Jayne Mansfield's Car is a drama film directed by and starring Billy Bob Thornton. The film is set in Alabama in 1969 and tells the story of two families, the Caldwell family and the Bedford family, who are brought together by the death of Jim Caldwell's (played by Robert Duvall) estranged wife and mother of his children.
The Caldwells are a Southern family with a military background and a rigid sense of tradition and honor. They are led by Jim, a World War II veteran who is struggling to come to terms with his wife's death and his own emotions.
The Bedfords, on the other hand, are a British family who are very different from the Caldwells. Led by Kingsley Bedford (played by John Hurt), the Bedfords are intellectuals who are disillusioned with the repressive nature of British society in the 1960s.
As the two families come together to bury their loved one, their differences and tensions come to the surface. The Caldwells are hostile towards the Bedfords and see them as outsiders who do not belong in their town. However, over the course of the film, the families begin to connect and understand each other better.
Jayne Mansfield's Car explores themes of family, tradition, belonging, and forgiveness. It features an ensemble cast including Kevin Bacon, Ray Stevenson, Frances O'Connor, and Katherine LaNasa. The film received mixed reviews from critics when it was released in 2012 but was praised for its performances and themes.