After being sent away for their 25-yearsuspension, not much happened. The couple grew old together and they had morechildren. They began to feel homesick and Mildred was not fond of the idea ofbringing up her children in a huge city. She wanted to go back to thecountryside.
I find it kind of comical how Richard’s attitude seems reservedwhen the lawyers from ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) talked about takingthis case to the Supreme Court. He held a sort of suspicion towards the media, and did not say much unless it was “ tell the judge I love my wife.” Another aspect worth mentioning about theway the movie was shot, is the symbolism showcased through the recurring motifof bricklaying. This represents the Lovings half-built future because they havebeen declined from their foundations as a married couple; a sequence thatrapidly builds up due to the Jim Crow laws that still persist in Virginia atthe time. Although there are a few twists and turns throughout the film, it isprimarily a straightforward drama – something I truly appreciate, though thismight not be some people’s cup of tea since there is not much flashiness.
Oneof my favorite things about this movie is that it feels urgent and very currentto today’s society. There is truth in Richard and Mildred Loving’s story. Thereis something about these two who simply wanted to start a family that istimeless and always will be. I am glad I decided to watch thismovie. Seeing that the Lovings were not political people, their desire to beable to go back home as a family and visit their relatives placed them in themiddle of a historical movement in America.
Growing up, I learned much aboutthe Civil Rights Movement – the segregation of public schools andtransportation systems, the way thousands of blacks and white Americansgathered in our nation’s capital to push for change, but never have I comeacross the issue of interracial marriage and the problems our country facedwith this. After taking this course, I cannot help but think of this movie’sissues in a basic human rights way.