| Director | Bryan Barber |
|---|---|
| Genre | crime film, drama film, musical film |
| Runtime | 121 min |
| Country | United States |
| Budget | $10 million |
| Box office | $12.6 million |
In 1935, in the town of Idlewild in Georgia, Percival works at his father's funeral home and at night plays piano at a local club called Church, where his childhood friend Rooster is a singer who is also bootlegging on the side. One night while he is performing, Rooster is visited by gangsters Spats, Trumpy, Ace, and Rose to talk about a deal they have with the club. Rooster and Rose retreat to a nearby warehouse and have sex in a car, where they are ambushed by the other three. Rose runs away and Trumpy kills Spats and Ace to get the business for himself. Trumpy later informs Rooster the debt owed by Ace is now his problem, and he has to make up the money by selling liquor at Church bought from Trumpy's "suppliers." Rooster goes to warn Rose, who leaves town watched by one of Trumpy's henchmen.
Aspiring singer Sally B. Shelley arrives at Church posing as Angel Davenport, a singer who has a contract with the club that Sally stole from her. Under pressure to make up the money he owes Trumpy, Rooster forces Sally to perform; seeing that she is anxious being on stage, Percival offers to accompany her and the two perform a song he wrote. The song makes Sally an overnight star and she is offered a record deal in Chicago. She asks Percival to go with her, but he is reluctant as he feels obligated to his father; when Sally finds out Percival knows who she really is, she pledges her love to him and persuades him to go with her.
Rooster devises a plan to buy liquor from bootlegger GW and his partner. While making his rounds to collect hooch from GW, Rooster gives all the money he has to an old woman, Mother Hopkins, and her grandchildren; in return, Mother Hopkins gives him a bible. Arriving at the collection point, Rooster sees Trumpy's henchmen have beaten up GW and killed his partner. Rooster is brought to Trumpy, and GW is shot and killed. Trumpy's henchman tries to shoot Rooster, but the bible in his jacket stops the bullet, and Rooster escapes, followed by Trumpy. Rooster arrives at Church, where Percival and Sally have stopped at before leaving for Chicago, where Percival is planning to propose marriage. Rooster and Trumpy fight, Trumpy pulls a gun on him but Percival saves Rooster by shooting Trumpy first. The stray bullet hits Sally, who dies of the wound shortly after.
Consumed with grief, Percival prepares Sally for her burial, and contemplates suicide by hanging. Instead, he is interrupted and consoled by Rooster, who decides to go straight. Percival gives Rooster Sally's ticket to Chicago, where Rooster goes to reconcile with his family. With encouragement from his father, Percival begins to follow his musical ambitions and starts making records and touring clubs across America.