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One sheet Tap Roots
is a 1948 Technicolor Western war film starring Van Heflin and Susan Hayward, loosely based on the true-life story of Newton Knight and the "Free State of Jones" rebellion in Mississippi during the Civil War.
Synopsis
The story follows the Dabney family, wealthy plantation owners in the fictional Lebanon Valley of Mississippi, who declare their neutrality as the state secedes from the Union. This decision leads to conflict with the Confederacy, and the family finds itself in a crossfire.
The plot centers on a romantic triangle involving Morna Dabney (Hayward), her Confederate officer fiancé Clay MacIvor (Whitfield Connor), and a dashing newspaperman and abolitionist, Keith Alexander (Heflin). When Morna is injured and her fiancé shows his true colors by running off with her sister, she finds love and support in Alexander and turns to him for aid when Clay plans an attack on the neutral valley.
Key Details
Inspired by History: The film draws inspiration from the real events of Jones County, Mississippi, where a local farmer named Newton Knight led a band of Confederate army deserters and escaped slaves in an armed rebellion against the Confederacy.
Notable Cast: The movie features a strong supporting cast, including Boris Karloff as the loyal Choctaw Indian friend Tishomingo and Julie London as Morna's sister Aven.
Critical Reception: The film has often been described as a "poor man's Gone with the Wind" due to its similar Civil War romance themes, though it was a box office success. |
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