.

they perceive to be historical inaccura- historical be to perceive they

summer summer

be Judged as such, rather than as a a as than rather such, as Judged be

saw an early version of the script last last script the of version early an saw

ern Christian Leadership Conference, Conference, Leadership Christian ern

quickly squelched that objection by de- by objection that squelched quickly

his successor as president of the South- the of president as successor his

'King' Disap oi oi Disap 'King'

ate of Dr. King through his life and and life his through King Dr. of ate

important.' important.'

memories of Dr. King are. emotionally emotionally are. King Dr. of memories

NBC.' NBC.'

Controversy on Film's Accur Accur Film's on Controversy

The Rev. Hosea Williams,. now • • now Williams,. Hosea Rev. The

Some of those who were Close to to Close were who those of Some

The earlier argument arose when the the when arose argument earlier The

The reactions are emotional, in part part in emotional, are reactions The

Flares Up Amonk Black Adi Adi Black Amonk Up Flares

' rn' • Jr. ran' into controversy controversy into ran' Jr. • rn' '

4 4

`TIT'. `TIT'.

HE dramatization of the life of of life the of dramatization HE

the , Rev. pr. Martin Luther Luther Martin pr. Rev. , the

and and

By ROGER,WILKINS , , ROGER,WILKINS By

thought that Dr. King was was King Dr. that thought

its accuracy even before before even accuracy its

: body: to lead if that courage hadn't hadn't courage that if lead to body: :

• •

' everybody was getting shot." ; ; shot." getting was everybody '

..King and of the courage of the black black the of courage the of and ..King

aren't so sure about the overailjMOiCt overailjMOiCt the about sure so aren't

been there.",. there.",. been

a little town in South Carolina.. Carolina.. South in town little a

people. Martin wouldn't have had any- had have wouldn't Martin people.

of that period, but of her childhood In In childhood her of but period, that of

state, agreed with Mr. Young. for her, her, for Young. Mr. with agreed state,

the film is a powerful evocation not only, only, not evocation powerful a is film the

Mr. Levison Is clear about his judgment judgment his about clear Is Levison Mr.

the only black civil rights lawyer in that that in lawyer rights civil black only the

Fund in Mississippi and was for a time time a for was and Mississippi in Fund

the 1960's for the NAACP Legal'Defense Legal'Defense NAACP the for 1960's the

of the impact pf.the film: , , film: pf.the impact the of

Children's Defense Fund, who worked in in worked who Fund, Defense Children's

grievances about being leftAmbas, leftAmbas, being about grievances

some of them have their' own. persorial persorial own. their' have them of some

the whole thing, and sorrut'of them were- were- them sorrut'of and thing, whole the

sador Young said.' • • said.' Young sador

of the movement was portrayed fide• fide• portrayed was movement the of quately at all,", he said. bnonetheless, bnonetheless, said. he all,", at quately

n't there during the whole: period,. and and period,. whole: the during there n't

somewhat impatient with ,mtick: of !the !the of ,mtick: with impatient somewhat

criticism. • • criticism.

of both the Man and the period 'arid was was 'arid period the and Man the both of

and beneficial. "I don't thinic the rest rest the thinic don't "I beneficial. and

film was a Successful dramatic Successful a was film

who served as the'executive director of of director the'executive as served who

lions,, its overall impdct Is powerful powerful Is impdct overall its lions,,

lieves that, while It has major major has It while that, lieves

movement Is !central to the film, be- film, the to !central Is movement

the S.C.L.C.'• under Dr. King,t Dr. under S.C.L.C.'• the

York lawyer whose role In. Dr. King's King's Dr. In. role whose lawyer York

shot, that Julian Bond got shpt, that that shpt, got Bond Julian that shot,

to to

all the time. After the first night, I I night, first the After time. the all

had nightmares that Andy .Young got got .Young Andy that nightmares had

sippi days. Iliad forgottn that, even even that, forgottn Iliad days. sippi

horrible the fear was in those Missis- Missis- those in was fear the horrible

very personal: It reminded me of how how of me reminded It personal: very

though it Is so recent, I was scared scared was I recent, so Is it though

childhood had been. My reaction was was reaction My been. had childhood

old son," she said, "and for the first first the for "and said, she son," old

time he began to understand what my my what understand to began he time

• •

Others who were were who Others

"This Is both the' story .Cif 'Martin 'Martin .Cif story the' both Is "This

Marian Wright EdelMan;dIrector of the the of EdelMan;dIrector Wright Marian

"Some of the critics didn't even watch. watch. even didn't critics the of "Some

Stanley D. Levison, D. Stanley

But the United States repreientabve repreientabve States United the But

the the

was watching it with my 8-year." 8-year." my with it watching was

United Nations, Andrew Andrew Nations, United

• •

' • • '

- -

". ".

the movement movement the

a while New New while a

• •

:hinka :the :the :hinka

evotation evotation

3. 3.

!. !.

Young, Young,

,. ,.

• •

-L'Memphis, April 3, 1968. 1968. 3, April -L'Memphis,

'hate." She said It was not necessarao. necessarao. not was It said She 'hate."

,parage and defame the memories of of memories the defame and ,parage

•

her her

'a great. man too and those S.N.C.C. S.N.C.C. those and too man great. 'a

whostr"total philosophy was based on, on, based was philosophy whostr"total

other leaders," and and leaders," other

In paying tribute to Dr: King to "dis-, "dis-, to King Dr: to tribute paying In

She said she was "outraged" by the by "outraged" was she said She

color X, had a more specific complaint.' complaint.' specific more a had X, color

out."

portrayal of her husband as a man man a as husband her of portrayal

„Jackson

out. That was part of Martin's story story Martin's of part was That out.

too and It shouldn't have been left left been have shouldn't It and too

was always 'around bailing everybody everybody bailing 'around always was

face of the leartit and the N.A.A.C.P: N.A.A.C.P: the and leartit the of face

kids were as brave as anybody on the the on anybody as brave as were kids

it beyond redemption. redemption. beyond it

Moses (an early S.N.C.C. leader) wait wait leader) S.N.C.C. early (an Moses

who .requested anonymity, "but Bob. Bob. "but anonymity, .requested who

no doubt about that," said one persort persort one said that," about doubt no

centration on Dr. King has*, distorted has*, King Dr. on centration

of the film. They think the fierce con- fierce the think They film. the of

The Rev. De. De. Rev. The

Dr. Betty Shabaz, the widow of Mal- Mal- of widow the Shabaz, Betty Dr.

"Martin was , a great' man, there's, there's, man, great' a , was "Martin

THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY,. FEBRUARY FEBRUARY THURSDAY,. TIMES, YORK NEW THE

intention to suLNBC and the' the' and suLNBC to intention

; ;

F • • F

left, and the Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy in in Abernathy D. Ralph Rev. the and left,

Martin Martin

she she

has announcerb announcerb has

• •

Luther King Jr witiktlie witiktlie Jr King Luther

r. r.

' '

. .

, ,

iwieted,,lielold me, 'Don't make me, me, make 'Don't me, iwieted,,lielold

.staunchly .defends the the .defends .staunchly

said in a recent interview, "is that this' this' that "is interview, recent a in said

mooshy, a mish mash." mash." mish a mooshy,

is the kind of film Martin Luther King King Luther Martin film of kind the is

of the film.: film.: the of

stood the S.N.C.C.. criticism, but- he: he: but- criticism, S.N.C.C.. the stood

producers of the film. film. the of producers

yeloped the film, says he can under- can he says film, the yeloped

was there In a significant way. It's• It's• way. significant a In there was

who feels the omissions keenly. keenly. omissions the feels who

when obviously Julian's (Bond). (Bond). Julian's obviously when

ton Holmes integrated the University University the integrated Holmes ton

presence in th efilm suggests S.N.C.C. S.N.C.C. suggests efilm th in presence

vision news analyst, who with Hamil- with who analyst, news vision

of Georgia In 1961, is one of those those of one is 1961, In Georgia of

my friends," she said. "1 don't see how how see don't "1 said. she friends," my S.N.C.C. could have been sold so short short so sold been have could S.N.C.C.

"Whit(People don't!Understand," don't!Understand," "Whit(People

sailpgeiplei_,_won!t_ believe-.1111j. believe-.1111j. sailpgeiplei_,_won!t_

Abby. Mann,, who wrote and and wrote who Mann,, Abby.

"All of those people in S.N.C.C. were were S.N.C.C. in people those of "All

Charlayne Hunter-Gault, now a tele- a now Hunter-Gault, Charlayne

c c

Rei: Rei:

' '

Jesse Jesse

gdnerat thrust, thrust, gdnerat

16, 1978 1978 16,

. . . .

' ' .de.` .de.`

the film shows Julian Bond persu'ading Nixon, who was an official of both

by the Student Nonviolent Coordinat- department store desegregation pro-

curred in a project substantially led• James Cheney and Mickey Schwerner, mentioned prominently in the film, oc-

gram was also a S.N.C.C. project, while !That'll enough for me."'

ing Committee and that the Atlanta

by other organizations. He noted that Federal Bureau of Investigation asset; NA.A.C.P. Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters,. has .been clouded for many

ence•on the movement, In a recent In: Montgomery bus boycott by E: D. ,

the Freedom Rides were initiated by the Congress of Racial Equality, that to to work with Dr. King but the murders of Michael Goodman, describe the major contributions made

thrview, he went to great lengths to

Hone that he was a Communist influe ,so Many lies, but this the Sleeping Car Porters and the by A. Philip Randolph. president of the gation had been initiated by the Na- ' preme Court decision and that that liti- Dr King eo lead it. "

the long sweep of contributions made bus boycott "was marked be a Su- of Colored People." He also mentioned

tional Association for the Advancement 'ther King'Sr,) came up to me at the ;thiTC

the contribution of Mr. Levison, who

- He also recalled that the Montgomery

and the pivotal role played in the

And Daddy king (the Rev..Martin Lu'

One of the film's majoir theme*

. _

iiiTio

most of his

and said, There have been

—

oist and do

•

private activities

------,---

iviiefl

whose

the

years

truth.

d1d

rola

•tg

pretty clear. .

:haw. But in a Harlem restaurant the •

shoreman. "I figured. they'd show all

said Nathan 'Watson, A retired long-

morning: after, ',the answer seetned - ' Winfield's portrayal. of Dr. Kleg.

offeringi On the other networks.. •

teeth why "King" was watched by so .

evenings it was shown, "King' trailed

suryeys end conduct post-mortems to , of "King'! , averaged 13.8. In nearly

every city on each . of the following

night ratings in New York for the con- increase to 21 per dent).

rating of 4tthe first two episodes

eluding episode showed only a slight.

the first two episodes of "King" (over- on eight successive evenings more than

, hoped to repeat.

W Americans watching television were chiding episode Tuesday evening, scored

a year ago. Only one in five watched • and day-time bartender, said: "It made tuned to "Roots" when it was shown

whose success NBC executives had nowhere near the viewership of •

a black family's life in the slave era,

Luther King Jr. was a ratings disaster.returned with a. framed

"Roots," the ABC-TV dramatization of

a three-night run on NBC with its con- . a march down .Seventh Avenue after "King," the

$5 Million TV Documentat3i Showl

"I know the story; I knew the man,"

NBC ' executives may commission.

"Roots" had . an average Nielsen .

On the average; two out of three

Is Regarded as a Rating Disaster;

•

By CAREY. WINFREY•

•

million documentary drama ' .want to see it

history or drama,

about the Rev. Dr. Martin

six

ATEVER Its virtues as

hour spe

''' •

, l that ended

NBC's

_ : ,

$5 ;hoses on women

. ,,.

, Still, Mr, Coleman thought that the

. . and it would lust turn ..my stomach::

Popularity. ''And if was 'more romantic

;

Bull, was Police Conimissioner hi :Bir-

„

. , Joseph Kirkpatrick,.tha

60's, was one of those whom the

the civil rights movement of the early

mingham, Ala., in the early 60's.

too young to fehteenber much about tram infuriated.

watched "Roots," - had, been on hand

then' more skillfully• produced.' But he said.

came back,with the same feeling I had- each,evening at his restaurant to watch that 30 people, nearly as many as had , owner, agreed that "Rebta";+had been

Byron Coleman, an 'engineer, offering

of the actor. "I

for the March:4nd seeing it again. It done and ' particularly praised Paul

"Kirke production had been. very, Another explanation' • for its greater like to feel that way, either.". It also made me feel bitter, and I don't and had a more 'dramatic :build-up."

me very, very sad. I didn't feel as sad

."But then company came by," she said,.

room while my husband watched It." Kin

with 'Roots'. This,wai a

fair

"and they thought it would make them

John's Pace on , ;Sventh Avenue at

all weepy, so we went into another

watch the, first episode; Sunday night. ..

King's assassination In 1968.

138th Street„ said that she began to

that

sicking doge on people, turning water'

this

Eugene Connor, whose nickname was'

Lisa Simmons, who said that she wait .

"He came across so well." he said

g."

Gladys Bigger, the restaurant's cook

Saa Doter, another patron of

" 'Roots' was a .revelation," said

showed

and I don't like sadness too much.

stuff

'Roots' Termed a Revelation

left the restatrdfit.. deny and

bout

him In' the front rank of

!'. ''"

•t , .

Montgomery,

and.shildren,

1'..:;;ti- -'

as in 4

.:.

• !

Washington

li •

restaurant's' very

photograph,

Alabama,

•-

- ,1Z

•

sad af-

didn't

pro-

erell

. .

,„

•

;

•

-treat other human beingsiike that.

treated down in the South. It's hard

since the events portrayed in "King." We've come along way.".. •

been followed through," Wand Added: to believe that human beings; could her about haw far the nation has come

heralded at ' the time—none, of it has

"There've been laws, and they'Ve found gotten together—as much as they were

Can't legislate the mind." '

said. "It's lousy, the way they were

realize that.all the advances he bad ways to evade them. As they sair, you hearing Mrs, Simmons, disagreed with

Mr. Adams said, "One is just the con-

tinuation of the other."

•

But Another patron, E.' Adams, over-

He Said that the program ;Wade me

"I was getting mad watching It," she

Asked to compare "King" to "Roots,"

•• !

- '