A packed theater was on hand for the showing of indie hit "Little Pink House" at Davidson's Our Town Cinemas Wednesday night. The local showing was put on by Save Davidson as a special event.
The movie chronicles the fight of Susette Kelo to save her home in the "blighted" Fort Trumbull neighborhood in New London, Connecticut. When the Kelo case was ultimately decided 5-4 in favor of the city, it instantly became one of the most reviled cases in modern Supreme Court history. The decision allowed government to use eminent domain to take private property from one person and give it to another private party for economic development.
For residents of Davidson involved in 2017 fight to stop the Town from developing the Beaty Street property there were eerie parallels between that local effort and the story shown on the big screen.
From the perfectly suitable movie neighborhood being called a "blight" (remember Beaty Pond being called an "eyesore"?) to the justifications and excuses used to promote the projects both on screen and in Davidson Town Hall, the movie was a great example of art imitating life. Throughout the film there were audience reactions, often laughter, that weren't necessarily even at funny things on screen. Instead, the audience reactions were more like saying "Oh, wow! That happened here!!!" Character after character and scene after scene, audience members could point to people and events that matched almost exactly between New London, Connecticut and Davidson, North Carolina.
The only big difference was the outcome. The people in New London ultimately lost their fight, but in Davidson the people won.
If you missed the show Wednesday, make sure to catch this one on video. It will be time well spent.
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