WAY DOWN SOUTH (1939) Bobby Breen, Alan Mowbray & Steffi Duna | Musical | B&W

Way Down South is a 1939 American musical film directed by Leslie Goodwins and Bernard Vorhaus, and produced by Sol Lesser. It was written by Clarence Muse, who also acted in the film, and Langston Hughes. Victor Young was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring.

SYNOPSIS
In antebellum Louisiana in 1854, young orphan Timothy Reid Jr. inherits a plantation and its slaves. However, lawyer Martin Dill is made the executor of the estate. Dill plots to sell the slaves and flee to Paris with the proceeds. Timothy is befriended by Jacques Bouton, who persuades Judge Louis Ravenal to look into the matter and save the day.

It is fantasy-time on the luxurious Bayou Lovelle Plantation in old Louisiana in the days prior to the American Civil War, as the slaves work in a paradise under the generous 'Ol' Massa' Timothy Reid, and they sing "The Lawd sho shakes hands wid dis ground." However, Reid dies, and his crooked executor has plans to get Reid's son out of his inheritance.

In the pre-Civil War South, a plantation owner dies and leaves all his possessions, including his slaves, to his young son. While the deceased treated his slaves decently, his corrupt executor abuses them unmercifully, beating them without provocation, and he is planning to sell off the father'e estate--including the slaves--at the earliest opportunity so he and his mistress can steal the money and move to France. The young boy doesn't want to sell his father's estate or break up an of the slave families, and he has to find someone to help him thwart the crooked executor's plans.

CAST & CREW
Bobby Breen as Timothy Reid Jr.
Alan Mowbray as Jacques Bouton
Ralph Morgan as Timothy Reid Sr.
Steffi Duna as Pauline Dubini
Clarence Muse as Uncle Caton
Sally Blane as Claire Bouton
Edwin Maxwell as Martin Dill
Charles Middleton as Cass
Robert Greig as Judge Louis Ravenal
Lillian Yarbo as Janie
Matthew Beard as Gumbo
Hall Johnson Choir as Musical Ensemble

Directed by Leslie Goodwins, Bernard Vorhaus
Written by Clarence Muse, Langston Hughes
Produced by Sol Lesser
Cinematography Charles Edgar Schoenbaum
Edited by Arthur Hilton
Production company Sol Lesser Productions
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release date July 21, 1939
Running time 61 minutes
Country United States
Language English