During the Mexican-American War, Lieutenant Ulysses Grant falls in love with a young Mexican woman who helps American slaves escape bondage. The war separates them, but years later they meet again when the woman is dispatched to the United States to seek an alliance to prevent the French from conquering Mexico and becoming an ally of the Confederacy.

SYNOPSIS:

Fresh out of West Point, Ulysses Grant goes off to war in Mexico. His life dream was to raise horses, but he became a soldier to satisfy his father’s ambition. When he meets Marina Calderon, living with her family on a horse ranch in Texas, the two fall in love. Marina shares Ulysses’ opposition to slavery and works to help American slaves escape bondage, but she has a controlling father who does not view the young American army officer with favor.

His first battle against the Mexican army in south Texas leaves Ulysses with an intense aversion to war. But he is an effective leader and he rises through the ranks. Marina suggests the army is his destiny, like it or not. And though they dream of someday going off together to live a quiet life raising horses, it is not to be. He must leave Marina to pursue the Mexicans deep into Mexico to force a surrender. When he returns to Marina, he discovers she has been forced by circumstances to marry a man her father approves.

Dissatisfied with his lot in life and haunted by memories of the war, Ulysses takes to drink. It affects his performance, so much so that he is asked to resign his commission. He does and attempts to make a go of it in civilian life with a wife and family. But times are tough and Ulysses can make little headway. When the Civil War breaks out, Ulysses has no choice but to resume his military career. Advancement comes swiftly, and he rises to become commander of the Union forces. And though Lee surrenders his army of Virginia, significant numbers of Confederate troops hold out in the west and wait for an opportunity to continue the insurrection, something Ulysses watches with alarm.

When France invades Mexico and installs a puppet government to replace the democratically elected government, Marina and her husband, a friend of deposed President Benito Juarez, join the poorly equipped Juaristas who go against the powerful French armies sent by Louis Bonaparte to secure his hold on Mexico. It soon becomes clear that Bonaparte’s ambitions extend beyond Mexico. After defeating the Juaristas, he plans to ally with the remaining unpacified Confederate forces and help them defeat the United States, clearing the way for him to expand his North American empire north to Canada and west to the Pacific.

Benito Juarez doesn't want to see that happen, and bets Ulysses Grant doesn't either. When it's discovered Marina knows Ulysses, she's deputized by Juarez to travel to Washington and seek Grant’s help against the French. The two ex-lovers meet again. It's a bittersweet moment. But Ulysses pledges to provide weapons and materiel to the Mexicans. The tactic works - the French are driven out, and the remaining Confederate holdouts give up. Peace is finally at hand. Marina takes her place in the rebuilding of the Mexican nation and Ulysses gives in to his destiny, a destiny that will take him eventually to the White House.

LABYRINTH OF DESTINY is a finalist in the 2018 Academy Nicholl Screenwriting Competition.