alanjunior Review of Shadrach

Shadrach (1998)

A true portrayal of race attitudes in the Jim Crow South. SPOILER

[1 July 2004]

In the South I grew up in, many if not most Whites viewed Blacks paternally, they weren't at all rabid lynchers. They felt a responsibility for their employees and families. The Dabneys are an old tidewater plantation family that fell on hard times after the Civil War and moved to North Carolina but have managed to hold on to the old Virginia property. Shadrach, a former slave who was sold south by Dabney's grandfather around 1860, just before the war, shows up at the Dabney's Wilmington NC house, having walked there from Alabama. He wants to be buried on Dabney land. The story takes place about 1935, making Shadrach close to 90 years old. The Dabneys honor Shadrach's wishes because they have to. This adaptation hews pretty closely to Styron's short story until the second half, when a plot element is added to create a conflict and to stretch the story. Unfortunately, the reason given is invalid. Virginia is full of old family plots on private land, and as long as the owner of the land consents, anyone can be buried there. This is still a good, small film, and the portrayals are dead on, especially Andie MacDowell. I think every one of us who comes from the South knew the Dabneys.