Lena Baker is an African-American maid who was executed in 1945 for killing her employer. During her testimony, she claimed her boss had imprisoned her and threatened to shoot her if she fleed. Defending herself, she took the gun and shot him. In the new movie, The Lena Baker Story, Tichia Arnold (Martin, Everyone Hates Chris) plays the tragic hero. For those complaining they're aren't enough movies out there featuring talented black actresses, this is a must see, must support.
The Lena Baker Story is adapted from the novel by Lela Bond Phillips, which chronicles the life and death of Lena Baker. It was written and directed by African-American Actor Ralph Wilcox. It was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and is set for a theatrical release in April.
From The Black Film Academy:
The Lena Baker Story takes place in the early 1900’s through 1945 in Cuthbert, Georgia. It’s the story of one woman’s attempt to rise above the challenges of life, the choices she makes, and the consequences of those choices. The moment she thinks she has overcome her inner demons, she is called to work for Elliot Arthur, a father, a millworker and a drunk. As their relationship unfolds, it becomes strange, strained, and highly unacceptable for the time. Elliot Arthur needs Lena and in return Lena seems to need him. He abuses her and keeps her from her children by imprisoning her in his home. When she has finally had enough, Lena stands up and attempts to break free from the bondage of Elliot Arthur. A struggle ensues, and Elliot Arthur, a white man, is shot by Lena Baker, an African-American woman, on a hot, humid night in Southwest Georgia in 1945.
The Lena Baker Story takes place in the early 1900’s through 1945 in Cuthbert, Georgia. It’s the story of one woman’s attempt to rise above the challenges of life, the choices she makes, and the consequences of those choices. The moment she thinks she has overcome her inner demons, she is called to work for Elliot Arthur, a father, a millworker and a drunk. As their relationship unfolds, it becomes strange, strained, and highly unacceptable for the time. Elliot Arthur needs Lena and in return Lena seems to need him. He abuses her and keeps her from her children by imprisoning her in his home. When she has finally had enough, Lena stands up and attempts to break free from the bondage of Elliot Arthur. A struggle ensues, and Elliot Arthur, a white man, is shot by Lena Baker, an African-American woman, on a hot, humid night in Southwest Georgia in 1945.
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