James Earl Jones narrates this fascinating and moving documentary about the life of the assassinated black leader through various sources.
Malcolm X (1972) is a documentary film directed by Arnold Perl, released on May 24, 1972 with a runtime of 1h 31m. It stars James Earl Jones, Ossie Davis, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. Viewers rate it 6.7 out of 10 across 15 ratings.
James Earl Jones
as Biographical Narration (voice)
Ossie Davis
as Eulogy (voice)
Malcolm X
as Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali
as Self (archive footage)
Leon Ameer
as Self (archive footage)
Vida Blue
as Self (archive footage)
H. Rap Brown
as Self (archive footage) (as Rap Brown)
John Ali
as Self (archive footage)
Kwame Ture
as Self (archive footage)
John Carlos
as Self (archive footage)
Eldridge Cleaver
as Self (archive footage)
Ella Collins
as Self - Remarks After Death of Malcolm X (archive footage)
Directed by Arnold Perl, written by Alex Haley, Arnold Perl and Malcolm X, produced by Mick Benderoth, Nancy Reals Perl and Marvin Worth.
Average viewer score of 6.7/10 from 15 ratings.
Regardless of your views on the sheer zealousness of this documentary, it does provide a fascinating, archive backed, insight into the power of oratory. Europeans had already experienced this kind of preaching to those without hope, or certainly with a perception that they have little left to lose, but to witness such a well documented and sustained attack on the state of not just American society, but the broader…
Reviewed on July 14, 2025
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Malcolm X (1972) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of Malcolm X (1972) includes James Earl Jones, Ossie Davis, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali and Leon Ameer. The film was directed by Arnold Perl. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Malcolm X was released on May 24, 1972 and runs for 1h 31m.
Malcolm X (1972) holds an average rating of 6.7 out of 10 from 15 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy documentary films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
