Our Friend, Martin

Our Friend, Martin
Directed by	Rob Smiley Vincenzo Trippetti
Produced by	Andy Boron Andy Heyward Phillip Jones Robby London Michael Maliani Judith Reilly Janice Sonski
Written by	Dawn Comer (story) Chris Simmons (story) Sib Ventress Deborah Pratt
Studio	DiC Entertainment
Distributed by	CBS/Fox Video
Release date(s)	January 12, 1999
Running time	60 min.
Language	English

Our Friend, Martin is a 1999 animated children's educational film about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the American civil rights movement. Two friends travel through time, meeting Dr. King at several points during his life. It featured an all-star voice cast and was nominated for an Emmy award in 1999 for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming More Than One Hour).

Production

While the film was released on VHS, and with co-distribution rights with CBS/Fox Video (which in turn was also distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and CBS), the film was also distributed by DiC Entertainment. Andy Heyward, Michael Maliani, and Robby London assumed the position to producing the series, and making a deal with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment & CBS/Fox Video to distribute the series.

Main Roles

Miles Woodman- A care free, wise cracking 12 year old, African American baseball fan who is having trouble in school, his teacher Mrs. Clark is threatening to recommend he repeat 6th grade. During a class field trip to the Martin Luther King, Jr museum, he and his best friend Randy discover that the museum holds magic. With the help of Martin's old watch, and a few of his belongings, he and Randy travel back in time throughout Martin's life (from when he is 12 to about 34). After his adventures with his friends, he learns that Martin was killed by gunshot. By taking young Martin out of his time, an alternate universe is created in the present time. As Martin was unable to do his Civil Rights work, Randy and Kyle are racist and are no longer friends with Miles, Maria can no longer speak English and is a maid, his mother no longer has a business and they are poor, and his middle school is a segregated white school. Miles then must sacrifice his plan to save Martin. Young Martin goes back to his own time and thanks Miles for being his friend, leaving him the watch. Martin gets shot and eventually dies, the world returning to what it is today. Miles learns from this experience and gets an A on his report, leading him to progress to the 7th grade.

Randy Smith- A 12 year old Caucasian skater boy, Miles's best friend and partner in his adventures through time. In the alternate universe, he and Kyle are best buds and pick on black kids like Miles.

Maria Ramirez (although on Mrs. Clark's computer her last name is Alverez, possibly she has both last names)- A very intelligent 10 year old Latina girl (she said she skipped two grades) who is a little bit of a snob, but is the first to realize that even though they are different, she, Miles, Randy and Kyle can all be friends. In the alternate universe, she is unable to speak English and works as a maid, scrubbing the floors of the school.

Kyle Langon- A Caucasian 12 (possibly 13) year old bully of the story, but later is a friend of Miles, Randy and Maria. He often wears shirts that don't fit. In the alternate universe, he is a racist bully to black kids and is best friends to Randy. He get his "lousy" attitude from his dad.

Cast

• Edward Asner - Mr. Harris
• Angela Bassett - Miles' Mom
• Lucas Black - Randy
• Theodore Borders - Martin at age 12
• LeVar Burton - Martin at age 26
• Jessica Garcia - Maria
• Danny Glover - Train Conductor
• Whoopi Goldberg - Mrs. Peck
• Samuel L. Jackson - Turner
• James Earl Jones - Daddy King
• Ashley Judd- Mrs. Dale
• Richard Kind - Mr. Willis
• Dexter King - Martin at age 34
• Yolanda King - Christine King
• Zachary Leigh - Kyle
• Robert Ri'chard - Miles
• Susan Sarandon - Mrs. Clark
• John Travolta - Kyle's Dad
• Jaleel White - Martin at age 15
• Adam Wylie - Sam Dale
• Oprah Winfrey - Coretta Scott King
• Frank Welker - Bull Connor/Chihuahua
• Nicole Palacio - Parker Marie
• Jess Harnell - Reporter #1/Demonstrator
• Joe Lala - Reporter #2/Demonstrator
• John Wesley - Man/Demonstrator
• Elizabeth Primm - Old Woman/Demonstrator
• H.P Shimono - Additional Voices.

Soundtrack

Motown Records released a soundtrack from this film that featured a cover of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Debelah Morgan, which combined the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell and Diana Ross versions.

External links

• Our Friend, Martin at the Internet Movie Database
• Our Friend, Martin at AllRovi