Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, January 23, 2021

11

 
Mountain Views News Saturday, January 23, 2021 

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges


FOSTER 
NEEDED!

This is a special 
situation. The 
loving family 
says: Seeking 
a cat-lover 
foster family 
for my two 
14-year-old-kitties that only live indoors, named 
Butterscotch and Commodore Fluffypaws. We
are relocating to New Zealand in February 2021
for two years. The flights and quarantine would
be too stressful for these old boys and they are
looking forward to being thoroughly spoiled in
their upcoming retirement years. They are very
healthy, and they will be most happy as the only
pets in their new home. That likely includes young children, too. They are truly the sweetest,
most friendly, and cuddly lap cats you’ll meet. Looking for a foster family for two years and we 
would welcome them back once we return. Can you please help? See more pictures, adoption
information and application on our website at the More Cats page at www.lifelineforpets.org.
Inquire now at sullivanphotography@gmail.com. Thank you!

MOVIE REVIEW

“ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI” 

Written by Kemp Powers, Directed by Regina King.

“One Night in Miami” begins by introducing us to four influential black men 
in 1964: Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke, each arguably 
at the top of their game in, respectively, boxing, civil rights, football, and music.

The movie begins with a brief introductions to these key players – we assume that most viewers 
already know most of them. We then get to watch the fight that jettisoned Cassius Clay to the 
heavy-weight title of the world, the February 25, 1964 fight with Sonny Liston. Then, after the 
win, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke expected to party with Cassius until the cows came home, but 
they first met at the motel room which Malcolm X reserved for them. 

The bulk of the movie then deals with their conversation, which, of course, no one has any idea 
if anything like this actually took place. That’s the beauty of “One Night in Miami”: Kemp Powers 
took great literary license, set into the historical reality of the day, and tried to present us 
with what these four Greats might have talked about. The result is riveting, insightful, humorous, 
and sad, and opens a portal to the thinking of those directly involved with the civil rights 
struggle of the 1960s.

After the fight, Malcolm X and Cassius Clay had planned a short discussion, and Cassius is trying 
to decide how and when to announce that he will join the Nation of Islam. Once Cooke and 
Brown arrive, they want to know when others will join them for the party, but Malcolm tells 
them that it’s just them, and no liquor. They are not happy.

Malcolm X is the spiritual leader and guide of the discussion, admonishing each of the men to 
do better, to rise up, to not let their lives be dictated by their white agents and bosses. Perhaps 
the most revealing and compelling discussion is when Malcolm X chides Sam Cooke for not 
rising to the occasion of civil rights in his music, and for just pandering to the emotional whims 
of his mostly white audiences. Cooke is incensed, pointing out how he owns his label, and 
owns his copyrights, and how he has worked towards equality through economic means. Cooke 
points out that everyone in the room has an actual job, all but Malcolm X. That only momentarily 
silences Malcolm X, who seems to be fairly accurately portraying the real Malcolm X as a 
strict and uncompromising American Muslim.

Another near fight breaks out during a later discussion where Malcolm X tells Clay, reluctantly, 
that he is actually thinking of leaving the Nation of Islam. Clay goes into a rage, feeling that 
Malcolm X was just using him to lend credence to Malcolm’s own possible breakaway group.

Powers did a masterful job of combing through the historical record to paint a realistic picture 
of the conversation that could have happened, which weaved together the drama occurring in 
each of the lives.

Clay was going to “come out” as a Muslim and knew it might hurt his career.

Cooke loved Bob Dylan’s song which so accurately described Cooke’s feeling – “how many roads 
must a man walk down, before he is called a man?” – and he was visibly ruffled by Malcolm 
X’s suggestions that he wasn’t doing enough. The movie depicts Cooke’s new direction by his 
performing of “A Change Is Going to Come” on the Johnny Carson show. (In fact, this song was 
recorded before Clay’s heavyweight fight).

Brown was at the top of his game, and was about to decide to retire from football and go into 
acting, a never-certain proposition.

And Malcolm X, wanting to inspire each of these men to even greater heights in service to the 
goal of equal rights for the black man, was himself in turmoil. Though Malcolm X had become 
the eloquent spokesman for the American-born Nation of Islam, he was well aware of the lavish 
lifestyle of the leader, Elijah Muhammad, and his many women out of wedlock. Most objective 
observers regarded Malcolm X as nearly a saint by comparison to the leader of the Nation, and 
after Malcolm X’s visit to Mecca, he saw a new side of Islam, that Islam embodied people of all 
races. He knew that breaking from the Nation would have dramatic consequences, and he even 
foresaw his eventual assassination.

Though the movie makes a few alterations in the chronology of known historical dates, the 
movie otherwise flows well and is believable. I was spellbound, and could not stop discussing 
its various aspects long after it was over.

The movie ends with certain highlights of each of the four men: Cassius Clay declaring the next 
day that he was a member of the Nation of Islam, and his name was now Muhammad Ali. Jim 
Brown retiring from football and pursuing an acting career. Sam Cooke revealing a new song 
which revealed a new direction towards support of the civil rights movement. And lastly, Malcolm 
X is shown reading the manuscript of his autobiography, as told to Alex Haley. Almost a 
year after Cassius Clay won the heavyweight title, on February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was giving 
a talk at the Audubon Ballroom, and was no longer affiliated with the Nation of Islam. Three 
members of the Nation of Islam gunned him down and killed him that night.

“One Night in Miami” shares a personal, private side of these four men, and does justice to their 
memories.

Cassius Clay played by Eli George, Malcolm X played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Jim Brown played 
by Aldis Hodge, and Sam Cooke played by Leslie Odom Jr.


Pet of the Week

 Not a cat person? Theo will change your mind immediately! 
This eight-year-old guy is the most social and affectionate 
cat. If you want someone to cuddle with you while you 
watch movies, or be your office buddy while you work, 
Theo is your guy. He loves snuggling, making biscuits, and 
being pet. Some of his other hobbies include sitting by the 
window and watching the world go by, and chittering at 
people with his adorable meow. His foster family says he’s 
a very sweet boy – all he needs is a warm lap, a good view, 
and you!

 The adoption fee for cats is $100. All cat adoptions include 
spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-
wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a 
goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

 View photos of adoptable pets and schedule a virtual adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.
org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available every 
Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the following week.

 Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls 
or email.


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