Southern Exposure

Angela Bateman, Hollywood film and TV star whose career has seen better days, returns home to the Deep South to put her mother Bettye Lynn Bateman into a retirement home. Bettye Lynn, who has lived in her Greek revival home since birth, is stunned by the sudden revelation and is, to say the least, in hapless disbelief. The news also troubles next door neighbor Charlene, a childhood friend of Angela, Bettye Lynn's over-sensitive caregiver Laurie and her devoted black caretaker Abraham who has been in service to Bettye Lynn since his long-ago traumatic return home from the war. Also arriving for the family debacle are Betty Lynn's two other children Marge, who is intent on taking over as her mother's guardian in spite of her mother's horror of that, and Rawley, Betty Lynn's only son and favorite who would prefer to stay out of this family squabble, altogether. Although Bettye Lynn attempts to thwart Angela's intentions as best she can, and her allies surrounding her protest vehemently on her behalf, Angela, who is overwhelmed trying to save her faltering Hollywood career, and who has no time to deal with the frequent problems her mother causes the estate's attorney, proceeds in full force to accomplish her agenda. Confrontations abound and, when all seems a complete loss and the limo is due to arrive any minute to take Betty Lynn away, the one least expected among them rises to the occasion, and Betty Lynn's tragic fate takes on a totally different perspective.