The Dramatic Denzel Washington

• COVER STORY Continued from COVER father Malcolm X.ltis interesting to note that in the numerous discourses on Malcolm, his Caribbean heritage and its influence on his life has not been a main issue, if indeed noted at all. His mother, Louise Norton, who died in 1990,was a native Grenadian. For her children, she always stressed the importance of self-awareness and the development of one's character. "It's that sense of self and that con- fidence that enabled him to speak out for everybody;' says Malikah, who intends to visit Grenada to fill in some of the gaps in her family tree. "I think that my lather's backbone came from my grandmother." She emphasizes that though her father was very proud of the various facets of his heritage, he did not separate them. He would define himself as an "African in America" since, despite the differences in the roots from which we came and the routes we all took to get here, we are ultimately all from one place-Africa. Very much her father's daughter, in appearance aswell as insight, Malikah observes, "Wecan't separate ourselves because that separation allows the problems that exist to continue:' MALCOLM THE REEL DEAL Photo: Peterson Grosvenor Malcolm X's daughter, Malikah Shabazz, pic- tured with CLASS publisher's daughter, Katurah Elizabeth John-Sandy twas 27 years ago that Malcolm X was assassinated, yet his legacy is causing as much furor and controversy as he did when he was alive. During his lifetime, an eventI-filled 39 years, Malcolm Little underwent several transformations. Most of his biographers like to chop his life up into four stages: Malcolm Little, Detroit Red, Malcolm X and Omowale or El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. These names are indicative of Malcolm's ever- evolving political awareness and spirit- ual growth. Malcolm's life, with its humble origins and meteoric rise to international acclaim, has a storybook quality to it. If his days with us have become a memory larger than life-something too many are rushing now to commercialize-to deify it is perhaps understandable, albeit 'a distressing. That Malcolm would have 02!.. ~ wanted such adoration is unlikely, given "c, his often self-effacing love for the people. :E & Still, like the fish that fought over the dis- '" membered Orpheus, Malcolm's legacy is ~ ::l the subject of all sorts of artistic endea- 0 U vors, and subsequent debates, and there .i9n appears to be no end in sight. 0 0s..: There was a minor dispute in 1989 X among the cast of X, the opera based on E I <5 the life of Malcolm X. Some members of -;;u; I ::E I 32 CLASS MARCH/APRIL 1992 I the cast disagreed with the composer's interpretation of certain events. This past summer, Dr. Betty Shabazz (Malcolm's widow) and Pathfinder Press brought a lawsuit against a writer and publisher for copyright infringement. They claimed that Dr. Abdul Alkalimat and Writers & Readers Press failed to get their permis- sion for material used in the book, "Mal- colm X For Beginners. Perhaps the biggest tiff surrounding the legacy of Malcolm X involves filmmaker Spike Lee and a number of New York City-based militants. In an open letter to Lee several months ago, the radi- cals warned that if the filmmaker violates Malcolm's imaqe'or impugns his With Fidel Castro; Harlem, September 1960. integrity, they will lead a massive boycott at every theater across the country "to see that the masses of Black people are comes of Lee's efforts and then voice most significant aspect. What will be his informed about these distortions and their criticism. "Lee has every right to focus? How will he handle Malcolm's what must be done to oppose them." make his interpretation of his vision of complex, ever-changing life? Does he What seems to bother these activists- Malcolm," Haley told writer Betty Wins- possess the resonance and vision to cap- who, led by the noted poet/playwright ton Baye. ture the essence of Malcolm? Will he be Amiri Baraka, hand-delivered the letter But it is ironic that Lee is catching flak able to chip away the myth and legend to Lee-is the filmmaker's track record. from elements of the Black community which have already hardened around Of central concern to them is the way in after his chance at this project came fol- the man we need to know? which Lee has satirized, ridiculed and lowing his denouncement of the produc- Obviously, these were some of the otherwise made a mockery of Black mile ers who had chosen a white director for obstacles that baffled and stymied the itants in his films. They contend that the film. "Malcolm is one of our most previous writers and their efforts. Lee will none-of his five films has had a strong treasured heroes," Lee told a reporter at be revising a script that was authored by male character with any of the political Mother Jones magazine. "To let a non- the late James Baldwin and Arnold Perl. consciousness, acumen and integrity of Malcolm X. They assert that Lee's nationality is not enough "to tell us whose side he's on;' and his past films are clearly part of a "retrograde trend." Not at all cowed by his detractors, Lee lashed back, telling them that he "was going to make the kind of film" he wants to make. "While Irespect the concerns of the writers of the letter," he said in an interview with this reporter, "this film will not be made by a committee." That a film on the lifeand times of Mal- colm X is being made at all is somewhat miraculous, given the rather troubled and circuitous history of the project. And while there is legitimate concern from the activists about protecting their icon who "is not just another commercial prop- erty" from an "unqualified" filmmaker and the peculiarities of Hollywood, Lee, After the firebombing, February 14, 1965. according to many concerned parties, should be allowed an opportunity to give African American do it is a travesty." This script was apparently never com- us his artistic impression of this hero's life. It is certainly hoped by all that the pro- pleted, though, for the most part, it was Alex Haley, the famed author of Roots, ject won't go from "travesty" to tragedy approved by producer Marvin Worth, who assisted Malcolm in compiling his under Lee's direction. And much of the who optioned Alex Haley's Autobiogra- popular autobiography, is reluctant to blame will fall on him since, as in his phy of Malcolm X from Dr. Shabazz 20 take sides in this controversy, but insists other films, Lee has the responsibility of years ago. After Baldwin's attempt, there that the critics should wait and see what developing the screenplay, which is the were at least four other writers, including 36 CLASS MARCH/APRIL 1992 people Lee has seen is historian John INTRODUCTORY Henrik Clarke, who was very close to Malcolm X. Lee concedes that this meet- OFFER ing was very brief, but there were longer LIMITED TIME ONLY sessions with Dr. Shabazz, Malcolm's brothers Wilfred, who lives in Detroit and Robert, who is the director of the Child Welfare Agency in New York City. "And I've also talked at length with Ossie Davis who delivered the eulogy at Malcolm's funeral," said Lee. The real challenge, he said, was to make a film that would depict a believ- able version of Malcolm without the nor- mal Hollywood cliches, which often destroy biographies. It is a movie based on fact, he insisted, not fiction. "This is not a documentary," Lee asserted. "The critics seem to be thinking that this is a documentary, but it isn't. I'm putting everything I've got into this film and they will have to wait and see what I do." According to several viewers who were invited to see early rushes of the film, what Lee has done is certain to pro- voke further debate. Supposedly, some of these clips seem to dwell excessively MALCOLM-X on Malcolm's relationship with a white Full Color 18 x 24 Poster prostitute and show him in bed with her. $19.95* Other clips are equally unflattering, ifwe Malcolm with daughters Qubilah (left) and are to take the opinions of some who 'Includes Shipping and handling Attallah,1963. have seen the previews. for one poster. A recent interview with Spike's father, (Add $1.00 handling for each musician Bill Lee, was also very reveal- ~ditiOnal poster.) ing. The bassist, who has been respons- ible for composing the music for his son's r----------------------------, films, said he is not involved in the film Make check or money order on Malcolm's life. "I have nothing at all to payable to: do with it," he said with a huff, "and I have no idea what Spike is doing, nor Charles Lilly Bnterprises, Inc. am I interested." THEN MAIL TO Spike, who has already visited Africa, 217 W. 18th St. #1232 is reportedly again on the continent New York, NY 10 113 working on the film, although his father is not sure about the purpose of the visit. Name _ In Harlem (December, 1964) with Abdul It has been rumored that Lee has Mohammed Babu, leader of 1964 revolu- Address .Apt _ returned to Saudi Arabia to complete tion in Zanzibar. City State__ Zip_ David Bradley and Charles Fuller, and scenes depicting Muslims making the two directors Sidney Lumet and Nor- Hajj to Mecca.

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