In the movie, a gangster's daughter, Grace, refuses to leave a plantation in Alabama where she finds enslaved workers being treated brutally. She decides to stay and try to improve their situation, but her methods are misguided and lead to more problems. Despite her initial naivety, she learns and grows throughout her experience, eventually becoming the most changed person.

Manderlay
Set in the Deep South during the 1930s, the movie delves into the brutal truths of slavery.