A Family Thing

Earl Pilcher (Robert Duvall), owner of an equipment rental company in a small town in Arkansas, receives a shocking letter from his mother upon her death. She reveals that Earl's biological mother was actually an African-American maid named Willa Mae, who was raped by Earl's (white) father and that she died while giving birth to Earl. His adoptive mother's dying wish is that he go to Chicago to meet his half-brother, Raymond Murdock (James Earl Jones). Earl initially takes the unexpected news of his mixed race parentage badly, challenging his father to confirm the facts in the letter. Old and feeble, his father refuses to discuss the letter, but admits it is true. As a result, Earl packs up his clothes and takes off for Chicago to find his brother.