Beaumont

Author(s): Pat
Location: New York

"Beaumont”

Directed By Sam Mendes
Written By Josh Olson and Robert Rodat
Music By John Williams

Principal Cast:

Heath Ledger (Edward Morton)
Denzel Washington (Ray Jones)
Morgan Freeman (Samuel Biggins)
Sharon Warren (Mary Jones)
Larenz Tate (Marc Gelder)
Laurence Fishburne (Jordan Smith)
Michael Clarke Duncan (Joe Diggsmore)
Wes Bentley (Xavier De Brada)
Lucas Black (Eli Rivera)
Kerry Washington (Ida Harrison)
Kyla Pratt (Lyla Jones)
Irma P. Hall (Olivia Biggins)
Clifton Powell (Q.B. Watkins)
Tyler James Williams (Jeff Smith)
Liv Tyler (Samantha Morton)

Tagline: "In 1957, one man will enter Beaumont and will change it forever”

Synopsis: Set in a fictional town in 1957 Louisiana, “Beaumont” tells the story of a young white man who comes to an impoverished black town with hopes to save them from the onslaught of the KKK. Heath Ledger plays emotionally troubled Edward Morton, a Harvard graduate who has just left his pregnant wife (Liv Tyler) to watch over the town of Beaumont, Louisiana, after reading an article in the papers about the KKK in that area. He hopes to save the town from the evils that it faces while trying to discover what his own purpose in the world is. In Beaumont, he becomes friends with the leader of the community and pastor (Denzel Washington) and his wife (Sharon Warren) while living at the doctor’s (Morgan Freeman) house with the physicians overbearing yet gentle wife of 50 years (Irma P. Hall). In his first week in Beaumont, Edward encounters the local KKK members (Wes Bentley, Lucas Black) who claim that a young man (Larenz Tate) raped a white girl in the next town over. Edward refuses to hand over the accused and soon becomes a target of the fundamentalist group. Quickly after, Edward inadvertantly sparks a battle between white and black, right and wrong, good and evil, that leads Edward to learn more about himself and humanity.

Laurence Fishburne and Michael Clarke Duncan co-star as members of the town who want to use violence to get the KKK to back off. Kerry Washington, Kyla Pratt, Clifton Powell, and Tyler James Williams also appear as various citizens of Beaumont.

What the press would say:

Not for a while has there been a movie that addresses racism during the 1950s and 1960s like Sam Mendes’ “Beaumont”. Set in a fictional town in 1957 Louisiana, this film stars Heath Ledger as a troubled Boston lawyer who decides that he wants to make a difference in the world and decides to battle racism in the Old South, much to the dismay of his wife (Liv Tyler). He soon becomes entralled in the war between white and black in this small town. Standouts in the cast include: Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman as a Beaumont doctor who seems to be the only one willing to get something done, Irma P. Hall as Freeman’s eccentric wife of 50 years, Sharon Warren as the town leader’s devoted wife, Laurence Fishburne as a townsman who uses force to push the KKK away, and Wes Bentley as a creepy hillbilly KKK member who accuses a Beaumont citizen of raping a white girl.

Awards
Best Picture
Best Director-Sam Mendes
Best Original Screenplay
Best Actor-Heath Ledger
Best Supporting Actor-Morgan Freeman
Best Supporting Actor-Laurence Fishburne
Best Supporting Actress-Irma P. Hall
Best Supporting Actress-Sharon Warren
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing
Best Art Direction
Best Costume Design