I am from Mississippi. I lived through these times. Secretly, I did things to help in the voter-registration of Black folks; things you could get killed for, in those days. I know whereof I speak.<br /><br />Therefore, let me say this: the events this film seeks to depict were bad enough without any inventions. But invent they did. Every local Black person in this movie is noble and a great singer. Their buildings, however, would lead you to believe they couldn't put tin on a roof straight. Why try to improve on facts? Every White person depicted in this film is an idiot. Out-houses in the sixties? KKK ruling the roost in an entire town?<br /><br />Where are the rich, educated, "landed gentry" who were behind all this violence, encouraging the rednecks with nods and winks? Not in this movie. But I know they exist, because I know some of them...a few who are still living. Mostly it is their children I know, who still feel the same way about Blacks, and still do the same encouraging of White trash.<br /><br />This film does not show how things really were. It seeks to make things look even worse, to people who don't know any better. It is a terrible story, with moments of good acting from many of the stars. It is the script and the direction that are awful.<br /><br />What you see in this movie is not true. The truth is far worse.