"Till" is based on the lynching of Emmett Till in Mississippi in 1955 and his mother's
subsequent fight for justice.
This is a well-documented historical event because it brought the brutality and injustices
experienced by black people to the forefront of public consciousness.
The world has become more aware of the "Black Lives Matter" movement in the last half-decade
than at any other time in history.
We were filled with dread while watching this film because, despite the fact that 67 years
have passed since 1955, we know that the current situation for the black community is barely
better.
The subject was handled sensitively in the film, with the creative choices remaining
true to the spirit of Mamie's struggles.
That, we believe, is what made this film so compelling: its closeness to people's intentions
throughout history.
As a result, we hope you will forgive us if we are a little short on details about the
movie's events.
We'd rather concentrate on the message because this is a film that prioritizes the story
over the medium through which it is told.
The story of Emmett Till, aka Bobo, should never be forgotten because, looking back in
time, we realize that we haven't come that far and that we still have a long way to go.
warning Spoilers Ahead.
It's August 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, and Mamie is getting ready to send her son to
Mississippi for the summer to spend time with his cousins.
She is upset because she realizes that the racism in the deep South may be too much for
her 14-year-old son to handle.
Of course, she is concerned, because even in Chicago, the store clerk informs her that
purses are stored in the basement, and as soon as Emmett "Bobo" Till leaves the wallet
counter, another clerk checks to see if all of the items are present.
We wish we could say that this had passed us by.
But, as we've all seen in the news, this is still a common practice in even the most prestigious
retail outlets.
In any case, she coaches him to be the smaller person while in Mississippi in order to avoid
white people's attention.
He can only stay safe if he avoids all forms of scrutiny.
In the South, racial and political tensions are at an all-time high.
Lamar Smith and Reverend Lee, two black men, fought for the right of the black population
to vote and registered hundreds of them, only to be assassinated.
It was essentially a time when White people were extremely resistant to any and all forms
of social acceptance for Blacks.
While Mamie waits for her son's return, he gets into some trouble when he flirts with
a white woman named Carolyn Bryant.
Though it appears that the situation has been resolved at first, things quickly escalate
when two white men arrive at the Wright home and take Bobo with them.
We already know what happens next.
It was not captured on film, but the horror of it did not escape us.
Mamie receives word the next day that her son has gone missing.
Despite her initial panic, her partner Gene Mobley asks her to contact her father, who
can take more effective action.
Which he does and refers her to Rayfield Mooty, who takes up her case.
He knows some powerful black people and uses them to spread the word about Emmett's disappearance.
There is a scene in which a character named Mr. Huff warns her that she will be scrutinized
as the case becomes more public, and that any indiscretion on her part will jeopardize
her quest.
We can tell this is a case of sexism with racial intersectionality, in which black women
were viewed through a specific lens.
We'd go into more detail, but we'd rather keep the focus of this article on Mamie's
quest for justice.
Mamie learns that they have discovered Emmett Till's body in the river as news articles
about his disappearance begin to circulate.
She is distraught, and it is clear that this is a hate crime.
Rayfield Mooty tries to persuade her to use her voice to get anti-lynching legislation
passed while she is dealing with it, but she is not in the right frame of mind to hear
him.
She simply asks him to ensure that Emmett's body is returned to Chicago.
Her wishes are granted, and something within her shifts when she sees his mutilated body.
We must admit that, up until this point, we had serious doubts about the makers' intentions
in depicting the events leading up to Bobo's death.
We saw the depiction of injustice prior to the journey for justice as a ruse to titillate
the audience.
However, it is only now that we realize how significant it is.
Mamie chose to let the world see her son's body in the original case because, in her
own words, she wanted the world to know what they did to her baby.
The filmmakers of this film were carrying out the late Mamie's wishes by making the
creative decision to show the extent of the body mutilation.
Returning to the film, at Emmett's open casket funeral, Mrs. Wright informs her that she
has left the South and that her family will join her soon.
She also informs her that there was nothing they could do to save him that day.
Mamie understands and accepts her condolences and apology.
She decides to go to Money to testify in her determination to fight for justice.
Her parents are reluctant to let her go, but when she refuses to budge, her father joins
her.
She leaves without Gene in order to protect her reputation and handle the case more smoothly.
When she arrives in Mississippi, she is safely transported to Mount Bayou, a black town where
people live prosperous lives.
She meets civil rights activist Medgar Evers, who tells her that her fight is not hers alone.
And justice for Bobo entails not only avenging his murderers, but also ensuring that members
of the black community do not face a similar fate in the future.
Emmett's trial date arrives.
We don't have the stomach to go into the specifics of Mamie's treatment that day.
All we can say is that it was clear that her case was being approached with zeal, and the
outcome was obviously predetermined.
Mamie requests a trip to Money, where she inspects the store where Bobo got into trouble,
the scene of the crime.
She also visits the Wrights' home, where the boys apologize to her for Bobo's death.
Mamie reassures them, but she is furious when she discovers a rifle in the house.
Of course, she confronts Mason about it, but the agony of knowing he had to let Emmett
go for the sake of his sons and the rest of the state's black people is too much for her
to bear.
‘Till’ Ending Explained: Does Mamie Get Justice For Bobo?
Mason and another witness testified against Milam and Bryant in court again, but their
testimony is still being scrutinized.
The subsequent single-shot scene, in which Mamie tells the court how she knew it was
her son's body, broke our hearts into a million pieces.
It is a testament to Danielle Deadwyler's talent as an actress, and we admire her for
the grace she lent to the character.
At the end, she exclaims that the lawyers and jury have murdered her son all over again.
Carolyn Bryant is called to the witness stand at the next court hearing, and she tells a
lie about how Bobo tried to misbehave with her.
Mamie does not linger to hear her finish her story.
She exits the room, declaring that she knows the outcome.
It is "not guilty," as she predicts.
However, Mamie's journey is not over.
She is seen at a rally with the NAACP, where she speaks about the importance of not ignoring
injustices committed against the black community.
The film concludes with her back in her house, listening to the song she and Bobo used to
sing to, while she imagines him happy and smiling.
In terms of justice for Bobo, Milam and Bryant sell their confession to a magazine for $4000
the following year.
They are, however, protected by double jeopardy and cannot be prosecuted.
Carolyn bears no repercussions for her role in the overall case.
Medgar Evers is assassinated in front of his wife and children eight years later.
Mamie and Gene getting married and staying together until the end could be a tiny bit
of a happy ending.
We're not sure if it's fair to say that this was the case that catapulted the Civil Rights
Movement into the spotlight.
The Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act was passed 67 years after Emmett Till's death, making
lynching a hate crime under federal law.
Please keep in mind that it took 67 years for it to be recognized as a hate crime.
Was the law truly so oblivious that it mistook it for something else before that?
We don't even want to think about this.
Final Thoughts: What Works For The Film ‘Till’?
"Till" was storytelling at its purest, staying true to the true essence of the history it
sought to tell.
The film required not only good actors, but also those who understood what it meant to
carry the generational trauma of an entire race.
Congratulations on retaining that baggage for their characters.
"Till" is a difficult film to recommend, but it is a must-see.
There isn't a single missed opportunity in it, and hopefully, by the end, even the most
glib person will be encouraged to learn more about race and discrimination and how they
continue to affect people of all demographics.
Please watch the film and learn something new today.