Down in the Delta

Poet Maya Angelou made her feature directorial debut with this African-American family drama, shown theatrically but originally produced for the Showtime cable network. Unemployed single mother Loretta (Alfre Woodward) lives with her mother, Rosa Lynn (Mary Alice), in a Chicago apartment. Drugs and ...more

The directorial debut of poet Maya Angelou was generally dismissed as a Hallmark card on celluloid, a bland family drama that provided easy answers to tough questions. But Down in the Delta is a more likeable film than that, even if its greatest appeal may lie with sentimental folks who prefer upbeat endings. It should definitely interest African-Americans who cherish even simplistic renderings of their heritage. Down in the Delta rises slightly above that level in choosing a candelabra called ...more