WHITE LIE

US, 1991, 90 minutes, Colour.
Gregory Hines, Annette O’ Toole, Bill Nunn, Gregg Henry.
Directed by Bill Condon.

White Lie is an interesting film about America’s south, the Ku Klux Klan and its mentality, the lynching of black prisoners. The setting is the present, 1991, looking back at the mid-50s.

Gregory Hines portrays a politician’s aide in New York City who discovers that his father was the victim of a lynching. He travels to the south, enlists the aid of the black police chief (Bill Nunn) and confronts various suspects. He is also in contact with the candidate for the governorship, Gregg Henry, whose mother was the alleged rape victim of his father. He also falls in love with the candidate’s sister, Annette O' Toole.

The film reflects the early 90s in its struggle to acknowledge what had happened in the past and bring culprits to justice. In 1996, Ghosts of Mississippi by Rob Reiner focused on the trial of a man guilty of crimes and murders, especially against activist Medger Evers.

Gregory Hines, by trade a singer and dancer, is good in the central role. Annette O’ Toole is convincing in a somewhat unconvincing character as the sister. Bill Nunn, actor and director, is the genial police chief.

The film was directed by Bill Condon who had made a number of telemovies, crime themes, as well as a horror film, one of the Candyman series. However, in 1998 he went more upmarket with his very successful biography of James Whale, Gods and Monsters. He wrote the screenplay for the Oscar-winning Chicago and then wrote and directed Kinsey and Dreamgirls.

1. The impact of this kind of film for an American audience? The north? The south? International audiences? Universality of race themes?

2. The prologue, the lynching party, the black prisoner, the crime, the photo, the identification of the people in the photo? Len Madison’s mother having the photo?

3. New York City, the 1990s? The contrast with the southern town? Style of politics? Policing? Investigations?

4. Len Madison at work, press conferences, the mayor of New York? His office, his skills? Friends? Handling the press? His visit to his mother? The photo, getting the truth from her? Her memories and her grief? His pretending to go to Hawaii, going south?

5. Madison’s journey to the south, the southern town itself, his waiting for Chief Adams, surprised to find that he was black? Their interactions, Adams warning him away? His going to visit David Lester, meeting his sister? Lester as the governorship candidate? Donald Cambio as the racist candidate? The discussions? The identification of the barber in the photo, Madison going to him, the confrontation, the genial man, the awareness of the truth, his shooting himself publicly? The investigation?

6. Madison, his quest, not knowing anything about his father? Going to see his uncle? The discussions, his uncle’s portrait of the father, giving him the cane that was a gift, memento?

7. The social, Madison and his discussions with Helen, attracted towards her, she to him? The emergence that her mother was the victim? Her in the institution, not saying anything for thirty years? David Lester doing a bargain for Len to visit, then leave? Helen taking him, the nun witnessing the visit, his explaining things, Mrs Lester not saying anything?

8. The meeting with Cambio, listening with Adams to his policy, racism in the 90s? His offering to do a deal, the fact that David Lester was in the photo and present at the lynching? Cambio believing Len, arranging for the church meeting, Len changing his mind, denouncing him?

9. The interrogation of the doctor, the information about Mrs Lester, the date of the report? The emergence of the truth? The relationship between Mrs Lester and Len Madison? Lester and his anger, his token acceptance of blacks, employing Len Madison? The beating, the lynching? Lester committing suicide?

10. The meeting with David Lester, the compromise, Lester and his going on to be governor? Trying to put reforms in place?

11. The credibility of the relationship between Helen and Len, the affair? Their discussions? Their support? Going north with him?

12. Insight into American history, racism, change?