Excellent movie because...
...it managed to show instances of how ugly this era in American social history was, without over dramatizing
...the performances were all first rate and very touching, especially with Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson and Peter Francis James
...art direction caught the look of the south during the 40s and early 50s
...the dramatic musical score was subtle and haunting and added much to the quality of the film
...the writing was superb, with deft uses of flashback and foreshadowing