Wrights 1940 original novel followed a poor, 20-year-old black Chicagoan, Bigger Thomas, as he takes a job as a chauffeur for the wealthy, white Dalton family. When Thomas accidentally mits an act of violence against a member of the family, he engages in an elaborate cover-up scheme that begets more crimes. Wright emphasizes throughout the novel that society has been set up to make Thomas what he bees.除此之外，阿汤哥的搏命精神也影响着剧组所有人，导演克里斯托夫·迈考利称和阿汤哥一起工作会激发人的潜能，“他总会督促你尽力而为，因此很多从前无法想象的事情最终都得到了实现”。