Director Lou Diamond Phillips makes some interesting choices among his supporting cast, including Cloris Leachman as the orphanage matron, Patrick Duffy as the out-of-his-depth mayor and himself as the local bigot. These characters are presented early on, along with with a cholera epic, leading to a story that by now is fairly cut-and-dried. Director Lou Diamond Phillips makes some interesting choices among his supporting cast, including Cloris Leachman as the orphanage matron, Patrick Duffy as the out-of-his-depth mayor and himself as the local bigot. These characters are presented early on, along with with a cholera epic, leading to a story that by now is fairly cut-and-dried.