Set in Detroit during the Civil Rights Movement, "An American Girl Story - Melody 1963: Love Has to Win" examines the joyful life and troubled times of an irrepressible 10-year-old African-American girl whose vivid imagination and creativity reinforce her optimism. When shocking national events threaten her sense of security, Melody must find inner strength to restore her hope for a better world.
Acting
Marsai Martin's pre-Blackish brilliance carries every frame.
Direction
Tina Mabry balances doll-brand sweetness with unflinching history.
Production
Period Detroit detail on what was clearly a modest budget.
Director
Tina Mabry
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Marsai Martin's first lead role, filmed when she was nine—she'd later become Hollywood's youngest executive producer with 'Little' at age fourteen.
The American Girl franchise has a complicated history with race; Melody was their second Black historical doll after Addy (escaped slavery), and this film's unflinching approach surprised critics expecting sanitized history.
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