Lone Star (1996)

When the skeleton of his murdered predecessor is found, Sheriff Sam Deeds unearths many other long-buried secrets in his Texas border town.

Director:

John Sayles

Writer:

John Sayles

Stars:

Stephen Mendillo, Stephen J. Lang, Chris Cooper

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 15 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stephen Mendillo	...	Cliff
Stephen J. Lang	...	Mikey
Chris Cooper	...	Sam
Elizabeth Peña	...	Pilar
Oni Faida Lampley	...	Celie
Eleese Lester	...	Molly
Joe Stevens	...	Deputy Travis
Gonzalo Castillo	...	Amado
Richard Coca	...	Enrique
Clifton James	...	Hollis
Tony Frank	...	Fenton
Miriam Colon	...	Mercedes Cruz
Kris Kristofferson	...	Charlie Wade
Jeff Monahan	...	Young Hollis
Matthew McConaughey	...	Buddy Deeds

Storyline

John Sayles' murder-mystery explores interpersonal and interracial tensions in Rio County, Texas. Sam Deeds is the local sheriff who is called to investigate a 40-year-old skeleton found in the desert....As Sam delves deeper into the town's dark secrets, he begins to learn more about his father, the legendary former sheriff Buddy Deeds, who replaced the corrupt Charlie Wade. While Sam puzzles out the long-past events surrounding the mystery corpse, he also longs to rekindle a romance with his old high-school flame. Sayles' complex characters are brought together as the tightly woven plot finally draws to its dramatic close.

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Plot Keywords:

sheriff | texas | skeleton | badge | bar | 

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Taglines:

John Sayles invites you to return to the scene of the crime.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brief language, sex and violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

21 June 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Estrella solitaria

Filming Locations:

Del Rio, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$3,845,000 (USA) (19 July 1996)

Gross:

$13,269,963 (USA) (10 January 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Castle Rock Entertainment, Rio Dulce

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joe Morton plays Ron Canada's son, despite being over 18 months older than him.

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Goofs

After Charlie has shot the Mexican on the bridge and bends over his body, the Mexican slightly moves.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Cliff: [cataloging the flora] We got cenizo, that's purple sage, agave, nopal... What's that stuff? Yeah that's it, that's whatchamacallit. That's horse crippler.
Mikey: This place is a gold mine.
Cliff: Lead mine.

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Connections

Featured in The 69th Annual Academy Awards (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Desde Que Conosco"
Written by Ivory Joe Hunter
Performed by Freddie Fender, Duke Levine, Billy Novick, Larry
Luddecke, Marshall Wood, and Tim Jackson

User Reviews

A good watch for those who missed it in 1996.

In "Lone Star", a skull is found in an isolated part of a Texas border county which begins an investigation by the local Sheriff who must unlock a closet full of skeletons to solve the mystery. Critically acclaimed and a high scoring flick on this website, "Lone Star" is a film to be reckoned with. It features solid performances without the usual blockbuster star power, an engaging story, a real feel, and masterful editing which allows for a seamless presentation of the numerous flashbacks required to tell the story. You'll find little emoting or little reason to emote in this matter-of-fact contemporary film which ends with a kicker. Worth a look for just about anyone mature enough for the subject matter.