The Wedding (film)

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Oprah Winfrey presents: The Wedding
Directed by Charles Burnett
Produced by Doro Bachrach
Written by Dorthey West
Lisa Jones
Starring Halle Berry
Eric Thal
Lynn Whitfield
Running time 135 min
Language English

The Wedding is a book adapted television film starring Halle Berry, Eric Thal, and Lynn Whitfield that touches on the subject of marriage, race, prejudice, and family in the 1950s.

The film was a novel written by Dorothy West and later adapted into teleplay by Lisa Jones, and directed by Charles Burnett. It also stars Carl Lumbly, Shirley Knight, and Wichael Warren.

[edit] Plot

Shelby (Halle Berry) returns home to 'The Oval' to wed her fiance, Meade Howell (Eric Thal). They are not readily accepted by her mother, but in the end she understands. Shelby later meets Lute McNeil (Carl Lumbly) and questions her marrying Meade. After a racially induced incident at a local restaurant, Shelby confesses to Meade that she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life defending their relationship and asks him to give her time.

Meanwhile, Shelby's mother Corrine (Lynn Whitfield) is battling her own demons within her marriage. With flashbacks the viewer sees that her husband Clark married her not in love, but for looks. Corrine discovers that her husband is having an affair and planning to leave with the other woman when she finds tickets in his coat pocket. She burns the tickets in the bathtub and confronts him with her true feeling about their marriage later in the film.

Later when Lute's wife refuses a divorce, Lute in a rage forces her out of their home and accidentally hits his daughter with his car. After experiencing this event Shelby feels that she 'finally can see who Lute really is' and turns her heart back to Meade. The two marry in the end.