JFK - Tatort Dallas (1991)

A New Orleans DA discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers:

Oliver Stone (screenplay), Zachary Sklar (screenplay)

Stars:

Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, Jack Lemmon

Won 2 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 25 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sally Kirkland	...	Rose Cheramie
Anthony Ramirez	...	Epileptic
Ray LePere	...	Zapruder
Steve Reed	...	John F. Kennedy - Double
Jodie Farber	...	Jackie Kennedy - Double (as Jodi Farber)
Columbia Dubose	...	Nellie Connally - Double
Randy Means	...	Gov. Connally - Double
Kevin Costner	...	Jim Garrison
Jay O. Sanders	...	Lou Ivon
E.J. Morris	...	Plaza Witness #1
Cheryl Penland	...	Plaza Witness #2
Jim Gough	...	Plaza Witness #3
Perry R. Russo	...	Angry Bar Patron
Mike Longman	...	TV Newsman #1
Edward Asner	...	Guy Bannister

Storyline

On November 22, 1963, president John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas. Lee Harvey Oswald is arrested for the crime and subsequently shot by Jack Ruby, supposedly avenging the president's death. An investigation concludes that Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby acted alone in their respective crimes, but Louisiana district attorney Jim Garrison is skeptical. Assembling a trusted group of people, Garrison conducts his own investigation, bringing about backlash from powerful government and political figures.

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Plot Keywords:

gay slur | president | investigation | death | government | 

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Taglines:

The Story That Won't Go Away

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Genres:

Drama | History | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

20 December 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Project X

Filming Locations:

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$70,405,498 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Canal+, Regency Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

189 min 206 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kevin Costner breaks the "4th Wall" during his closing statements in the courtroom scene. Staring directly into the camera he tells the audience, "it's up to you" making reference that it's up to US citizens to show the world that they live in a democracy.

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Goofs

Jim Garrison tells the jury that Dr. James Humes destroyed the notes he took at the JFK autopsy. He actually burned his first draft of the autopsy report and turned the notes over to his commanding officer. They subsequently disappeared.

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Quotes

[first lines]
title card: "To sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards of men." - Ella Wheeler Wilcox
President Eisenhower: ...We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. And to do this three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishement. We annually spend on military security alone...
Narrator: January, 1961. President Dwight D. Eisenhowers's Farewell Address to the Nation.
President Eisenhower: ...This conjunction of an immense military establishment and arms industry ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Opening quote: "To sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards out of men." --Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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Connections

Referenced in Campus Confidential (2005)

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Soundtracks

Kokyo
Written by Leonard Eto
Performed by Kodo
Courtesy of Sony Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

A good mystery

Whether you agree with Jim Garrison's conspiracy theory or not, Stone's film is an effective mystery.

The pieces of the puzzle are put together with great skill so that the viewer is kept involved despite the length of the film. The John Williams score helps to build the atmosphere of intrigue and confusion. Costner is rather bland, as usual, but that works well here since he is surrounded by such an interesting group of colorful characters.

This is definitely a good mystery -- and a frightening one if even part of the conspiracy theory has validity.