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Hope & Redemption: The Lena Baker Story

Original title: The Lena Baker Story
  • 20082008
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
383
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Tichina Arnold in The Lena Baker Story (2008)
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • History
A chronicle of the life of Lena Baker, the first woman to be sent to the electric chair in Georgia for the murder of her employer, who forced her into sexual slavery.A chronicle of the life of Lena Baker, the first woman to be sent to the electric chair in Georgia for the murder of her employer, who forced her into sexual slavery.A chronicle of the life of Lena Baker, the first woman to be sent to the electric chair in Georgia for the murder of her employer, who forced her into sexual slavery.
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
383
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ralph Wilcox
  • Writer
    • Ralph Wilcox
  • Stars
    • Tichina Arnold
    • Beverly Todd
    • Peter Coyote
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ralph Wilcox
  • Writer
    • Ralph Wilcox
  • Stars
    • Tichina Arnold
    • Beverly Todd
    • Peter Coyote
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    The Lena Baker Story (2008)
    The Lena Baker Story (2008)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tichina Arnold
    Tichina Arnold
    • Lena Bakeras Lena Baker
    Beverly Todd
    Beverly Todd
    • Annie Bakeras Annie Baker
    Peter Coyote
    Peter Coyote
    • Elliot Arthuras Elliot Arthur
    Michael Rooker
    Michael Rooker
    • Sheriff Haneyas Sheriff Haney
    Chris Burns
    Chris Burns
    • Max Arthuras Max Arthur
    Susie Spear Purcell
    • Mrs. Riddleas Mrs. Riddle
    • (as Susie Spears)
    Frank Roberts
    Frank Roberts
    • Mr. Powellas Mr. Powell
    Kaya Camp
    • Young Lenaas Young Lena
    Natalie L. Richardson
    • Teenage Lenaas Teenage Lena
    Jasmine Farmer
    • Young Nettieas Young Nettie
    Santana Shalton
    • Teenage Nettieas Teenage Nettie
    Lamar Perkins Jr.
    • Young Royalas Young Royal
    Shamar Sanders
    • Older Royalas Older Royal
    • (as Brandon Sanders)
    Kajuan Wilson
    • Earlas Earl
    Christopher Haywood Jr.
    • Samas Sam
    Michaela Worthy
    • Alice Leeas Alice Lee
    Paul Montgomery
    • Reverend Jamesas Reverend James
    Tom Nowicki
    Tom Nowicki
    • Judge Winslowas Judge Winslow
    • Director
      • Ralph Wilcox
    • Writer
      • Ralph Wilcox
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Lena Baker was the first woman executed in Georgia, but she was not the first woman to be sentenced to the electric chair. The first woman was Maria Marbella in 1895, but she was retried, and aquitted the next year. The first woman executed by the electric chair was Martha M. Place on March 20, 1899, at Sing Sing prison, for the murder of her stepdaughter Ida Place.

    User reviews5

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Another Heartbreaking Tale of Racism in the South
    "The Lena Baker" story is another tragic tale of many involving whites trampling upon the rights and lives of Black folks. This is about Lena Baker (played by Tischina Arnold) who was imprisoned and repeatedly raped by Elliott Arthur (played by Peter Coyote). After years of such treatment off and on, and no help forthcoming from the law, she shot and killed Elliott Arthur. For that she was arrested, tried, convicted, and executed.

    Lena was born in 1900 and executed in 1945 in Georgia. Because of the blind racism of the whites of Georgia no one could possibly conclude that perhaps Lena was being victimized. Furthermore, they couldn't possibly conclude that Lena may have been defending herself when she killed Mr. Arthur (real name Ernest Knight). If only she was afforded the same benefit of the doubt that George Zimmerman and Kyle Rittenhouse were.

    The story is tragic, sad, infuriating, and heart breaking. I only wish the movie was better. It's a TV movie with a TV movie script and TV movie quality which seriously detracts from the gravity and impact of the events. I don't fault the actors at all, they did their best with what they were given, but Lena and others like her deserve better.
    helpful•0
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    • view_and_review
    • Dec 11, 2021

    Details

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    • Release date
      • April 10, 2008 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Lena Baker Story
    • Filming locations
      • Georgia, USA
    • Production companies
      • Laughing Crow Entertainment
      • Schuster's Cash
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $2,500,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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