A Look Back at a Troubled Time in America

Rating: 8/10 (9 January 2015)

Selma offers a look back on the attitudes of the United States particularly the deep south during the period just after the passing of The Civil Rights Act in 1964. At that time Negroes were granted the right to vote. But in those deep south States The film focuses on Alabama where although Negroes were given the right to vote the state government of Alabama put every obstacle in there path to prevent them from voting from Poll Taxes to test of Civics knowledge. We see how The Reverend Dr. Marten Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo- in a remarkable performance) led the marches into Selma over the Edward Pettus Bridge where the marchers were met with both a State Police and Armed Citizens attacking them so they could not march over that bridge . As the peaceful protesters being met with violence started showing up on the front pages of morning newspapers and nightly network newscast the attitude of the nation began swinging in favor of Dr. King and the protesters posed a huge problem for President Lyndon Johnson (Tom Wilkson) who was going through a election season. It was tough watching some of those violent scenes with police clubbing and kicking protesters both black and white marching in a peaceful manner. Fifty years later those same scenes are playing out today on our HD TV Screens as police still are attacking and shooting unarmed citizens dead without retribution. It's a awesome film that moves a bit slow in segments of it's 128 minute length. AL Governor George Wallace (Tim Roth) is portrayed as a out and out racist not willing to step in for what's right thus angering President Johnson. to the point where the President talking to Wallace on how history will look at both men in 1984 telling Wallace I don't want anyone putting me in the same light as you (not exact wording) There was one major error of one scene The segment in the film where President Johnsonis addressing a joint session of Congress on "The Voting Rights Act" (March- 15-1965) The House Mace which sits on it's pedestal when the House is in session is missing. (The design of the mace is derived from ancient battle weapon and the Roman fasces. The ceremonial mace is 46 inches high and consists of 13 ebony rods – representing the original 13 states of the Union– bound together by silver strands criss -crossed over the length of the pole. Atop this shaft is a silver globe on which sits an intricately cast solid silver eagle) is missing