Harvey Milk Film Analysis

Harvey Milk was a homosexual political leader and gay activist during the 1970s in San Francisco. Harvey Milk has been idolised for his courageous life and fundamental input in acquiring political respect for gay individuals. Milk was a prominent figure in The Gay Liberation Movement during the approximate period of 1970s and1980s. Milk’s area of influence was based in San Francisco, California in the United States of America. He was appointed to the City’s Board of Permit Appeals, making him the first openly gay City Commissioner in the United States. Milk finally won the position of San Francisco City-County Supervisor on January 9th, 1978. His political career focused on the national interests of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and

Milk, as gay man, fought for equal rights for homosexual individuals during a time of sexual repression for sexual minorities. The film correctly portrays the progressive development of Milk’s political ideologies, from when he first moves to San Francisco till his time in office during 1978. In 1972 Harvey Milk and Scott Smith move to San Francisco and buy the Castro Camera, a store which initially sold cameras but later became a political hub for Milk’s campaigning (Source 9). The evident appearance in the film of Milk’s belief in gay rights in seen through his methods of addressing a homophobic bar owner that accosts Milk and Smith on Castro Street (Source 13). Milk displays the same diplomatic, level-headed but firm rejection of homophobic slurs that characterised his entire political campaigning (Source 13). This burgeoning development of Milk’s political agenda is correctly portrayed within the film. Harvey Milk’s agitation with inequality progressively evolves until the point where he decides to take action as seen through his declaration in 1973 of candidacy for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In the film Milk discusses his decision to take action with Smith inside their apartment. In the dialogue with Smith, Milk proclaims ‘politics is theatre. It doesn't matter if you win. You make a statement. You say, 'I'm here, pay attention to me.’ (Source 13) Even though he subsequently lost this first election he progressively gained a following in the gay community (Source 9). Thus the film stays true to Milk’s political advancement and agenda. Harvey Milk’s following within the film progressed rather abruptly as the film does not address Milk’s gradual development and creation of the Castro Village Association in 1974 which ultimately created a base for gay merchants and business (Source