Deacons for Defense (2003): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2003, Deacons for Defense is a drama film directed by Bill Duke, running about 95 minutes.

What it’s about. Inspired by a true story, this drama is set in 1965, not long after passage of the Civil Rights Act. Despite the Act, the African-American citizens of Bogalusa are still treated like third-class citizens, their fundamental rights as human beings persistently trampled by the white power structure, in general, and the local branch of the KKK. The story follows the formation of local black men, particularly ex-war veterans who after the struggles become too overbearing organizes the group, "Deacons for defense", an all-black defense group dedicated to patrolling the black section of town and protecting its residents from the more violent aspects of "white backlash."

Who’s in it. Deacons for Defense stars Forest Whitaker as Marcus Clay, Jonathan Silverman as Michael Deane, Chris Britton as William Chase and Ossie Davis as Reverend 'Rev' Gregory, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.1/10, Deacons for Defense has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV and Amazon Prime Video with Ads. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Deacons for Defense page.

If you liked it. Fans of Deacons for Defense tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.