4 Little Girls (1997)

100% of critics liked it
(25 reviews)
82% of users liked it
(4,738 ratings)

Director Spike Lee made his first feature-length documentary with this powerful story of the bombing of an African-American church in Birmingham, AL, in 1963, which took the lives of four girls, ages 11 through 14. The shocking incident received national press attention and became a rallying point… More Director Spike Lee made his first feature-length documentary with this powerful story of the bombing of an African-American church in Birmingham, AL, in 1963, which took the lives of four girls, ages 11 through 14. The shocking incident received national press attention and became a rallying point in the ongoing struggle for civil rights, but while Lee's film examines the crime, the perpetrators, and the long struggle to bring them to justice, it also offers a close look at the four girls themselves as their friends and families recall, in moving detail, who they were and how they lived. A variety of civil rights activists, politicians, journalists, and lawyers are interviewed onscreen, including Walter Cronkite and a brief but disturbing meeting with former Alabama governor George Wallace. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: Spike Lee
Genres: Documentary, Special Interest

In Theaters: Jul 9, 1997 Wide
On DVD: Jan 8, 2002
Studio: HBO Documentary

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
There isn't an ounce of flab or hype, and the story it tells is profoundly affecting.
Todd McCarthy, Variety
A compelling, straightforward account of a deeply sorrowful and pivotal event in the civil rights movement.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
A thoughtful, graceful, quietly devastating account.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
There is mostly sadness and regret at the surface in 4 Little Girls, but there is anger in the depths, as there should be.
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle
4 Little Girls brilliantly captures a moment in American history and tells an achingly painful story of injustice and family loss.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
It is Lee's job as a film maker to imbue these images with life, and that's a task he easily accomplishes.
Rob Nelson, City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul
Spike Lee has launched another perfectly timed counteroffensive: a calmly wrenching mix of oral history and period newsreels.
, Film4
It's presented with Lee's usual intelligence and clarity as he skilfully mixes politics with moving reminders of the lives it affects.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Time and tragedy may have flattened the four girls into remote paragons of youthful virtue, but the viciousness of anti-integrationist rhetoric is palpable and should never be forgotten.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Lee's filmmaking ... has the beauty of simplicity and the shadings of compassion.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Spike Lee's Oscar-nominated documentary, about one of the defining moments of the civil rights movement, balances personal and painful memories of many witnesses with a poignantly political expose of the event, the murder of four innocent girls.
, Time Out
The big part of Lee's film commemorates the lives of the '4 little girls' who died, through the memories of parents, siblings and friends.
Chris Pepus, culturevulture.net
Some of the credit for the two convictions may well be due to Spike Lee's memorable 1997 documentary...which brought new attention to the case.
Frank Ochieng, TheWorldJournal.com
Immensely gripping in its outrage and poignancy. Nobody knows how to bring the disdain of racial to the forefront like the skilled Spike Lee
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
a clear example that film auteurs can handle a variety of genres when inspired
Scott Renshaw, rec.arts.movies.reviews
A powerful tale of tragic loss turned into positive action.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

Brilliant Black director Spike Lee creates a compelling documentary on the lives of young Black people in the 50s. It's really good, if you like his work, you will want to see this movie as well.
Bruce B

An Outstanding Film. This is a selection of the 1997 Toronto International Film Festival, and I must say that its one of there best selections to Date. Spike Lee is the Director of this movie and I will admit that I haven't enjoyed many of his films in the past but this one blew… More
An Outstanding Film. This is a selection of the 1997 Toronto International Film Festival, and I must say that its one of there best selections to Date. Spike Lee is the Director of this movie and I will admit that I haven't enjoyed many of his films in the past but this one blew me away and touched my heart and opened my eyes to a city I have been many times, though this happened in 1963 I am sure that the people who were involved will and should never forget the racial injustice that was put upon the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. A must see for everyone no matter your race. Thank You Spike Lee, 5 stars
Lesley N

Absorbing and sad drama about the bombing of a Birmingham church during the 60's Civil Rights movement. Solidly made as you'd expect by Spike Lee, it covers the same ground as the many other documentaries that have been made about that time, however the main difference is… More
Absorbing and sad drama about the bombing of a Birmingham church during the 60's Civil Rights movement. Solidly made as you'd expect by Spike Lee, it covers the same ground as the many other documentaries that have been made about that time, however the main difference is that rather than showing how the tragedy gave much needed momentum to the Civil Rights Movement, Lee focuses on the personal side of the loss of four small girls by their grieving families and friends. Well worth a watch if you want to learn more about that period of recent American history, though you might need to explore further if you want a bigger picture.
Leo L

Highly interesting! A touching account.
Anthony V

Powerful indictment of America in the early 1960s. Moving, shocking and a must see.