Latest movie filmed in McClellanville captures the heart of our small village

Two movies have been filmed in McClellanville in the 10 years we’ve lived here.

The first, “The New Daughter’’ with Kevin Costner, was a horror movie that was, in my view, a horrific mess.

I’m no fan of the genre, which may explain why I still call it one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen.

The other was filmed two summers ago and completely captured the heart of our small village – not to mention the Spanish moss that drapes the live oaks and the quiet beauty of our fishing creeks.

“Sophie and the Rising Sun,” based on a 2001 novel by Augusta Trebaugh, takes us back to 1941, just before and just after Pearl Harbor.

It opens with the mysterious arrival of “Mr. Ohta” in the sleepy fishing village of Salty Creek, S.C. Bloodied and bruised and dumped off by a bus, Mr. Ohta is immediately thought to be a “Chinaman” by hometown folks.

Ohta (Takashi Yamaguchi) is nursed back to health by the matronly Anne (Margo Martindale), and meets Salty Creek native Sophie (Julianne Nicholson), a crabber and part-time painter.

The two bond over a shared love of art. When they begin an illicit love affair, the movie becomes, in the words of one reviewer, “a sensitive interracial romance.”

The story takes a violent turn when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. When townspeople realize he is Japanese, Ohta becomes a pariah. It doesn’t matter that he was born in California and that his first name is Grover.

Even Anne, who was able to overcome her initial fear of Ohta to become his chief defender, is no match for the small-minded prejudice that pervades Salty Creek.

Though the movie was made before the 2016 presidential campaign, it doesn’t take much imagination to see the parallels between recent efforts to ban Muslims and the irrational fears these people felt after Pearl Harbor.

In December, “Sophie and the Rising Sun,” directed by Maggie Greenwald, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

It opened in at least one Charleston theater this weekend. And next weekend, the Grand Theater in Georgetown will have a special showing on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $7.

The bride and I watched the movie on Amazon this week hoping to see some of our friends who had signed up to play extras.

Well, we saw some homes and churches we recognized but no friends.

However, after the credits, the producers thanked a few dozen townspeople and we recognized many of the names.

We also took some pride in the film’s final thanks: “To the people of McClellanville.”

On their behalf, let me say, you’re welcome. Y’all come back any time.

This story was originally published March 24, 2017 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Latest movie filmed in McClellanville captures the heart of our small village."