Synopsis/Details
The 1960’s are in full swing, and the wave of social justice, free love, and changing
responsibilities for the sexes are even reaching the small town of BENTON, MISSISSIPPI. A
tiny village in the Deep South, Benton is the all-American town where everyone knows your
name, and no name carries more weight than CARL HENDERSON, a local hero who is
currently running for governor.
With the election on the horizon, Carl’s son TODD journeys home from college to reunite with
his family, but he’s bringing a surprise with him, ABIGAIL “ABBEY” SPENCER, an aspiring
journalist, and his new fiancée. Todd’s rough around the edges brother HANK greets them at
the door, and Todd soon finds the house in a flurry of activity as a campaign event is underway.
Hank wants no part of it and leaves, with Todd scoffing at his brother’s lack of enthusiasm. After
introductions, Carl embraces Abbey with open arms, but ANNE, his traditionalist mother, is cold
after hearing she has no plans to become a homemaker.
Carl takes a liking to Abbey, and even invites her to come see the town newspaper. While
looking through old stories in the paper’s archives, she stumbles across an intriguing one: Carl
the War hero! In World War II, he fought for the Allies and was captured, only to escape and
capture an entire unit of Nazi SS officers! She wonders why Carl hasn’t spoken of it, and Todd
says his father doesn’t discuss the war much.
Back at the house, Abbey interviews Carl for practice, and begins to ask him questions about
his time in the war. He becomes strangely evasive, and eventually ends the interview. Curious,
Abbey continues to research the war, and while going through Carl’s things finds something she
shouldn’t have: A KKK robe. Carl admits to Todd that it’s his, but swears that he’s no longer part
of the organization. Todd is upset, but accepts his father’s confession.
Abbey continues her research, and Carl his campaign, and they are eventually led to the old
POW Camp the SS officers were held in, which they found Carl purchased a decade earlier,
hoping the land could be redeveloped. Investigating further, Todd and Abbey find several
unmarked graves, and old documents that indicate that more happened at this prison that the
records show.
Racing home, Todd catches Carl getting ready for a big campaign event, and spies an SS tattoo
on the backside of his arm. His suspicions are at last confirmed, Carl was in the war, but on the
side of the Germans, and created a new identity for himself after coming to America as a war
hero. Then he killed anyone who knew of his past, and assumed his new identity. Furious, Todd
confronts his father, who confesses that what he did was to create a new life and protect his
family. Anne reveals they planned it all, covering up everything to create the Carl Henderson
who was the town’s hero, and could eventually be governor. Carl and Anne are arrested, and a
broken Todd wonders what to do. Todd is completely loyal to his father and just can’t abandon
him. Abbey tells him she needs time to short things out herself, and it is best they go their
separate ways for now. She leaves with both of them wondering about the choices they made
and what the future holds.
