Sanctuary
“From the Nobel Prize winner...the unadorned truth about the governor's daughter...seared by the fires of her desperate desires...tormented by the new-found emotions within her...”
Synopsis
In 1920s rural Mississippi, Nancy Mannigoe, an African-American servant, is placed on death row for the murder of Temple Drake's infant child. Temple, the daughter of the governor, pleads with her father to exonerate Nancy of the charges, explaining that Nancy acted in haste to prevent her from resuming her affair with a roguish Cajun called Candy Man. Details of Temple's sordid past are uncovered as she begs mercy for her faithful servant.
Top Cast
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Lee Remick
Temple Drake
Yves Montand
Candy Man
Bradford Dillman
Gowan Stevens
Harry Townes
Ira Bobbitt
Odetta
Nancy Mannigoe
Howard St. John
Governor Drake
Jean Carson
Norma
Strother Martin
Dog Boy
Reta Shaw
Miss Reba
William Mims
Lee
Marge Redmond
Flossie (uncredited)
Jean Bartel
Swede (uncredited)
Hope Du Bois
Mamie (uncredited)
Pamela Raymond
Cora (uncredited)
Dona Lorenson
Connie (uncredited)
Enid Jones
Jackie (uncredited)
Linden Chiles
Randy (uncredited)
Kim Hector
Bucky Stevens (uncredited)
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Tony Richardson
- Screenplay & Story
- James Poe
- Original Score
- Alex North
- Original Title
- Sanctuary
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 30m
- Production Studios
- Darryl F. Zanuck Productions, 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Tony Richardson
James Poe, Ruth Ford, William Faulkner
Alex North
Ellsworth Fredericks
Robert L. Simpson
Darryl F. Zanuck, Richard D. Zanuck
Department Leadership Roster
Tony Richardson
Director
James Poe
Screenplay
Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer
Richard D. Zanuck
Producer
Robert L. Simpson
Editor
Donfeld
Costume Design
Ellsworth Fredericks
Director of Photography
Alex North
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Sanctuary.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Sanctuary.
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Book Adaptations
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sanctuary
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Sanctuary about?
In 1920s rural Mississippi, Nancy Mannigoe, an African-American servant, is placed on death row for the murder of Temple Drake's infant child. Temple, the daughter of the governor, pleads with her father to exonerate Nancy of the charges, explaining that Nancy acted in haste to prevent her from resuming her affair with a roguish Cajun called Candy Man. Details of Temple's sordid past are uncovered as she begs mercy for her faithful servant.
Who directed Sanctuary?
Sanctuary was directed by Tony Richardson.
Who stars in Sanctuary?
The principal cast of Sanctuary includes Lee Remick, Yves Montand, Bradford Dillman, Harry Townes, Odetta.
When was Sanctuary released and how long is it?
Sanctuary was released in 1961 with a total runtime of 1h 30m.
Who composed the musical score for Sanctuary?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Sanctuary was composed by Alex North.
Is Sanctuary based on a book or true story?
Sanctuary is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "William Faulkner".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Sanctuary?
Sanctuary holds official age classifications: DE: 18 (FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).