Love your neighbor? Coast natives in new movie that tackles big issues in a small town
A group of Gulf Coast community theater and film professionals have banded together to make a full-length independent film where its story leaves viewers laughing hard and thinking deeply at the same time, earning for itself critical acclaim in the movie industry.
Although the setting of “Second Samuel” takes place more than seven decades ago, its story has become extremely timely for today’s American society — embroiled in a deep state of intolerance and divisiveness across race, class, gender, sexual preference and mental health stigmas.
The movie brings a formidable challenge to those who claim to practice the scriptural phrase “Love Your Neighbor.”
“ ‘Second Samuel’ is a story that blows the door wide open to conversations,” said Gulfport resident Sherri Lipscomb, operations manager for iHysm Studios, the producers of the film. “It holds a mirror up and let the moviegoer see themselves to where they have to ask the question, ‘What is my response to my neighbor?’”
The Dove Foundation, a national nonprofit that reviews family-friendly entertainment projects based on their Christian values, stated: “’Second Samuel’ brilliantly exposes… how easily we turn on each other when we are offended, how quickly we condemn instead of listening… This film is fresh, exciting and captivating. It’s the spark that will light a thousand conversations and… touch even more hearts.”
The story is told through the eyes of an autistic young adult, Bernard Flat aka B-Flat (played by Hamilton Sage). Additionally, and uniquely, B-Flat regularly writes letters about his town to his famous pen pal – President Harry S. Truman (played by Clifton Truman Daniel, President Truman’s actual grandson).
Set in 1949 (“7 cents (for a bottle of coca-cola)! I swear, if things get any higher…!”), Second Samuel, Georgia is a proud racially-mixed town, equipped with its one-traffic light, bar and beauty salon, while insisting on being seen as a clean Christian community, as opposed to a “dumb little hick town.”
The news quickly travels that the much-beloved Miss Gertrude, the town piano teacher and one of their most highly respected citizens for the past 25 years, has died. She is praised by everyone as “the sweetest woman who ever drawn a breath; said nothing bad about nobody.”
The community prepares to openly pay their respects to Miss Gertrude when a dark secret is revealed inside her home. It sends the rest of the town to a chaotic explosion, complete with physical confrontations, name-calling and even a cross burning, driving the whole town to drink.
Second Samuel citizens become divided from the turmoil, choosing not only between attending or snubbing Miss Gertrude’s funeral, but also between even having her funeral in town or sending her body to her former hometown up north. Even President Truman reacts (as well as First Lady Bess) after reading B-Flat’s latest letter.
J. Wayne Patterson, who co-wrote the screenplay (based on the book by Pamela Parker), saw the film’s story from his own personal perspective.
“As the son of an evangelical minister, my journey began with understanding my own belief system and biases, as I saw our story through the eyes of those who lived with the injustices we hope to address,” Patterson said.
The film features veteran actors E. Roger Mitchell (“Selma,” “Sully,” “Outer Banks”), Bethany Anne Lind (“Ozark,” “Doom Patrol,” “Reprisal”). Local actors include Stan Houston, Clay Chappell and Bill Lipscomb, a theater and public speaking professor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston.
The project was filmed in Dothan, Alabama, where iHysm Studios is located.
It has won Best International Narrative/Fiction Feature Film at the 2019 London International Motion Pictures Award, along with Best Feature Film and Best Acting at the 2019 Southeast Regional Film Festival.
“Second Samuel” is available for rental or purchase across the U.S. from major cable, satellite and digital providers, including iTunes, Google Play, Comcast, Charter Communications, Cox Cable, AT&T U-verse, Dish Network, Direct TV, Fandango, Vudu and more.
For more information, contact Sherri Lipscomb, sherri@ihysmstudios.com.
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 5:50 AM with the headline "Love your neighbor? Coast natives in new movie that tackles big issues in a small town."