Malcolm X

Malcolm X (1992) is Spike Lee's epic biographical drama you can watch online on iFILM. Denzel Washington carries the film as one of the most divisive figures in American history, traced from small-time hustler to fiery minister.

The story moves through three lives of a single man. First comes 1940s Harlem, with zoot suits, numbers rackets and the petty crime that lands him in a Massachusetts prison. Behind bars he teaches himself to read deeply and embraces the teachings of Elijah Muhammad; out on parole, he becomes a speaker whose words could silence a hall. His wife Betty Shabazz, played by Angela Bassett, stands beside him, while his bond with his mentor slowly curdles. Across more than three hours, Lee refuses to flatten the man into either saint or villain.

The screenplay draws on the autobiography that Alex Haley assembled from years of interviews. Washington earned an Oscar nomination for the role, and Lee closes on documentary footage and a cameo from Nelson Mandela. Stream Malcolm X (1992) online on iFILM.