In 1933, after leaving Dogville, while traveling with her father and his gangsters to the south of USA, Grace Margaret Mulligan sees a slave ready to be punished in a property called Manderlay. The slavery had been abolished seventy years ago, and Grace becomes revolted with the attitude of the owners of Manderlay, keeping slaves in their cotton fields and following predetermined despicable rules called "Mam's Law". Grace decides to stay with some gangsters in Manderlay and give notions of democracy to the slaves and to the white family. When harvest time comes, Grace sees the social and economical reality of Manderlay.

The second film in Lars von Trier's third trilogy series entitled "USA - Land of Opportunities". The two other parts are Dogville (2003) and Wasington (2009).

[first lines]


Narrator:
It was in the year of 1933, when Grace and her father were heading southward with their army of gangsters.

Written and Performed by David Bowie
Courtesy of RZO Music, Inc.
Published by Chrysalis Music Limited
EMI Music Publishing Limited / RZO Music Limited