Mississippi Burning

Mississippi Burning is an American drama film about 1988, directed by Alan Parker. It stars Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, Frances McDormand, Brad Dourif, Michael Rooker, Stephen Tobolowsky, and R. Lee Ermey. The film is inspired by a true story, specifically the murder of civil rights activists, which occurred in 1964.

Plot

In 1964, in the small town of Jessup in the southern state of Mississippi in the United States, where racism still reigns supreme, three civil rights activists fighting for equal rights there disappear. Two of them are white Jews and the third is of African descent. The FBI sends two agents to investigate the case. One of them is Alan Ward, who comes from the north and is liberal, and the second is Rupert Anderson, ex-sheriff of a town in Mississippi, a cynical man who knows southern society. Each of them has their own idea of how to solve this matter, and together they run up against a wall of silence and racial prejudice on the part of the local population and some members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Soon they discover that the three activists were murdered and therefore they must find their bodies and punish the culprits in the midst of a spiral of violence and intimidation unleashed by the Ku Klux Klan in that place because of the investigation. For this they receive additional help from the FBI in the midst of extensive media coverage that the press makes about this case. They finally discover the bodies and also discover that the Ku Klux Klan and its leader did it with the help of members of the local police, including the sheriff, who are also members of the organization.

That is why they now have the job of getting the evidence to arrest them and have them tried in a federal court, since racism would prevent them from being tried locally. They kidnap the mayor, who knows what happened to get the details, which he provides for fear of receiving attacks. Then they sow discord so that one is willing to collaborate. Finally they get a compromising recording and get one to confess.

All except the sheriff, who was able to create an alibi, are convicted of the crime with prison terms of between 3 and 10 years for civil rights violations. Finally, the mayor commits suicide when they were going to arrest him for complicity, since he knew everything that was happening from the beginning and did nothing despite the fact that he could have done something by firing the policemen involved before the crime for being members of the Klan.

Cast

• Gene Hackman as Agent Rupert Anderson.
• Willem Dafoe as Agent Alan Ward.
• Frances McDormand as Mrs. Pell
• Brad Dourif as Sheriff Clinton Pell.
• Gailard Sartain as Sheriff Ray Stuckey.
• R. Lee Ermey as Mayor Tilman.
• Stephen Tobolowsky like Clayton Townley.
• Michael Rooker like Frank Bailey.
• Pruitt Taylor Vince as Lester Cowens.
• Badja Djola as Agent Monk.
• Kevin Dunn as Agent Bird.
• Tobin Bell as Agent Stokes.

Production

The film was shot between March 7 and May 14, 1988 in Mississippi, United States. Interior shots of the Sheriff's office, courtroom, and courtroom stairs were filmed at the former Carroll County Courthouse in that state, which was later demolished for being in disrepair.

Reception

The film was released in the United States on December 9, 1988 and was released in Spain on March 17, 1989. According to Decine21, the film was soberly directed. Additionally, the film maintains the tension at all times and manages to involve the viewer in the action. Ultimately, in his opinion, Gene Hackman's performance was superb.

Awards

• Award winner Oscar 1989 for Best Photography, and candidate for 6 more prizes.
• Winner of the BAFTA 1990 Award for Best Photography, Best Mount and Best Sound, and candidate for 2 more prizes.
• Silver Bear winner of the Berlin International Film Festival 1990, the best actor (Gene Hackman).