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Mississippi Burning

  • 1988
  • R
  • 2h 8m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
104K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,630
76
Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)
Home Video Trailer from Orion Pictures
Play trailer1:34
3 Videos
99+ Photos
CrimeDramaMystery

Two F.B.I. Agents with wildly different styles arrive in Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of some civil rights activists.Two F.B.I. Agents with wildly different styles arrive in Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of some civil rights activists.Two F.B.I. Agents with wildly different styles arrive in Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of some civil rights activists.

  • Director
    • Alan Parker
  • Writer
    • Chris Gerolmo
  • Stars
    • Gene Hackman
    • Willem Dafoe
    • Frances McDormand
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    104K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,630
    76
    • Director
      • Alan Parker
    • Writer
      • Chris Gerolmo
    • Stars
      • Gene Hackman
      • Willem Dafoe
      • Frances McDormand
    • 238User reviews
    • 80Critic reviews
    • 65Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 17 wins & 24 nominations total

    Videos3

    Mississippi Burning
    Trailer 1:34
    Watch Mississippi Burning
    Mississippi Burning
    Trailer 1:34
    Watch Mississippi Burning
    Which Roles Did Samuel L. Jackson Turn Down?
    Video 2:31
    Watch Which Roles Did Samuel L. Jackson Turn Down?

    Photos103

    Willem Dafoe, Darius McCrary, and Lou Walker in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)
    Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman in Mississippi Burning (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gene Hackman
    Gene Hackman
    • Anderson
    Willem Dafoe
    Willem Dafoe
    • Ward
    Frances McDormand
    Frances McDormand
    • Mrs. Pell
    Brad Dourif
    Brad Dourif
    • Deputy Clinton Pell
    R. Lee Ermey
    R. Lee Ermey
    • Mayor Tilman
    Gailard Sartain
    Gailard Sartain
    • Sheriff Ray Stuckey
    Stephen Tobolowsky
    Stephen Tobolowsky
    • Clayton Townley
    Michael Rooker
    Michael Rooker
    • Frank Bailey
    Pruitt Taylor Vince
    Pruitt Taylor Vince
    • Lester Cowens
    Badja Djola
    Badja Djola
    • Agent Monk
    Kevin Dunn
    Kevin Dunn
    • Agent Bird
    Frankie Faison
    Frankie Faison
    • Eulogist
    Thomas B. Mason
    • Judge
    • (as Tom Mason)
    Geoffrey Nauffts
    Geoffrey Nauffts
    • Goatee
    Rick Zieff
    Rick Zieff
    • Passenger
    Christopher White
    • Black Passenger
    Gladys Greer
    • Hattie
    Jake Gipson
    • Mose
    • Director
      • Alan Parker
    • Writer
      • Chris Gerolmo
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film is inspired by the murder of voting rights activists James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman by the Ku Klux Klan.
    • Goofs
      When Anderson throws Pell into the chairs at the barbershop, Pell's stunt double has a different hairstyle (balding, with a comb-over).
    • Quotes

      Anderson: You know, if I were a Negro, I'd probably think the same way they do.

      Ward: If you were a Negro, nobody would give a damn what you thought.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Naked Gun/Dakota/Mississippi Burning/Vincent (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Take My Hand Precious Lord
      Words and Music by Thomas A. Dorsey

      Performed by Mahalia Jackson

      Courtesy of CBS Records

    User reviews238

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Versatile depiction of reality - with evenly strong cast
    This drama-thriller is loosely based on the FBI investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964, providing an additional value to anyway skillful plot (by Chris Gerolmo) and direction (by Alan Pakula). In comparison to other states, Mississippi was (and largely is) behind the times in many ways, and many crimes were launched or not disclosed due to overall mentality and indifference -- thus, community solidarity can have both good and bad elements. The movie shows how difficult is to investigate if people are at bay, and when certain activities are not perceived as felonies. The events are logical and catchy to follow, largely thanks to character actors like Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, Frances McDormand, and Brad Dourif who make a difference even while being briefly on screen -- no cute faces or politically correct solutions, but harsh and effective methods for solving a severe crime.

    It is neither family movie not entertainment, but depiction of black spot in the US history after WWII. But laid out and performed well, without digital effects or long reasoning on human values.
    helpful•8
    1
    • BeneCumb
    • May 27, 2013

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    FAQ10

    • After Anderson goes to the bar where the KKK is hanging out and lays down the law to them, he returns to the headquarters where Ward chews him out for that incident as well as hanging out at the beauty parlor. Anderson tells Ward "Deputy Pell's wife won't give us the info we need because her husband controls what she says and I'm not going to choke it out of her". Ward responds "this can of worms only opens from the inside". What did Ward mean with the "can of worms" comment?
    • When Ward told Anderson "this can of worms only opens from the inside" after Anderson told ward he won't get any info out of mrs pell, what did that quote mean?
    • How did Sheriff Stuckey know / find out that it was Deputy Pell's wife that blabbed ?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 27, 1989 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Mississippi: Burning
    • Filming locations
      • Ross Barnett Reservior, Mississippi, USA
    • Production company
      • Orion Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $34,603,943
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $225,034
      • Dec 11, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $34,603,943
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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