Milk (2008)
Biography, Drama |.
Milk is a American biographical film based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Dustin Lance Black, the film stars Sean Penn as Milk and Josh Brolin as Dan White, a city supervisor, and Victor Garber as San Francisco Mayor George Moscone.
Attempts to put Milk’s life to film followed a 1984 documentary of his life and the aftermath of his assassination, titled The Times of Harvey Milk, which was loosely based upon Randy Shilts’s biography, The Mayor of Castro Street.
The film opens with archival footage of police raiding gay bars and arresting patrons during the 1950s and 1960s, followed by Dianne Feinstein’s November 27, 1978 announcement to the press that Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone had been assassinated. Milk is seen recording his will throughout the film, nine days (November 18, 1978) before the assassinations. The film then flashes back to New York City in 1970, the eve of Milk’s 40th birthday and his first meeting with his much younger lover, Scott Smith.
Dissatisfied with his life and in need of a change, Milk and Smith decide to move to San Francisco in the hope of finding larger acceptance of their relationship. They open Castro Camera in the heart of Eureka Valley, a working-class neighborhood in the process of evolving into a predominantly gay neighborhood known as The Castro. Frustrated by the opposition they encounter in the once Irish-Catholic neighborhood, Milk utilizes his background as a businessman to become a gay activist, eventually becoming a mentor for Cleve Jones.
Director: Gus Van Sant
Writer: Dustin Lance Black
Stars: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, James Franco, Alison Pill, Victor Garber
►Cast:
| Sean Penn | … | Harvey Milk |
| Emile Hirsch | … | Cleve Jones |
| Josh Brolin | … | Dan White |
| Diego Luna | … | Jack Lira |
| James Franco | … | Scott Smith |
| Alison Pill | … | Anne Kronenberg |
| Victor Garber | … | Mayor Moscone |
| Denis O’Hare | … | John Briggs |
| Joseph Cross | … | Dick Pabich |
| Stephen Spinella | … | Rick Stokes |
| Lucas Grabeel | … | Danny Nicoletta |
| Brandon Boyce | … | Jim Rivaldo |
| Howard Rosenman | … | David Goodstein |
| Kelvin Yu | … | Michael Wong |
| Jeff Koons | … | Art Agnos |
| Ted Jan Roberts | … | Dennis Peron |
| Boyd Holbrook | … | Denton Smith |
| Frank M. Robinson | … | Frank Robinson (as Frank Robinson) |
| Allan Baird | … | Allan Baird |
| Tom Ammiano | … | Tom Ammiano |
| Carol Ruth Silver | … | Thelma |
| Hope Tuck | … | Mary Ann White (as Hope Goblirsch) |
| Steven Wiig | … | McConnelly |
| Ashlee Temple | … | Dianne Feinstein |
| Wendy Tremont King | … | Carol Ruth Silver (as Wendy King) |
| Kelvin Han Yee | … | Gordon Lau |
| Robert Chimento | … | Phil Burton |
| Ginabel Machado | … | Lily |
| Daniel Landroche | … | Young Teen |
| Trace Webb | … | Boy with Flier |
| Velina Brown | … | Morning Show Host |
| Scott Patrick Green | … | House Boy |
| Mary Dilts | … | Channel 5 Reporter |
| Roman Alcides | … | City Hall Engineer |
| Robert George Nelson | … | San Francisco Cop No.1 |
| Brian Danker | … | San Francisco Cop No.2 |
| Richard Gross | … | Riot Cop |
| Borzin Mottaghian | … | Briggs’ Driver |
| Brian Yates Sharber | … | Gay Man |
| Camron Palmer | … | Medora Paine |
| Cully Fredricksen | … | Assistant Sheriff |
| Mark Martinez | … | Sylvester |
| Danny Glicker | … | Customer (as Daniel Glicker) |
| Catherine Cook | … | Opera Performer – Tosca |
| Joe Meyers | … | Opera Performer – Spoletta |
| Dominic Sahagun | … | Another Protester |
| William McElroy | … | Barber |
| Joey Hoeber | … | Union Man |
| Mark E. Stanger | … | Priest |
| Christopher Greene | … | Reporter |
| Jesse Caldwell | … | Chamber Clerk |
| Paul Arnold | … | Supervisor |
| Jack Dunston | … | Supervisor |
| Ron Gruetter | … | Supervisor |
| Awele Makeba | … | Supervisor |
| Tony Vella | … | Supervisor |
| William M. Verducci | … | Supervisor |
| Gilbert Baker | … | Telephone Tree |
| Shavi Blake | … | Telephone Tree |
| Sean Paul Lockhart | … | Telephone Tree (as Brent Corrigan) |
| Draco Dewar | … | Telephone Tree |
| Dave Franco | … | Telephone Tree |
| Alex Gonzalez | … | Telephone tree |
| Olen Holm | … | Telephone Tree |
| Elias McConnell | … | Telephone Tree |
| Tom Randol | … | Telephone Tree |
| Lynn McRee | … | Moscone’s Secretary |
| Cleve Jones | … | Don Amador |
| John Parson | … | Castro Man |
| Jay Kerzner | … | Speaker |
| Kristen Marie Holly | … | Anne’s Friend |
| Sandi Ippolito | … | Relative |
| Roger Groh | … | Reporter |
| Maggie Weiland | … | Girl on Motorcycle |
| Dustin Lance Black | … | Castro Clone |
| Drew Kuhse | … | Pizza Delivery Man |
| Eric Cook | … | Robert Hillsborough |
| Roger Mudd | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Carolé Acuña | … | Protestor |
| Martin Andris | … | Castro Voter |
| Matt Austin | … | Campaign Messenger |
| John Douglas Ayers | … | Castro Local |
| Harmony Blossom | … | Law Student |
| Dani Bocca | … | Castro Street Kid |
| Matthew Bridges | … | Birthday Party Goer |
| Tom Brokaw | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Jerry Brown | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Clyde J. Bruff | … | Politician |
| Anita Bryant | … | Self (archive footage) |
| John Edward Cabrera | … | Teamster |
| David Cade | … | Waiter |
| Greg Cala | … | Senator Briggs’ Aide |
| Jimmy Carter | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Cabran E. Chamberlain | … | Riot Cop |
| Hardy Childers | … | Castro Man |
| John Clerkin | … | Castro Guy |
| Brad Comfort | … | Castro Clone |
| Kimberly Contreras | … | Activist |
| Bryson James Cooke | … | Campaign Volunteer |
| Walter Cronkite | … | Self (archive footage) |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia