Release Date: 1/20/1970 (original TV airing); NBC
Genre: Drama
Rating: G
Running Time: 97 mins.
Director: Lamont Johnson
Studio(s): Bob Banner Associates, Universal Television, National Broadcasting Company (NBC), Universal Pictures.
Cast: Al Freeman, Jr. (Charlie Roberts), Patty Duke (Marlene Chambers), Ford Rainey (Treadwell), William Hardy (Mr. Larrabee), Chris Wilson (Mrs. Larrabee), Noble Willingham (Grady), Dave Ward (Sheriff).
Story: Charles Roberts, a black activist lawyer from the North who traveled to rural Texas to participate in a Civil Rights protest, believes he killed a white man albeit in self-defense. Fearing for his life, he flees to a closed summer house on the Gulf Coast. There he finds Marlene Chambers, a southern, white uneducated, prejudiced, unwed pregnant teenager who has taken refuge in the house after being shunned by her father and boyfriend for her pregnancy and cast out of her home. Forced by circumstance to stay there together, the two express mutual hostilities, confront prejudices (racial, regional, class and sexual), and eventually develop appreciation, and respect for one another. When Marlene goes into labor Charlie hurries to the nearby town for supplies and help. He tries to act like a deferential southern Negro toward Treadwell, the prejudiced owner of a small country store, but is offended and allows his northern accent to come out. Treadwell starts a fight, Charlie runs away but Treadwell catches up with him, pulls a gun, and kills him.
Details: This made-for-TV drama movie was based on the novel and play of the same name by David Westheimer. The play opened at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre with Bonnie Bedelia (Die Hard, Die Hard 2) and Louis Gossett, Jr. (Roots, An Officer and a Gentlemen) in the leading roles. Sources: every70smovieblogspot.com, AFI catalog, tcm.com, hornsectionblogspot.com. Photo Sources: modcinema.com, hornsectionblogspot.com, daaracarchive.org.
Trailer:
Black Cinema Connection 