The movie The Banker is largely accurate in its portrayal of the extraordinary true story of Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris, pioneering African American entrepreneurs who defied racial barriers in the 1950s and 1960s. The film is based on historic events that took place during this period and tells the true story of Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) and Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson), highlighting their innovative and deceptive strategies to challenge segregation in the banking and real estate sectors.
While the core narrative, key figures, and the underlying scheme are historically true, like many films "based on a true story," The Banker takes some creative liberties for dramatic effect and narrative flow.
The True Story Behind The Banker
The film depicts the remarkable efforts of Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris, who, starting in the 1950s, became wealthy real estate moguls in Los Angeles. Frustrated by the pervasive racial discrimination that prevented Black individuals from owning businesses or securing loans in white neighborhoods, they devised a bold plan. They purchased banks using a white man as their front, enabling them to extend loans and support to the Black community, particularly in their Texas hometown.
The essence of their scheme – using a white proxy to buy and manage properties and eventually banks, then secretly running the operations to benefit the Black community – aligns significantly with historical accounts.
Accuracy Breakdown
To understand the nuances of the movie's historical accuracy, consider the following aspects:
| Aspect | Historical Accuracy Level | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Core Narrative | High | The central premise of Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris acquiring banks using a white front to combat systemic racism in the 1950s and '60s is accurate. |
| Key Characters | High | Bernard Garrett Sr. and Joe Morris were real people, and their entrepreneurial spirit and ambition are faithfully represented. Their partnership was indeed instrumental in challenging racist financial practices. |
| Business Strategy | High | The innovative method of teaching a white man (Matt Steiner in the film) to pose as the public face of their ventures while they ran the operations behind the scenes is largely true to their real-life tactics. |
| Motivation | High | Their primary goal was to provide opportunities for African Americans to own homes and businesses, which was severely restricted by segregation and discriminatory lending practices. |
| Timeline Compression | Moderate | Events and the progression of their businesses are often condensed for cinematic pacing, meaning certain developments that took years might appear to happen more rapidly in the film. |
| Specific Dialogue & Scenes | Low to Moderate | While the spirit of their interactions and challenges is captured, much of the dialogue and specific dramatic confrontations are fictionalized or enhanced to build tension and emotional impact, as is common in biopics. |
| Supporting Characters | Moderate | Some supporting characters may be composites of several real individuals, or their roles might be simplified for narrative clarity. |
| Legal Troubles & Trial | Moderate | The film accurately portrays that Garrett and Morris faced significant legal challenges, including a federal indictment. However, the specifics of the trial, including courtroom exchanges and certain dramatic revelations, may be dramatized or simplified for the screen. |
Conclusion on Accuracy
In essence, The Banker effectively captures the spirit and significant achievements of Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris, providing a compelling and largely faithful portrayal of their groundbreaking efforts against racial discrimination in finance. While it takes liberties typical of Hollywood productions to create an engaging story, the fundamental events and the innovative nature of their fight for economic equality are accurately represented.
For a deeper dive into the specific historical details and dramatizations, various reputable historical analyses compare the film to the real events.
