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Chisholm 72 - Unbought & Unbossed (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:7
Fresh:6
Rotten:1
Average Rating:7.6/10
Runtime: 88 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
US Box Office: $0
Synopsis: Marking a watershed moment in American politics, Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman to run for a presidential nomination, and in doing so became a true "voice of the people." She stood on... Marking a watershed moment in American politics, Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman to run for a presidential nomination, and in doing so became a true "voice of the people." She stood on an openly liberal platform that defended the causes of the poor, the young, gays, minorities, and other marginalized Americans. Facing a more powerful and often bigoted opposition, Chisholm nonetheless won over a surprisingly large and vocal amount of support with her determination and refusal to kow-tow to the status quo. Eventually defeated by Senator George McGovern--viewed by many Democrats as the more "electable" candidate--she managed a few coups along the way, and remains an inspiration in markedly conservative times. This documentary is a stirring assemblage of archival footage, Chisholm's commentary both then and now, and interviews with supporters and opponents, as well as luminaries such as Black Panther founder Bobby Seale, authors Susan Brownmiller and Octavia Butler, author and activist Amiri Baraka (then LeRoi Jones), former Congressmen Reverend Walter Fauntroy and Ronald Dellums, and journalist/ historian Paula Giddings. The film is set to a compelling soundtrack of music contemporary with Chisholm's race. [More]
Starring: Shirley Chisholm, Walter Cronkite, George Wallace
Starring: Shirley Chisholm, Walter Cronkite, George Wallace
Director: Shola Lynch
Director: Shola Lynch
Studio: Film Movement
Reviews for Chisholm 72 - Unbought & Unbossed
Hearing her speak her finely honed mind in unscripted, un-'handled' terms is worth the price of admission in itself.
Avoids some hard questions: in her presidential campaign did she make mistakes in building relationships? Did she follow some ill-planned strategy or none at all?
Solid, straightforward docu should prove a durable broadcast and educational item for years to come.
Abundant archival footage of other contenders -- Edmund Muskie's breakdown in New Hampshire, a loopy Hubert Humphrey ad -- skillfully reinforces Chisholm as a refreshingly quixotic populist, running on fervor and indignation.
Although many people may be aware that Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman to run for this country's Presidency what makes this film such a magnetic documentary is the details behind the campaign, and the woman.
Rather than seeming dated, Chisholm's moxie and commitment is a refreshing antidote to the opportunism and cynicism that rules the political roost today.
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