Manderlay

:You might be looking for Manderley, a fictional estate; or Mandalay, a Burmese city.

Related Topics:
Manderley - Mandalay

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Manderlay is a sequel to the movie Dogville. It is the second part of Lars Von Trier's trilogy USA - Land of Opportunities. Bryce Dallas Howard replaces Nicole Kidman in the role of Grace. The movie also features Willem Dafoe and Lauren Bacall (among others) in supporting roles.

Related Topics:
Dogville - Lars Von Trier - USA - Land of Opportunities - Bryce Dallas Howard - Nicole Kidman - Willem Dafoe - Lauren Bacall

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The film starts out with Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) and her father (Willem Dafoe) passing by a plantation named Manderlay. Although at the time slavery was abolished 70 years ago, apparently slavery is still taking place at the plantation: the slave Timothy (Isaach De Bankolé) is being punished by Mam (Lauren Bacall) who runs the plantation by Mam's law. Mam, weak and exhausted from preventing Grace's interference, dies under the eyes of Grace. Grace decides to stay at the plantation to set the slaves free and run the cotton plantation for one year, assisted by a lawyer and gangsters she was assigned by her father. What follows is the difficulties the plantation encounters.

Related Topics:
Bryce Dallas Howard - Willem Dafoe - Isaach De Bankolé - Lauren Bacall

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As in other movies from Lars von Trier, the Grace character is trying to do good, but her choices inherently have negative consequences as well. She decides, for example, to cut down trees from the garden; this allows a dust storm to destroy a part of the harvest since the hedge is gone.

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