The Times of Harvey Milk

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The Times of Harvey Milk

Released Sep 20, 1984

1h 27m

Documentary

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Popcornmeter

96%

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27 Reviews

94%

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2,500+ Ratings

Operating from his camera store in San Francisco's Castro district, charismatic Harvey Milk is defeated three times before being elected to the city's Board of Supervisors, making him California's first openly gay public official. On the job he meets fellow supervisor Dan White, a homophobic ex-fireman with whom Milk develops a troubled working relationship. White grows increasingly disgruntled, resigns from his position and subsequently assassinates both Milk and Mayor George Moscone.

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Critics Consensus

True to its title, The Times of Harvey Milk looks back on the life of the titular politician and activist -- and the era he helped define with his trailblazing career.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

''The Times of Harvey Milk'' is anything but a dispassionate documentary.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 28, 2020

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

... an unremarkable documentary about the San Francisco politico...

Jan 4, 2018

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Michael Sragow

The New Yorker

[A] lucid, empathic 1984 documentary ...

Jun 19, 2017

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Michael Bronski

Gay Community News (Boston)

Both a documentary and a personal statement; a skillful recreation of history and an analysis of what history means to us as a gay community. It is as much a story of the birth and emergence of gay pride and gay anger as it is the story of any one man.

Sep 21, 2022

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

The subject commands more respect and affection than does the movie itself.

Rated: B-

Aug 31, 2022

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

Eloquent, insightful and narrated by Torch Song Trilogy's Harvey Fierstein.

Rated: 4/5

May 28, 2020

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terry w

An important event in USA history. It's so helpful to hear opinions directly from people who were there, including allies. There's a scene near the end that always makes me intensely angry. It helps me understand why anyone would go out and burn the symbols of unjust authority.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

A surprisingly non-manipulative doc that chronicles this explosive time in American history that shines with inspiration as well as irony of activist movements of any kind.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/31/17

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Audience Member

Very good round up of the life of H. Milk surrounding his rise to the city of San Francisco council in support of the homosexual life style. He was the most outgoing and outspoken of them all, making humourous and compelling arguments in defense of homos. It was a fight and the conservative side did not like losing the battle at the mayoral offices, forcing Dan White to go back in position. DW was refused and HM actively pressured the mayor to refuse his reinstatement. DW somehow lost it and killed the ennemies, the mayor and HM. Good extras in the DVD that brings more light to the situation at the time and many other supporting characters.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

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Audience Member

I love this movie !!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

one of the best documentaries!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

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Audience Member

A truly wonderful film documenting Harvey Milks rise to prominence and his eventual assassination by former colleague Dan White. This is documentary film making at its finest using archive footage and interviews this stands as a glowing testament to Harvey Milks legacy of tolerance love & hope. It would be easy for this film to demonise Dan White as pure evil for the murder of Mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk yet the documentary is almost sympathetic in its portrayal of a sick sad frustrated man that had found himself left behind by the times. The film rightly condemns the light sentence he received whilst mentioning he was never offered psychiatric help during his time in prison. Shortly after the films release Dan White committed suicide. The saddest thing about all this is the events of that tragic day in November 1978 need never have happened at all.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

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Rob Epstein

Director

Harvey Fierstein

Narrator

Harvey Milk

Self

Anne Kronenberg

Self

Tory Hartmann

Self

Tom Ammiano

Self

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Synopsis

Operating from his camera store in San Francisco's Castro district, charismatic Harvey Milk is defeated three times before being elected to the city's Board of Supervisors, making him California's first openly gay public official. On the job he meets fellow supervisor Dan White, a homophobic ex-fireman with whom Milk develops a troubled working relationship. White grows increasingly disgruntled, resigns from his position and subsequently assassinates both Milk and Mayor George Moscone.

Director: Rob Epstein
Producer: Richard Schmiechen
Screenwriter: Judith Coburn, Carter Wilson
Distributor: New Yorker Films, TC Films International
Production Co: Pacific Arts, Black Sand Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 20, 1984, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 29, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $13.6K
Runtime: 1h 27m

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