Band of Angels is a 1957 romantic drama film set in the American South before and during the American Civil War, based on the novel of the same name by Robert Penn Warren. It starred Clark Gable, Yvonne De Carlo and Sidney Poitier. The movie was directed by Raoul Walsh.
Plot
Amantha Starr (Yvonne De Carlo) is the privileged daughter of a Kentucky plantation owner. However, after he dies, a shocking secret is revealed: unbeknownst to Amantha, her mother had been one of her father's black slaves. Legally now property, she is taken by a slave trader to New Orleans to be sold. On the riverboat ride there, he makes it clear that he intends to sleep with her, but desists when she tries to hang herself; as a beautiful, cultured young woman who can pass for white, she is far too valuable to risk losing.
Amantha is put up for auction. When she is callously inspected by a coarse potential buyer, she is rescued from further humiliation by Hamish Bond (Clark Gable), who outbids the cad, paying an exorbitant price for her. Expecting the worst, Amantha is surprised to be treated as a lady, not a slave, by her new owner. At his city mansion, she meets his key slaves, his housekeeper (and former lover) Michele (Carolle Drake) and his conflicted right-hand-man Rau-Ru (Sidney Poitier). Rau-Ru is grateful for the kindness, education and trust Hamish has bestowed on him, but hates him anyway.
As time goes on, Amantha and Hamish fall in love. He arranges to send her to freedom in the North, but she decides to remain with him. To complicate matters further, Hamish harbors a terrible secret from his past that troubles his conscience.
Then, the Civil War breaks out, and New Orleans eventually falls to the Union. Hamish becomes a wanted man when he joins the other plantation owners in burning their crops in defiance. He and Amantha are helped to escape by Rau-Ru, who had fled and joined the Union Army.
Cast
Clark Gable as Hamish Bond
Yvonne De Carlo as Amantha Starr
Sidney Poitier as Rau-Ru
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Lieutenant Ethan Sears, who falls in love with Amantha, believing her to be white
Rex Reason as Captain Seth Parton, an old friend from her past
Patric Knowles as Charles de Marigny, a neighboring plantation owner
Torin Thatcher as Captain Canavan, Bond's seafaring friend from his past
Andrea King as Miss Idell
Ray Teal as Mr. Calloway
Russell Evans as Jimmee, Bond's steward
Carolle Drake as Michele
Raymond Bailey as Mr. Stuart, a plantation owner
Tommie Moore as Dollie, Bond's house servant
Uncredited
Roy Barcroft as Gillespie
Larry J. Blake as Auctioneer
Marshall Bradford as Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler
X Brands as Officer
Robert Carson as Bidder
Robert Clarke as Auction Participant
Noreen Corcoran as Young Manty
Ann Doran as Mrs. Morton
William Fawcett as Mourner
Harry Fleer as Aide
William Forrest as Aaron Starr
Carl Harbaugh as Seaman
Jim Hayward (fr) as Sheriff
William Hudson as Officer
Maurice Marsac (fr) as Auction Participant
Ewing Mitchell as Old Gentleman
Juanita Moore as Budge
William Schallert as Union Lieutenant
Bob Steele as Union Private
Madame Sul-Te-Wan as Flower Vendor
Charles Victor as Officer
Dan White as Trader
Jack Williams as Runaway
Plot
Amantha Starr (Yvonne De Carlo) is the privileged daughter of a Kentucky plantation owner. However, after he dies, a shocking secret is revealed: unbeknownst to Amantha, her mother had been one of her father's black slaves. Legally now property, she is taken by a slave trader to New Orleans to be sold. On the riverboat ride there, he makes it clear that he intends to sleep with her, but desists when she tries to hang herself; as a beautiful, cultured young woman who can pass for white, she is far too valuable to risk losing.
Amantha is put up for auction. When she is callously inspected by a coarse potential buyer, she is rescued from further humiliation by Hamish Bond (Clark Gable), who outbids the cad, paying an exorbitant price for her. Expecting the worst, Amantha is surprised to be treated as a lady, not a slave, by her new owner. At his city mansion, she meets his key slaves, his housekeeper (and former lover) Michele (Carolle Drake) and his conflicted right-hand-man Rau-Ru (Sidney Poitier). Rau-Ru is grateful for the kindness, education and trust Hamish has bestowed on him, but hates him anyway.
As time goes on, Amantha and Hamish fall in love. He arranges to send her to freedom in the North, but she decides to remain with him. To complicate matters further, Hamish harbors a terrible secret from his past that troubles his conscience.
Then, the Civil War breaks out, and New Orleans eventually falls to the Union. Hamish becomes a wanted man when he joins the other plantation owners in burning their crops in defiance. He and Amantha are helped to escape by Rau-Ru, who had fled and joined the Union Army.
Cast
Clark Gable as Hamish Bond
Yvonne De Carlo as Amantha Starr
Sidney Poitier as Rau-Ru
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Lieutenant Ethan Sears, who falls in love with Amantha, believing her to be white
Rex Reason as Captain Seth Parton, an old friend from her past
Patric Knowles as Charles de Marigny, a neighboring plantation owner
Torin Thatcher as Captain Canavan, Bond's seafaring friend from his past
Andrea King as Miss Idell
Ray Teal as Mr. Calloway
Russell Evans as Jimmee, Bond's steward
Carolle Drake as Michele
Raymond Bailey as Mr. Stuart, a plantation owner
Tommie Moore as Dollie, Bond's house servant
Uncredited
Roy Barcroft as Gillespie
Larry J. Blake as Auctioneer
Marshall Bradford as Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler
X Brands as Officer
Robert Carson as Bidder
Robert Clarke as Auction Participant
Noreen Corcoran as Young Manty
Ann Doran as Mrs. Morton
William Fawcett as Mourner
Harry Fleer as Aide
William Forrest as Aaron Starr
Carl Harbaugh as Seaman
Jim Hayward (fr) as Sheriff
William Hudson as Officer
Maurice Marsac (fr) as Auction Participant
Ewing Mitchell as Old Gentleman
Juanita Moore as Budge
William Schallert as Union Lieutenant
Bob Steele as Union Private
Madame Sul-Te-Wan as Flower Vendor
Charles Victor as Officer
Dan White as Trader
Jack Williams as Runaway
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