Ghosts of Mississippi (1996)

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writer (WGA):

Lewis Colick (written by)

Release Date:

20 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

In 1963 civil rights leader Medgar Evers was murdered in his own driveway. For 30 years his assassin has remained free. Is it ever too late to do the right thing?

Plot:

The widow of murdered civil rights leader Medger Evers and a district attorney struggle to finally bring the murderer to justice.

Plot Keywords:

Trial | Civil Rights | Widow | Assassin | Activist

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Alec Baldwin	...	Bobby DeLaughter
James Woods	...	Byron De La Beckwith
Virginia Madsen	...	Dixie DeLaughter
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Myrlie Evers
Susanna Thompson	...	Peggy Lloyd
Craig T. Nelson	...	Ed Peters
Lucas Black	...	Burt DeLaughter
Joseph Tello	...	Drew DeLaughter
Alexa Vega	...	Claire DeLaughter
William H. Macy	...	Charlie Crisco
Ben Bennett	...	Benny Bennett (as Lloyd 'Benny' Bennett)
Darrell Evers	...	Himself
Yolanda King	...	Reena Evers
Jerry Levine	...	Jerry Mitchell
James Van Evers	...	Van Evers

Also Known As:

Ghosts from the Past (UK)

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34924) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Canada:14A | Germany:12 (w) | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Greenwood, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Trivia:

Sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Medgar Evers, Byron De La Beckwith died at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2001 in Jackson, Mississippi, having been transported there from Central Mississippi Correctional Center, aged 80. He had suffered from heart disease, high blood pressure and other ailments.

Goofs:

Continuity: Although the film begins in 1989 and ends in 1994, the same child actors portraying Bobby DeLaughter's children are used from the beginning of the movie until the end, showing no signs of aging.

Quotes:

Bobby DeLaughter: I don't see what difference it makes if a man was bushwhacked yesterday, today, or 27 damn years ago. Murder is murder. And it's still my job to bring the son of a bitch to justice. And it's still your job to help me.
Delamar Dennis: No! I did my job. I testified against the Klan. They shot out my windows, blew up my car, they hunted and harassed me for twenty five years. Don't that get me even for the wrong I done?
Bobby DeLaughter: We never get even for the wrong we've done.

Movie Connections:

Features Presumed Innocent (1990)

Soundtrack:

The Ballad Of Medgar Evers

inspiring account of history

I have watched this movie several times because I find it so inspiring. Alec's character, Bobby DeLaughter, rises above to see that justice is served and he does it at the cost of his marriage....I did not know who Medgar Evers was before watching this movie for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and highly recommend it to anyone! Beware, for people with closed minds, you won't like it. This movie is only for the open minded.