Band of Angels (1957)

Mantha Starr grows up as a privileged southern Belle in the ante-bellum South but after her father dies broke, her world is destroyed when she discovers her mother was black.

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writers:

Robert Penn Warren (novel), John Twist (screenplay),

Stars:

Clark Gable, Yvonne De Carlo, Sidney Poitier

Cast

Cast overview:
Clark Gable	...	Hamish Bond
Yvonne De Carlo	...	Amantha Starr
Sidney Poitier	...	Rau-Ru
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	...	Lt. Ethan Sears
Rex Reason	...	Capt. Seth Parton (Union officer)
Patric Knowles	...	Charles de Marigny
Torin Thatcher	...	Capt. Canavan
Andrea King	...	Miss Idell
Ray Teal	...	Mr. Calloway
Russell Evans	...	Jimmee (Bond's steward)
Carolle Drake	...	Michele (Bond's housekeeper)
Raymond Bailey	...	Mr. Stuart (plantation owner)
Tommie Moore	...	Dollie (Bond's house servant)

Storyline

Living in Kentucky prior to the Civil War, Amantha Starr is a privileged young woman. Her widower father, a wealthy plantation owner, dotes on her and he sends her to the best schools. When he dies suddenly however, Amantha's world is turned upside down. She learns that her father had been living on borrowed money and that her mother was actually a slave and her father's mistress. The plantation is to be sold to pay off her father's debts and as the daughter of slave, Amantha is also to be sold as property. She is bought by a Louisiana plantation owner, Hamish Bond and over time she grows to love him until she learns he was a slave-trader. She tries again to become part of white society but realizes that her future lies elsewhere.

---

Plot Keywords:

plantation | plantation owner | slave | kentucky | louisiana | 

---

Taglines:

You're no blue blood any more, honey. The master bought you...and now he's waitin'!

---

Genres:

Drama | History | Romance

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 August 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Weint um die Verdammten

Filming Locations:

Ashland-Belle Helene Plantation - State Highway 75, Geismer, Louisiana, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was derisively nicknamed "The Ghost of Gone with the Wind".

---

Quotes

Amantha Starr: [Wakes up in bed, stretches] Mr. Hamish Bond can't keep me here! I'm leaving the moment his back is turned.
Michele: [Offers a tray of food] The Master said those low-down men didn't bother to feed you. You must be very hungry.
Amantha Starr: [Frowns] I'll leave... as soon as I've had the chance to rest and recover my strength.
[Picke up a knife and fork and begins to eat]

---

Connections

Featured in Biography: Yvonne DeCarlo: Gilded Lily (2000)

---

Soundtracks

"Band of Angels"
Music by Max Steiner
Lyrics by Carl Sigman
Sung by Sarah Vaughan
Arranged by Murray Cutter (uncredited)

User Reviews

A very beautiful deep romantic movie

I seldom register just to review a movie. But this film evoked my heart and cried while watching it twice. The film is a gem but was underrated; good thing I saw this yesterday in TCM and I fell in love all over again with Clark Gable. He has more depth here and more character and passion than Gone with the Wind. I love the tension of love between him and Amantha; I love both of them. I wish there were more kissing, though. All their acting and lines were great; script was great. There were few flows though like too much singing and early complaints of Amantha being bought by Hamish. She should be grateful that he bought her and treated her like a queen; but I guess she was in shock to just find out that she has lost everything. I like Michelle, she's elegant and simple. What I don't like personally, that other woman slave with Michelle that kept on singing, she's obnoxious. Lastly, I did not like Sidney here for the most part because of his ungratefulness to Hamish; but later on realized his mistake. He's always angry; of course, he's a great actor, don't get me wrong.