Cellmates

Leroy Lowe, a leading figure in the Texas Ku Klux Klan, is forced to confront his ingrained prejudices when he is sentenced to three years of hard labor at a prison work farm. There, Warden Merville, determined to reform Leroy, pairs him with Emilio, a Hispanic labor activist serving time for advocating workers’ rights, as his cellmate. Isolated from his KKK allies, Leroy finds his hostility and bigotry gradually eroded by Emilio’s persistent friendliness. The warden’s weekly rehabilitation sessions, which Leroy initially endures with difficulty as they focus on agricultural topics, take on new significance with the arrival of Madalena, a captivating Mexican maid hired to clean the warden’s office. An unexpected romance blossoms, prompting Leroy to envision a new way of life. Ultimately, a man steeped in racism begins to embark on a transformative journey toward redemption.