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 | Activist | Murder

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
Sky Rumph	...	Jared Lloyd
Zoaunne LeRoy	...	Thelma De La Beckwith
Michael O'Keefe	...	Merrida Coxwell
Bill Smitrovich	...	Jim Kitchens
Terry O'Quinn	...	Judge Hilburn
Rex Linn	...	Martin Scott
Bill Henderson	...	Minister
James Pickens Jr.	...	Medgar Evers
G. Ja'ron Henderson	...	Darrell Evers - Age 11
Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly	...	Reena Evers - Age 10 (as Rae'ven Larrymore Kelly)
Curtis Tyler Haynes	...	Van Evers - Age 3
Richard Riehle	...	Tommy Mayfield
Jim Harley	...	Delamar Dennis
Bonnie Bartlett	...	Billie DeLaughter
Brock Peters	...	Walter Williams
Wayne Rogers	...	Morris Dees
Finn Carter	...	Cynthia Speetgens
William Howard	...	Fred Sanders
Diane Ladd	...	Grandma Caroline Moore
Andy Romano	...	Hardy Lott
Richard Stahl	...	Judge Hendrick
David Carpenter	...	Bill Walter
Bill Cobbs	...	Charlie Evers
Jordan Lund	...	Deputy
Jerry Hardin	...	Grandpa Barney DeLaughter
Ramon Bieri	...	James Holley
C.R. Doan	...	Bob Patterson
Katherine Randolph	...	Young Barbara Holder (as Katherine Wood)
L.D. Bass Sr.	...	Black Man
Monty Thomas	...	Security Guard
Eliott Keener	...	Sheriff McMillan
Brandon McKennah	...	Roy Wilkins
William L. Donald	...	Howard
Jim Stallings	...	Hollis Cresswell
Michael Strasser	...	Bomb Squad Man
Diana Bellamy	...	Barbara Holder
Rance Howard	...	Ralph Hargrove
Thomas Kopache	...	Thorn McIntyre
Frank Hoyt Taylor	...	Dan Prince
Sarah Hunley	...	Peggy Morgan
Marilyn Lovell	...	Bridge Lady
Jill Andre	...	Bridge Lady
Leigh French	...	Bridge Lady
James Marshall Wolchok	...	Press Reporter
John A. Horhn	...	CNN Reporter
Spencer Garrett	...	Reporter
Fenton Lawless	...	Reporter
David Armstrong	...	Reporter
Michael Hewes	...	Reporter
James Homer Best	...	Reporter
Thom Barry	...	Bennie Thompson (as Thomas Barry)
Louis E. Armstrong	...	Louis Armstrong
Ed Bryson	...	Himself
Maggie Wade	...	Herself
Jane Jenkins	...	Assistant D.A. (as J.J. Chaback)
Keenan K. Evers	...	Daniel Evers-Everette
Nicole Evers-Everette	...	Cambi Evers-Everette
Dijon S. Williams	...	Keenan Evers
Tracey Costello	...	Assistant D.A.
Margo Martindale	...	Clara Mayfield
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Delmar Dennis	...	Man at Parade (unconfirmed)
Ted Alderman	...	Parade Patron (uncredited)
Stokely Carmichael	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Eva Ford	...	Courtroom Observer (uncredited)
Stacy Hall	...	Courthouse Deputy (uncredited)
Beth Hebert	...	Towns Lady (uncredited)
John F. Kennedy	...	Himself - Equal Rights Speech (archive footage) (uncredited)
Martin Luther King	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Joe Louis	...	Himself - Bending over Opponent (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jesse Owens	...	Himself - Racing in Berlin (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jackie Robinson	...	Himself - Running to First Base (archive footage) (uncredited)
Maridean Mansfield Shepard	...	Theater Patron (uncredited)
John M. Sullivan II	...	CNN Reporter #2 (uncredited)
Malcolm X	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Rob Reiner

Writing credits (WGA)
Lewis Colick		(written by)

Produced by
Frank Capra III	....	co-producer
Charles Newirth	....	executive producer
Nicholas Paleologos	....	producer
Rob Reiner	....	producer
Andrew Scheinman	....	producer
Jeffrey Stott	....	executive producer
Frederick Zollo	....	producer

Original Music by
Marc Shaiman

Cinematography by
John Seale		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Leighton

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
Lilly Kilvert

Art Direction by
Christopher Burian-Mohr

Set Decoration by
Karen O'Hara		(as Karen A. O'Hara)

Costume Design by
Gloria Gresham

Makeup Department
Hallie D'Amore	....	key makeup artist
Deborah La Mia Denaver	....	makeup artist
Barbara Lorenz	....	hair stylist
Matthew W. Mungle	....	makeup artist
Rick Provenzano	....	hair stylist: Alec Baldwin
Julia L. Walker	....	hair stylist: Ms. Goldberg
Hazel Catmull	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Dale Miller	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Allegra Clegg	....	unit production manager
Tricia Miles	....	post-production supervisor
Charles Newirth	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
George Bamber	....	second assistant director
Frank Capra III	....	first assistant director
Todd Y. Murata	....	second second assistant director
David Spitzer	....	second second assistant director
Wainani Young-Tomich	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Tristan Paris Bourne	....	on-set dresser
Thomas E. Brown	....	paint supervisor
Peggy Casey	....	set decoration buyer
Patrick Cassidy	....	co-leadman
Jeffrey DeBell	....	set dresser
Elizabeth Flaherty	....	art department coordinator
Trish Gallaher Glenn	....	property master
Will Grant	....	set dresser
Ken Hardy	....	art director: Mississippi
Alan S. Kaye	....	set designer
Brook Mansbridge	....	propmaker
Louis Medrano	....	painter
William H. Phen Jr.	....	propmaker foreman
Nick Spetsiotis	....	art department coordinator
Butch West	....	construction coordinator
Daniel Williams	....	set dresser
Dan Dorfer	....	set painter (uncredited)
Lindanne Lewis	....	set painter (uncredited)
Lori A. Lopes	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Scott P. Murphy	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
Lane Burch	....	adr recordist
John T. Cucci	....	foley artist
Yann Delpuech	....	supervising sound effects editor
Carmen Flores De Tanis	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Eber	....	production sound mixer
Robert Grieve	....	supervising sound editor
Kim Hayes	....	foley editor
Nicholas James	....	supervising foley editor (as Nick James)
Gregory King	....	supervising sound effects
Mark Lanza	....	sound effects editor
Rob Nokes	....	assistant sound editor
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg P. Russell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Daniel Yale	....	foley editor
Linda Lew	....	foley recordist (uncredited)
David E. Stone	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
David Blitstein	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Christina Drahos	....	digital artist: main title sequence (uncredited)

Stunts
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunt coordinator
Rusty Hanson	....	stunts
Jalon Raney	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
James 'Spud' Danicic	....	remote head technician: CamRemote
Curtis Failor	....	electrician
Morris Flam	....	gaffer
George A. Hock	....	rigging gaffer
Mark L. Johnson	....	second assistant camera
David Katz	....	video assist operator
John Rhode	....	director of photography: second unit
P. Scott Sakamoto	....	Steadicam operator
P. Scott Sakamoto	....	camera operator
Paul Wilkowsky	....	grip
Eric Wycoff	....	lighting technician
John Rhode	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Rich King	....	extras casting
Kim Petrosky	....	extras casting: Mississippi

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary C. Lane	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Alan Edward Bell	....	associate editor
Andrew Dickler	....	assistant editor
Fred Fouquet	....	editor: opening title sequence
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Danny Miller	....	assistant editor
Bethany Orlemann	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Scott Stambler	....	supervising music editor

Transportation Department
Ted Basso	....	production van driver operator
Steve Mann	....	picture car coordinator
Justin Nance	....	driver
Mike Robinson	....	driver: grip
Hank Van Apeldoorn	....	transportation: Mississippi

Other crew
Brooks Baldwin	....	dialect coach
Lori A. Balton	....	location scout
Kevin Berman	....	consultant
Jason Bogard	....	first assistant accountant
Neill Calabro	....	stand-in: William H. Macy
Myrlie Evers	....	consultant
Karin Fong	....	title designer
Charles Harrington	....	location manager
Brian Hilburn	....	production assistant
Craig Hosking	....	helicopter pilot
Debra James	....	production coordinator
David R. Lawson	....	medic
Paul LaZebnik	....	assistant production coordinator
Algerita Wynn Lewis	....	stand-in: Yolanda King
Al Lewis	....	production assistant
David Linck	....	unit publicist
Wendy E. Matousek	....	stand-in: Lucas Black
Liz Matthews	....	location manager
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor
Gregory J. Pace	....	set assistant to Alec Baldwin
Liz Probst	....	payroll accountant
Douglas V.R. Shellow	....	assistant production coordinator
Stephanie Stears	....	production assistant
Rosanna Sun	....	production contact
Glenn Zoller	....	assistant: Mr. Baldwin
Gary C. Ferraro	....	caterer (uncredited)
Willie Morris	....	consultant (uncredited)

Thanks
William H. McIlhany	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Castle Rock Entertainment (presents)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (1996) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Columbia Pictures (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Concorde-Castle Rock/Turner (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Filmayer-Castle Rock-Turner S.A. (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1997) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (1997) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (1997) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Lebensfeld Productions

Other Companies

• Columbia Records  soundtrack

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: When the DeLaughter and his investigators drive up to a gas station, the prices for gas are all under a dollar. When DeLaughter is on the phone to Myrlie Evers standing on the other side of the signs, the prices are all now over a dollar.

Quotes:

[about Medgar Evers' widow pursuing the murder case for decades]
Bobby DeLaughter: I think about her keeping this thing alive all this time. Imagine a woman loving a man so much.
Charlie Crisco: Hell, I can't even get a woman to love me while I'm still alive.

Movie Connections:

Features Presumed Innocent (1990)

Soundtrack:

Turn Me Loose

Not bad -- but we've been here before

I've seen this movie several times on the pay channels (the joys of modern television!). Overall the film is pretty good, and doesn't seem to take great license with history, which is refreshing. My only serious beef about this movie is the same as with Mississippi Burning and other films about the civil-rights struggle: Why do all of these movies insist on providing a white male central character, out to do good for the oppressed black people? Why not do this movie from the POV of Evers' widow, or brother? Because the (white male) power structure in Hollywood feels that audiences won't relate to stories without having a WASP in the middle of the action. This is not to minimize Bobby DeLaughter's role in bringing Byron de la Beckwith to justice; it's just to say that DeLaughter came along very late in the overall history of this case.

So, as to be expected, we're shown that DeLaughter braves ostracism, family conflict, and a death threat (probably a lot of them in real life). All very true, but we lose the fact that the Evers family went through all of this and more in 30 years of keeping the flame alive.

There are some good performances in here, especially James Woods, who had to be having a blast playing de la Beckwith, a mental midget and virulent racist in real life too. Baldwin is okay as DeLaughter but as bland as he normally is, even while affecting the Delta accent. Whoopi Goldberg is very good as the contemporary Myrlie Evers Williams, but ridiculous as the young widow in the flashback sequences. She's obviously too old, and it leaves you wondering if they were just too cheap to pay another actress or if Goldberg's ego is so large that she wouldn't allow it. The actor who played Evers' brother is so outstanding in such a small amount of screen time, you have to wonder why they didn't do more with him.

It's not a bad movie by any stretch, and it does give us a chance to see a little of what Medgar Evers was all about. I only wish that the film had been more about Medgar and Myrlie and much less about DeLaughter. As one other reviewer commented, this feels more like a made-for-TV movie than a theatrical release.