I Just Wanted to Be Somebody (2007) User Reviews

Infuriating but important

[preppy-3 · 7/10 · 17 May 2007]

Very short documentary about Anitha Bryant and her vicious campaign in the 1970s against gays. It shows her commercials that started her career--then it shows news footage of her successfully defeating a proposal in Florida that was to stop discrimination against gays. The footage of her demonizing gay men was just horrendous--it's so wrong you just gasp and so hateful it boggles the mind. But we see where it lead to destroying her marriage and her life...and there's the infamous footage of her getting hit in the face with a pie during a news conference (my audience erupted into cheers).

This is an important historical document for all audiences. Younger viewers might not have a clue on who she was and her vicious campaign. But they should see this and know how it used to be for gay rights and what gay people had to fight against.

Curiously it ends with somebody reading a long (very long) letter that he wrote to Bryant and home footage of her which makes her look like a monster. It brings everything to a screeching halt and never really documents on how Bryant was defeated. Still this is a must see for younger audience especially. However, because of the ending, I can only give it a 7.

Looking back to a decisive battle for gay rights in Florida, 1977.

[UNOhwen · 3 June 2010]

Before 1979, and aids - one of the biggest fights GLBT had to fight was ignited by Anita Bryant - who at the time was the spokesperson for the Florida Citrus Growers association.

Most people who do remember Ms. Bryant, remember her as that smiling, southern white-toothed 'wholesome', white-bread singer singing; 'come to a Florida sunshine tree...,' and the virtues of ...oranges.

In 1977, a battle was fought in Dade County, Fl. that was about preventing discrimination based on sexual preference. AT the front of this battle, was Ms. Bryant - and her husband (with STRONG backing from Jerry Fallwell's Moral Majority), who launched a fight in Dade County to 'protect' the good citizens of Dade County from the evil 'ho-mo sex-u-als,' and their evil plot to 'corrupt' the innocent (mostly young children).

In this short, writer Fenton Johnson and director Jay Rosenblatt string videos of Ms. Bryant - starting with that Orange juice 'image' and devolving into the subsequent battle, ending with it's outcome both in terms of what the fight did for gay rights (empowered and consolidated it), and what it did to Ms. Bryant's marriage (failed), and career (failed - twice declaring bankruptcy).

The images of Ms. Bryant - all of them of her with her dark hair, white teeth, beaming, toothy smile - take on ever-increasing menace as the story of what was happening in Dade County progressed.

This whole sordid episode is summarised in the (long) narration Fenton Johnson gives towards the end - in which he said that, while Ms. Bryant might have won the battle (the provision to protect gay rights failed), but lost the war.

Nothing Wrong With What She Did

[wayneoscarbry · 3 June 2010]

The film was somewhat ambiguous. While the filming of Anita (except the pie incident) showed nice pictures of Anita, the letter being read during the filming is intended to discredit her.

First of all, she did not do anything wrong. She simply took a stance against the openly "alternative life style" that the gay movement wanted to propagate. Hence, this was no "Martin Luther King" peaceful civil movement she was opposing.

Lastly, had Anita today done what she did in the late 70's, she would have had a lot more support from the conservative medias which we enjoy today. Anita did not have the support which a lot of conservatives have and enjoy today, and yet she took a stance and allowed the chips to fall where they did.

Anita Bryant is one of my heroes. I believe she has helped to pave the way for others to stand up for what is right no matter the cost. She has gained more than what she has ever lost. Today she is a fulfilled Wife, Mother, Grandmother, friend and mentor. Her best years, and life after, is still ahead of her.

So then, if one is in to ambiguity, than one may want to see this film. As I wrote earlier, nice footage of her; not so nice of a letter being read during the filming.