Band of Angels

Based on a novel by Robert Penn Warren, this Southern potboiler stars Yvonne DeCarlo as Amantha Starr, the daughter of a wealthy Louisiana plantation owner. When her father unexpectedly dies, Amantha discovers that her father was deep in debt and the family is penniless, and she is forced to drop ...more

A toned-down version of Robert Penn Warren's accusatory novel of plantation slavery, miscegenation, and black empowerment, Band of Angels nonetheless generated significant controversy upon its release. In the hands of studio veteran Raoul Walsh, the story is more a costume melodrama than a socio-political treatise. Fortunately, it's a well-mounted historical melodrama, with Lucien Ballard's cinematography aptly showcasing Franz Bachelin's set design and Marjorie Best's lavish costuming. Taboos ...more