The Man Who Came Back (2008 film)
Encyclopedia
The Man Who Came Back is a 2008 western film directed by Glen Pitre
. It stars Eric Braeden
, Billy Zane
, George Kennedy
, and Armand Assante
.
, the second bloodiest labor strike in US history.
Following the American Civil War
, recently freed slaves on a Louisiana
plantation are worked relentlessly but paid minimum wages. Sometimes paid only in scrip
, worthless money accepted only at the plantation's overpriced store, the workers become financially in debt. This creates an inescapable situation for these free men looking to gain real freedom.
In an attempt to better their lives, the workers strike. This leads to massive retaliation by the most powerful men in the town, including the sheriff (Armand Assante
), the preacher (Al Hayter), power-hungry Billy Duke (James Patrick Stuart
) and his vigilante group of thugs.
White overseer Reese Paxton (Eric Braeden
) steps up to demand justice for his workers. Duke's rage turns on Paxton and his family. Despite assistance from a Yankee attorney (Billy Zane
), Paxton is convicted by Billy's father, the corrupt Judge Duke (George Kennedy
).
After being sent to prison, beaten within inches of his life, and having endured merciless emotional torture, Paxton "comes back" to seek revenge.
Glen Pitre
Glen Pitre is an American screenwriter and film director. He has written nine films since 1986. His debut film Belizaire the Cajun was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival.-Filmography:...
. It stars Eric Braeden
Eric Braeden
Eric Braeden is a German-American film and television actor, best known for his role as Victor Newman on the soap opera The Young and the Restless and as John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film Titanic...
, Billy Zane
Billy Zane
William George "Billy" Zane, Jr. is an American actor, producer and director. He is probably best known for his roles as Caledon Hockley in Titanic, The Phantom from The Phantom, John Wheeler in Twin Peaks and Mr...
, George Kennedy
George Kennedy
George Harris Kennedy, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in over 200 film and television productions. He is perhaps most familiar as the convict Dragline in Cool Hand Luke , airline troubleshooter Joe Patroni in the Airport series of disaster movies from the 1970s and...
, and Armand Assante
Armand Assante
-Personal life:Assante was born in New York City and raised in Cornwall, New York, the son of Katherine , a music teacher and poet, and Armand Anthony Assante, Sr., a painter and artist. His father was Italian and his mother was Irish, and was raised in a devoutly Roman Catholic family...
.
Plot
The Man Who Came Back is based on the Thibodaux massacreThibodaux massacre
The Thibodaux Massacre was a violent labor dispute and racial attack in Thibodaux, Louisiana in November 1887. Although the number of casualties is unknown, at least 35 and as many as three hundred workers were killed, making it one of the most violent labor disputes in U.S. history...
, the second bloodiest labor strike in US history.
Following the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, recently freed slaves on a Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
plantation are worked relentlessly but paid minimum wages. Sometimes paid only in scrip
Scrip
Scrip is an American term for any substitute for currency which is not legal tender and is often a form of credit. Scrips were created as company payment of employees and also as a means of payment in times where regular money is unavailable, such as remote coal towns, military bases, ships on long...
, worthless money accepted only at the plantation's overpriced store, the workers become financially in debt. This creates an inescapable situation for these free men looking to gain real freedom.
In an attempt to better their lives, the workers strike. This leads to massive retaliation by the most powerful men in the town, including the sheriff (Armand Assante
Armand Assante
-Personal life:Assante was born in New York City and raised in Cornwall, New York, the son of Katherine , a music teacher and poet, and Armand Anthony Assante, Sr., a painter and artist. His father was Italian and his mother was Irish, and was raised in a devoutly Roman Catholic family...
), the preacher (Al Hayter), power-hungry Billy Duke (James Patrick Stuart
James Patrick Stuart
James Patrick Stuart is an English-American stage, film and television actor.-Theater:His early career began on stage, where his work received recognition.-Television:...
) and his vigilante group of thugs.
White overseer Reese Paxton (Eric Braeden
Eric Braeden
Eric Braeden is a German-American film and television actor, best known for his role as Victor Newman on the soap opera The Young and the Restless and as John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film Titanic...
) steps up to demand justice for his workers. Duke's rage turns on Paxton and his family. Despite assistance from a Yankee attorney (Billy Zane
Billy Zane
William George "Billy" Zane, Jr. is an American actor, producer and director. He is probably best known for his roles as Caledon Hockley in Titanic, The Phantom from The Phantom, John Wheeler in Twin Peaks and Mr...
), Paxton is convicted by Billy's father, the corrupt Judge Duke (George Kennedy
George Kennedy
George Harris Kennedy, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in over 200 film and television productions. He is perhaps most familiar as the convict Dragline in Cool Hand Luke , airline troubleshooter Joe Patroni in the Airport series of disaster movies from the 1970s and...
).
After being sent to prison, beaten within inches of his life, and having endured merciless emotional torture, Paxton "comes back" to seek revenge.
Cast
- Eric BraedenEric BraedenEric Braeden is a German-American film and television actor, best known for his role as Victor Newman on the soap opera The Young and the Restless and as John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film Titanic...
as Reese Paxton - Billy ZaneBilly ZaneWilliam George "Billy" Zane, Jr. is an American actor, producer and director. He is probably best known for his roles as Caledon Hockley in Titanic, The Phantom from The Phantom, John Wheeler in Twin Peaks and Mr...
as Ezra - George KennedyGeorge KennedyGeorge Harris Kennedy, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in over 200 film and television productions. He is perhaps most familiar as the convict Dragline in Cool Hand Luke , airline troubleshooter Joe Patroni in the Airport series of disaster movies from the 1970s and...
as Judge Duke - Armand AssanteArmand Assante-Personal life:Assante was born in New York City and raised in Cornwall, New York, the son of Katherine , a music teacher and poet, and Armand Anthony Assante, Sr., a painter and artist. His father was Italian and his mother was Irish, and was raised in a devoutly Roman Catholic family...
as Amos - Sean YoungSean YoungSean Young is an American actress, best known for her performance in films from the 1980s such as Blade Runner, Dune, and No Way Out.-Early life:...
as Kate - Carol AltCarol AltCarol Ann Alt is an American model and actress.- Early life:Alt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, the daughter of Muriel, an airline employee and model, and Anthony Alt, a fire chief. She was noticed waiting tables in her hometown of East Williston, New York. When she was 18, she decided to...
as Angelique Paxton - James Patrick StuartJames Patrick StuartJames Patrick Stuart is an English-American stage, film and television actor.-Theater:His early career began on stage, where his work received recognition.-Television:...
as Billy Duke - Ken NortonKen NortonKenneth Howard Norton Sr. is a former heavyweight boxer. He is best known for his 12-round victory over a peak Muhammad Ali where he famously broke Ali's jaw, on March 31, 1973, becoming only the second man to defeat Ali as a professional .He and Ali...
as Grandpa