Love Field

Dallas housewife, grieving the loss of her own child while also bearing witness to national mourning after JFK's assassination. She travels to Dallas Love Field to catch a glimpse of Jacqueline Kennedy and ends up embarking on a perilous cross-country journey with Paul and Jonell. Her determination drives the plot as she seeks connection and meaning beyond her stalled marriage.

A protective father figure who rescued Jonell from an abusive orphanage and fights to secure custody across state lines. He travels with Lurene, evading authorities and improvising to keep Jonell safe. His resourcefulness and steadfastness provide a counterpoint to Lurene's impulsive search for connection.

A young Black girl who bears the marks of an orphanage's abuse and whose father is Paul. Jonell's quiet resilience reveals vulnerability and complexity, and her bond with Lurene shapes the trip's emotional center. Her story highlights vulnerability and the need for trusted guardians.

The mother figure who embodies social judgment and propriety. Her disapproval of interracial companionship surfaces during the journey, but she also embodies the local hospitality that helps the travelers, including lending their car in a pinch.

Lurene's work associate whose family ties in Tazewell anchor part of the road trip. Hazel's family context grounds the story in small-town life and provides a concrete setting for the journey's encounters.

Lurene's husband who vetoes her plan to attend the funeral and later clashes with Paul. His presence intensifies the film's tension and dramatizes the strain of a marriage under public grief and private desire.

A symbolic figure of national grief whom Lurene fixates on; the presence underscores the private tether to public mourning and memory during Kennedy's era.