Bayard Rustin

Over the past few years there has been numerous, very good films detailing the tumultuous times of the 1960's - and many of them have been Oscar Nominated. From THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 to JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH to SELMA, one can get quite a history education by watching these films.

Add to this, RUSTIN, with Colman Domingo Oscar Nominated for portraying the titular character, Bayard Rustin - a gay, black man - who Organized the famed March on Washington in 1963.

Colman is a deserved Oscar Nominee for portraying a character that is strong in his beliefs - including his sexual preferences - and is not afraid to let anyone know that he believes that African-Americans...and homosexuals...deserve equal rights under the law.

Being both Black AND Gay in the 1960's in America is not an easy thing to endure.

And so this film tells us. Again...and again...and again. Such to the point that one loses the main thrust of the film - the pivotal March on Washington that was a seminal moment in the 1960's Civil Rights Movement - and, instead gets bogged down in the Soap Opera-y antics of a philandering, gay black man. And...this is too bad for Director George C. Wolfe (MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM) has the makings of a strong, effective film - with a charismatic, engrossing central performance - but loses the way of the film as it descends into melodrama.

And, perhaps, that is the film that Wolfe wanted to make all along, but it comes at the detriment of the larger themes that could have been mined.

Clearly many in the African-American Performing Community thought highly of the project to appear in small, almost cameo, roles. From fellow 2023 Oscar Nominees Jeffrey Wright (for AMERICAN FICTION) to Da'Vine Joy Randolph (THE HOLDOVERS) to Chris Rock, Audra McDonald, CCH Pounder and Glynn Turman, one could feel to star power on the screen.

If only Director Wolfe and screenwriters Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black had given them a better vehicle to star in.

The themes were there, they were just missed.

Letter Grade: B (solid performances for Domingo and others)

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)

Bayard Rustin is one of the most overlooked figures in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, even though he was a key organizer of the Martin Luther King's March On Washington in 1963. George C. Wolfe's movie goes the pretty standard bio-pic route focused on the months leading up to the march, buoyed by a galvanizing performance by Colman Domingo in the title role.

Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black's script hits the main points along the way and fills in some of the details of Rustin's personal life, including his sexuality and his outspokeness - even to fellow civil rights leaders. Domingo keeps the movie going even when the storytelling doesn't project much momentum. His gregarious acting is infectious and uplifts his fellow cast members - there are times when even MLK Jr. (Aml Ameen) seems like a dullard by comparison! RUSTIN fictionalizes some aspects of the true story, unfortunately. And, Chris Rock is mis-cast as the NAACP's Roy Wilkins (probably for marquee value).

Fortunately, when Domingo is on screen, the movie breathes. He brings the character to life. The March itself is deftly told on a budget, and still brings the emotion from the rally all these decades later.

This is the type of biopics that I like, the story of those historical figures whose epics we do not know because they were so long ago. Colman Domingo shines alone as Bayard Rustin, with a unique performance worthy of applause.

But apart from that, I think the film takes too much refuge in a conventional style, when it could have been much bigger. The story of Rustin and Dr. King is the kind of story that could be talked about for hours and hours, and on screen we could have seen more fundamental aspects of their relationship and a more powerful conclusion.

It is an enjoyable film because of Colman Domingo's performance and the story of those we should not forget, like Rustin.

My Review - Rustin Streaming on Netflix My Rating 8/10

Former President Barak Obama and wife Michelle who founded their Higher Ground Production Company in 2018 are Executive Producers of this informative and entertaining portrait of an unsung hero of the American Civil Rights movement .

Bayard Rustin who is played so impressively by Colman Domingo was key to organising the historic 1963 Peaceful march on Washington to the Lincoln Memorial when an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 people gathered to advocate for the civil rights and economic rights of African Americans.

The final speaker on that momentous day was Dr Martin Luther King Jnr a close friend and ally of Bayard Rustin . He is portrayed in the movie Rustin by Aml Ameen who also delivers an impressive performance .

On that historic day in 1963 in Washington at The Lincoln Memorial Dr Martin Luther King gave his famous "I Have a Dream " speech which called for an end to racism and the bigotry associated with it.

While his historic speech made headlines around the world standing quietly behind his friend Dr Martin Luther King stood the hero of this Netflix series Bayard Rustin and it soon becomes obvious why .

Bayard Rustin the gay Afro American man who organised the March wasn't even listed as a speaker and was allotted less than 30 seconds to summarise the demands made by the leaders who spoke before him.

He was still there long after all the other people who took a turn at the podium retired for the night Bayard Rustin was still there, directing 500 volunteers in a strenuous cleaning effort to leave the National Mall better than they'd found it.

Fifty years after that momentous March In August 2013 President Obama chose civil rights leader Bayard Rustin to posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He said this recognition is long overdue. While the achievements of fellow recipients are related to the expansion of liberty in its broadest sense, this high honor fits Rustin to a tee.

The movie Rustin interested me because of two civil rights issues because Bayard Rustin as well as being an African-American leader in social movements for civil rights, socialism, and nonviolence, also helped secure gay rights especially towards the end of his life .

In this movie which deals more concerning the events leading up to the Washington March we see the blatant homophobia that existed even within the Afro American community that Rustin advocated so strongly for. His enemies within and without his community gossiped and vilified him attempting to disassociate themselves from his activism and organisational skills because of the stigma surrounding his sexuality.

Later in his life Bayard Rustin made his famous quote on Gay Civil Rights after the Civil Rights Bill was passed on the 2nd of July 1964 by then President Lyndon Johnson he said .

The barometer for judging the character of people, in regard human rights, is now those who consider themselves gay, homosexual, lesbian. The judgment as to whether you can trust the future, the social advancement - depending on people - will be judged on where they come out on that question.

In 1982 Bayard Rustin was very concerned about protecting his life partner Walter Naegle's financial and civil rights.

At that time gay people had no protection at all and marriage between a same-sex couple was inconceivable.

So Bayard Rustin legally adopted Walter Naegle 30 years his junior in 1982 because that was the only thing they could do to legalise their relationship.

I recommend this very entertaining movie it's an impressive cast and introduced me to an impressive man who at last like the late English mathematician Alan Turing who is now credited with helping end the 2nd World War .

Both men remained unsung heroes who because of their sexuality were vilified and ignored and not honoured until long after their deaths.

I always love it when the unsung heroes of history get their fair due - I must admit that I did not know much about Rustin before this biopic.

I think the beginning was fabulous, it had great speed and the camerawork was good but then for me it somehow did not balance well the depiction of the work and his personal life. Also, I hoped the events of the march would be portrayed more but it was somehow almost like pushed in quickly into the last 5 minutes of the movie with no real culmination.

Also, what is it with Americans never acknowledging the rest of the world? In the end it says something like "...with 250 000 people making it the biggest peaceful protest to date." Is it so hard to add "in America" in the end? E.g. The Baltic Way in 1989 when 2 million people from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania joined hands to form the longest unbroken human chain in history to protest their illegal occupation by the Soviet Union in 1940 after the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact in 1939? As a history-enthusiast I just don't like such half-true statements being put out there.

Otherwise, solid movie with a very good lead and I think it is important that more people get to know about those who have thought for the rights of all.