Julian Bond Movies

Barry Goldwater was among the most controversial figures in American politics in the 1960s. A hard-line fiscal conservative and an outspoken supporter of the war in Vietnam, Goldwater was elected to the U.S. Congress as a senator from Arizona in 1952, and he helped galvanize the Republican party, leading the way for a bolder brand of conservative politics that many have cited as the first steps to the election of Ronald Reagan as president and the new wave of conservative thought that followed, despite Goldwater's own infamous defeat when he ran for president opposite Lyndon Johnson. However, while Goldwater was regarded as a spokesman of the far right, his political views were far broader than his reputation would suggest -- he frequently supported civil rights and environmental legislation in Congress, he was an outspoken opponent of the influence of Christian activists in politics, and his positions took an a more libertarian stance as the Republican party moved farther to the right in the 1980s. (He also once called Richard M. Nixon "the most dishonest individual I have ever met.") Goldwater also earned a reputation for his sharp sense of humor and his unflinching honesty. Barry Goldwater's granddaughter C.C. Goldwater produced the documentary Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater, in which home movies, archival interviews, newsreel footage, and conversations with Goldwater's friends, relatives, and colleagues come together to create a portrait of the public and private sides of this complicated man. Among those interviewed in the film are Walter Cronkite, Hillary Clinton, Helen Thomas, George Will, Sandra Day O'Connor, Ben Bradlee, Julian Bond, and Al Franken. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Did the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, allow certain Republican leaders to put policies and legislation into effect that they knew would be rejected by their colleagues and constituents at nearly any other time? That's the question posed by this documentary, which offers a detailed look at the thoughts and deeds of a number of figures close to the George W. Bush administration. During Ronald Reagan's presidency, a number of neo-conservative theorists proposed that the United States should abandon its support of certain international treaties, take a more aggressive approach in taking military action against nations deemed uncooperative with U.S. interests, enact legislation that would curtail civil liberties at home, and increase military budgets by a massive margin. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and others were able to bring about these changes, either in whole or in part. But was all of this in the best interests of the American public, has the risk of terrorist attacks truly been curtailed, and what will the long-term effects of these actions be? Narrated by Julian Bond, Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear and the Selling of American Empire features interviews with Norman Mailer, Noam Chomsky, Scott Ritter, Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatowski, William Hartung, and Jody Williams. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Frontline correspondent and Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. examines the widening gap between the upper and lower classes of black America while exploring just how we could simultaneously have the largest black middleclass and largest black underclass in the history of the United States. As black success continues on the upswing, Gates highlights how that positive trend is offset by deepening black despair. Could it be that the upper black classes share more in common with their white neighbors and colleagues than the friends and family they abandoned in the inner cities? Three decades after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., many American blacks have gained middle class status thanks to the civil rights movement and affirmative action. But numbers indicate that just as many were left to contend with poverty in the ever-expanding underclass as well. By intertwining his own life story against that of young African Americans coming of age in the early 21st Century, Gates compares the choices that he was faced with as a young man against the choices that the youth of today are faced with. Interviews with prominent blacks and civil rights veterans reveal that a large number of black leaders believe that issues of economic deprivation and class divide must first be addressed before any substantial improvement can be seen, while a study of the relationship between structural and behavioral issues that cause lower class blacks to fall further behind leads to a candid discussion about personal responsibility and the devastating effects of violent gangster culture. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

This is dramatic portrait of the flamboyant Harlem minister and Congressman. Through archival footage, still photographs, and onscreen interviews, Adam Clayton Powell provides a colorful and candid portrait of a man known for both his love of the "good life" and his dedication to civil rights. Narrated by Julian Bond, this documentary includes illuminating interviews with Shirley Chisholm, Julius Lester, and Powell's son -- Adam Clayton Powell III. Powell himself emerges as an important and tragic figure in the early stages of modern black politics in America. ~ Cara Saposnik, Rovi

Part of the Eyes on the Prize documentary series, which chronicles the American civil rights struggle, Eyes on the Prize: Mississippi, Is This America? (1962-1964) investigates the harsh, racially segregated Mississippi of the past. Describing events from the late 1800s to the early '60s, the program paints a vivid picture of Mississippi's hostile, racist environment and its transition into a more civilized territory. In 1963, the "Freedom Vote" workshop prepared residents of the state, both black and white, who had never voted. It seems a hopeful occasion after all the divided heartache. ~ Betsy Boyd, Rovi

Part of the Eyes on the Prize documentary series, which chronicles the American civil rights struggle, Eyes on the Prize: No Easy Walk (1961-1963) profiles three major movements. First, the program takes viewers to Albany, GA, where a violent police chief tested Martin Luther King's peaceful strategy. Next, in 1963 Birmingham, AL, young children volunteered to aid the dangerous cause. Finally, the program covers the 1963 March on Washington, a time of great optimism and support. Sadly, two weeks later, racial violence once again reared its ugly head. ~ Betsy Boyd, Rovi

Superpatriotic Briton Michael Caine learns from his son Nigel Havers, a Russian translator with Government Communications Headquarters, that the CIA might have ordered the deaths of some GCH employees to avoid any security leaks. When Havers mentions that he's thinking about blowing the whistle on the sordid goings-on, Caine, convinced that whatever the CIA is doing is for the greatest good, implores his son to keep quiet. Soon afterward, Havers is found murdered. Even after this, Caine refuses to think ill of his government and its allies. It takes the death of investigative reporter James Fox to shake Caine out of his self-denial and to confront the persons responsible for the killings within the GCH. The venerable John Gielgud offers a surprising characterization in this complex conspiracy thriller. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Part of the Eyes on the Prize documentary series, which chronicles the American civil rights struggle, Eyes on the Prize: Awakenings (1954-1956) describes the turbulent period of 1954-1956 and the growing strength of the civil rights movement. Thanks to the formation of certain organizations and the activism of local leaders and ordinary Americans alike, the cause was gaining incredible steam, preparing to motor itself into the fiery 1960s. Viewers learn about the historic Emmett Till murder trial, a significant moment in the civil rights chronicle, and the role of the media in the overall movement. ~ Betsy Boyd, Rovi