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A Lesson Before Dying
on DVD (1999)
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Brief synopsis of A Lesson Before Dying
An uplifting tale of a black man (Phifer) in the 1940's South who is wrongly accused of killing a white man. His attorney's only defense is that he is an animal, a hog, and, therefore, is unaccountable for his actions. Predictably, he is convicted of the crime. Distraught in a prison cell, his family convinces the local school teacher (Cheadle) to visit him and restore his deflated dignity. Based on the novel by Ernest J. Gaines.
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Critics Reviews
Radio Times
Don Cheadle is the teacher attempting to restore dignity to a condemned man in this Emmy-winning TV movie, based on Ernest J Gaines's novel. Set in rural 1940s Louisiana, Cheadle reluctantly visits a young African-American (Mekhi Phifer) due to be executed for a murder he did not commit. Unlike most movies in this genre, this is not about the search for an 11th-hour reprieve but rather an attempt to reconcile Phifer to his fate — however undeserved. Writer Ann Peacock's solid script, Joseph Sargent's thoughtful direction and a first-rate cast, including veteran Cicely Tyson, make this heart-rending movie memorable.
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