'By Any Means': When a Mafia Hitman Became an Unlikely Civil Rights Ally
In 'By Any Means,' an FBI agent and a mafia hitman join forces against the Klan. Director Elegance Bratton says imperfect allies are key to progress.
The new historical crime thriller "By Any Means" tells the story of FBI Agent Wayne Stryder, who teams up with Mafia hitman Greg Scarpa to hunt down the Klansmen who murdered civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer in 1960s Mississippi.
Director Elegance Bratton says the film's central partnership is a deliberate statement about activism. "The goal must be changed from making every white person a non-racist to making every person effective in the pursuit of our rights," he said. "There's no such thing as perfect allies."
Bratton argues that everyone is implicated in systemic problems, whether as victims or perpetrators. "You gotta look to your left and your right and decide that as long as we're focused on the same target, then perhaps the specifics of how we got here is unimportant until we win," he added.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Stryder, a man who returns to his native Mississippi to fight for civil rights in a region torn by racial violence. Abdul-Mateen, a Louisiana native, believes the country's well-being is tied to the South. "If you could look at Mississippi and probably even unfortunately today... What's the education like? The infant mortality rates? What's healthcare like? What are jobs like?" he said. "The least of us should be served just as well as the greatest of us."
Mark Wahlberg portrays Scarpa, a mob enforcer who sees the world through the narrow lens of crime and violence. Wahlberg notes that despite his character's limitations, Scarpa learns something from Stryder. "The more they bicker and try to impose each other's will, they realize that mutual respect is earned," Wahlberg said.
The actor also discussed the prosthetic nose he wears for the role, a decision made by Bratton to better match the real Scarpa. Wahlberg said he was open to the change as long as it didn't distract audiences. Abdul-Mateen admitted he didn't even notice the prosthetic during filming, crediting Wahlberg's focus.
"By Any Means" premieres in U.S. theaters on September 4.