"I'll Fly Away" (1991) TV series 1991-1993

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Creators:

Joshua Brand
John Falsey

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

7 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Forrest Bedford is a Southern lawyer in the late 1950s, generally content with his privileged life. But the winds of change are blowing...

Plot Keywords:

Civil Rights | African American | Southern U.S. | Apostrophe In Title | First Part

Awards:

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 26 wins & 32 nominations

Cast

Sam Waterston	...	D.A. Forrest Bedford (39 episodes, 1991-1994)
Regina Taylor	...	Lilly Harper (39 episodes, 1991-1994)
Jeremy London	...	Nathaniel 'Nathan' Bedford (39 episodes, 1991-1994)
Ashlee Levitch	...	Francie Bedford (39 episodes, 1991-1994)
John Aaron Bennett	...	John Morgan Bedford (39 episodes, 1991-1994)
Kathryn Harrold	...	Christina LeKatzis (39 episodes, 1991-1994)
Peter Simmons	...	Paul Slocum (39 episodes, 1991-1994)
Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly	...	Adlaine Harper / ... (19 episodes, 1991-1993)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Brand/Falsey Productions

Trivia:

The role of Nathaniel 'Nathan' Bedford was played in the pilot by Jason London. When the series was picked up for more episodes, Jason was already committed to filming The Man in the Moon (1991)'. He suggested that his twin brother, Jeremy, replace him in the series. However, Jason took over the role again in late 1993 for the series' two-hour conclusion ("I'll Flay Away: Then & Now") when Jeremy was shooting another project.

Quotes:

[Francie and John Morgan are fighting in the back seat]
D.A. Forrest Bedford: If I have to stop this car somebody's going to regret it!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Seinfeld: The Virgin (#4.10)" (1992)

One of the highest quality TV dramas in the last twenty years.

This was a sensitive, complex series about a family struggling with the complexities of life in a small Georgia town during the Civil Rights Movement. It was ably acted by the entire cast, beautifully written. Never cloying, always intelligent. Happily, after being shown on regular network television, it was repeated on PBS about a year later. A memorable, glowing work. The finale -- "Then and Now" was wonderful -- but you really should see the entire series to appreciate it fully.

I used to compare it to To Kill A Mockingbird, but realize now that was inappropriate, except in that it was set in the same kind of small town -- many years later -- as Harper Lee's masterpiece. And Forrest Bedford was no Atticus Finch. But nevertheless, I'll Fly Away did have that kind of timeless quality.