I just watched the movie Mudbound. Set in the 1940’s in the Jim Crow south, the story is about two families who live side by side on a Mississippi cotton farm. The McAllans (white) own the failing farm and the Jacksons (black) work on it. A man from each family goes off to fight in World War II. Both survive. The black man returns to the same oppressive situation on the farm, but his worldview has changed.

Dee Rees does a splendid job of directing the film. I read about her techniques in Backstage. She works with the actors in pairs, which gives them the opportunity to figure out their relationship without having to keep in all the other elements of the movie. When she gives her directing comments, she speaks specifically and quietly to each actor. She feels that method creates a safe space for the performer. Rees doesn’t care if the actors recite their lines exactly right; she is more concerned about them conveying the intent of the words. She will often ask the performers to act in character in improv scenes. The end result of her directing efforts is wonderful acting by a talented ensemble. Although the story includes some excruciatingly painful scenes (WW II battles, a KKK gathering), the acting is a pleasure to watch.

The movie is based on a 2008 Hillary Jordan novel of the same name. Dee Rees and Virgil Williams wrote the screenplay. The movie provides an insightful look at race and class in 1940’s Mississippi.