Duff Anderson works on a railroad gang near Birmingham, Alabama. It's hard manual labor mostly in the woods. He starts dating preacher's daughter schoolteacher Josie. Her father disapproves but the couple eventually gets married anyways. Instead of being on the road with his railroad gang, he settles down to a lower paying job to stay in town. He's not used to being subservient to the local whites and soon he gets into trouble.
The first half is fine. Other than two racist white boys, it's mostly a slice of life in the pre-Civil rights black south. It's sweet and it's grim. It really takes off in the second half as the movie shifts gears. Duff's interactions with whites are electric and the tension is off the charts. What's more interesting is the effects of the pressures living under the whites does to the black couple. Extracting it to the whole community is devastating. There is a palpable fear and loathing. It's fascinating. Wow. This is no Sidney Poitier movie.
The first half is fine. Other than two racist white boys, it's mostly a slice of life in the pre-Civil rights black south. It's sweet and it's grim. It really takes off in the second half as the movie shifts gears. Duff's interactions with whites are electric and the tension is off the charts. What's more interesting is the effects of the pressures living under the whites does to the black couple. Extracting it to the whole community is devastating. There is a palpable fear and loathing. It's fascinating. Wow. This is no Sidney Poitier movie.