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 | 1960s

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 3 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)
Andy Sims	...	Store Customer (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
Andrea Mae Fenton	....	assistant decorator: Mississippi
Elizabeth Flaherty	....	art department coordinator
Trish Gallaher Glenn	....	property master
Neil Garland	....	propmaker gangboss
Will Grant	....	set dresser
Kenneth 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)
Ted Hardwick	....	set dresser (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
Carmen Flores De Tanis	....	assistant sound editor
Yann Delpuech	....	supervising sound effects 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
George Doering	....	musician
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Scott Stambler	....	supervising music editor
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn

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
Kyle Cooper	....	title designer
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
Al Lewis	....	production assistant
Algerita Wynn Lewis	....	stand-in: Yolanda King
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 Ferraro	....	caterer (uncredited)
Willie Morris	....	consultant (uncredited)

Thanks
William H. McIlhany	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Castle Rock Entertainment (presents)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (1996) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1997) (Argentina) (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)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• LK-TEL (1997) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Lebensfeld Productions

Other Companies

• Columbia Records  soundtrack
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Turner Broadcasting System (TBS)  VHS package design

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for a strong scene of violence and for racial dialogue

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:

Delmar Dennis (a key witness against the murderer, 'Byron De La Beckwith') and his family can be seen as extras in the parade scene. At the film's end, a title card indicated that Bobby DeLaughter had run for a position as a judge and been defeated. That was true at the time. Subsequently, he was appointed to a judgeship and later elected overwhelmingly to that position.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bobby Delaughter is on the phone to Myrlie Evers and Charley attempts to interrupt him with the news that Byron was quoted of having confessed to killing Evers years earlier, Bobby is wearing his wedding ring. Shortly thereafter when he's in the hospital for his eldest son's injury (and first meets the doctor, his second wife), he is not wearing wedding ring.

Quotes:

[Quoting Medgar Evers]
Myrlie Evers:When you hate, the only one that suffers is you because most of the people you hate don't know it and the rest don't care.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert: Evita/Beavis and Butt-Head Do America/One Fine Day/My Fellow Americans/Scream/Ghosts of Mississippi" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Turn Me Loose

A story worth telling, well told

Based on fact and directed by Rob Reiner, Ghosts recounts the investigation, and retrial in 1994 - after two mistrials in the 60s - of Byron de la Beckwith for the racist shooting in 1963 of Medgar Evers, an NAACP activist. The film has gained renewed topicality with the recent conviction of another white supremacist for the Birmingham, Alabama, Baptist Church bombing, also in 1963.

Alec Baldwin gives a solid, and sometimes stolid, performance in the central role of prosecuting DA, Bobby DeLaughter (pronounced DeLaw), himself from Mississippi's white uppercrust, whose marriage hits the rocks because of his pursuit of the case. James Woods, convincingly made up to look over 70 for most of the movie, is electrifying as the arrogant, hateful Beckwith. Whoopi Goldberg portrays Medgar's widow with a lot of dignity and even a touch of humour, but it would have been understandable if she had also displayed a little more bitterness.

The movie is possibly not as powerful as Reiner hoped, partly no doubt because he was restricted by the facts. In particular, the retrial seems to have thrown up little or no new evidence, thus making the courtroom action less dramatic than in a fictional movie. Perhaps a greater criticism is that the intense focus on Baldwin/DeLaughter, who is in almost every scene, tends to turn him into the hero of the movie; whereas it should be Medgar Evers, who as a civil rights activist in one of the most bigoted areas of the USA deserves everyone's undying admiration.

Despite the movie's flaws, it is gripping for most of its 130 minutes, and this was certainly a story worth telling.