Synopsis
Rural Mississippi in the 1940s: Lucas Beauchamp, a local black man with a reputation of not kowtowing to whites, is found standing over the body of a dead white man, holding a pistol that has recently been fired. Quickly arrested for murder and jailed, Beauchamp insists he's innocent and asks the town's most prominent lawyer, Gavin Stevens, to defend him, but Stevens refuses. When a local boy whom Beauchamp has helped in the past and who believes him to be innocent hears talk of a mob taking Beauchamp out of jail and lynching him, he pleads with Stevens to defend Beauchamp at trial and prove his innocence.
Cast
David Brian
John Gavin Stevens
Claude Jarman Jr.
Chick Mallison
Juano Hernández
Lucas Beauchamp
Porter Hall
Nub Gowrie
Elizabeth Patterson
Miss Eunice Habersham
Charles Kemper
Crawford Gowrie
Will Geer
Sheriff Hampton
David Clarke
Vinson Gowrie
Elzie Emanuel
Aleck
Lela Bliss
Mrs. Mallison
Harry Hayden
Mr. Mallison
Harry Antrim
Mr. Tubbs
Homer Arnold
Minor Role (uncredited)
John E. Avent
Minor Role (uncredited)
Joyce Ann Baron
Child with Yo-Yo (uncredited)
Tommy Bond
Minor Role (uncredited)
Jack Bronfield
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
Allison Busby
Customer (uncredited)
Alberta Dishmon
Paralee (uncredited)
Harold Gean
Patron (uncredited)
W.P. Haley
Customer (uncredited)
Ann Hartsfield
Girl (uncredited)
George T. Hemphill
Crowd Member (voice) (uncredited)
Ben Hilbun
Attendant (uncredited)
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