Milk Film Analysis

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Don’t let the movie title, Milk, fool you. The movie’s title has nothing to do with the milk beverage. Sorry milk enthusiast. On the other hand, for those who love politics then this is the movie for you. This movie is solely focused on American Democracy. The protagonist, Harvey Milk, is an openly gay politician who is a victim of the discrimination that occurs against the LGBTQ society. In efforts to create change, Harvey Milk decides to run for city supervisor. Throughout his candidacy, he is confronted by idealist who want unconstitutional ordinances to be passed. When Harvey Milk is finally elected he establishes ordinances that protect homosexual’s rights. Many people vote against him, but in the end he wins with plurality of votes.
Gus Van Sant, the director of the movie, chose to include every detail that he possibly could to relate this movie to American Democracy. He strategically included heterosexual and homosexual actors to spark a political debate. The director clearly wanted to make a point about the discrmination against the LGBTQ society. He emphasizes this by having homosexuals march down the streets of San Francisco, destroying city property. …show more content…

freedom. Anita Bryant and candidates who run against Milk emphasize how homosexuality goes against God, therefore, it should be illegal. They believe that homosexuals should be outcasted and their freedom infringed upon, favoring inequality. While the LGBTQ soicety favors equality and believes that no matter one’s sexual preference they are entitled to freedom. This growing controversy can be related to whether or not same sex marriage be allowed. Religion seems to play an important and controversial role between issues that involve the LGBTQ society. Before American Democracy can answer any of these questions, a line needs to be drawn between politics and

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