Mama Flora's Family

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Mama Flora's Family ★★½ 1998

Based on the novel by Alex Haley, which was finished by co-author Stevens after Haley's 1992 death. Loosely based on Haley's mother, Mama Flora (Tyson) endures one tragedy after another while raising her family. First, as a teenaged servant, Flora gets pregnant and is forced to give the child up. Then when she does marry, her husband is killed and their property burned. Meanwhile, her other children and grandchildren struggle with discrimination and grow up angry and resentful. Holds together because of the force of Tyson's portrayal. 175m/C VHS, DVD . Cicely Tyson, Mario Van Peebles, Blair Underwood, Queen Latifah, Hill Harper, Shemar Moore, Della Reese; D: Peter Werner; W: David Stevens, Carol Schreder; C: Neil Roach. TV