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IMDbPro

JFK

  • 19911991
  • RR
  • 3h 9m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
160K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,541
357
Kevin Costner in JFK (1991)
Theatrical Trailer from Warner Home Video
Play trailer2:20
5 Videos
99+ Photos
DramaHistoryThriller
New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
160K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,541
357
  • Director
    • Oliver Stone
  • Writers
    • Jim Garrison(based on the book "On the Trail of the Assassins" by)
    • Jim Marrs(based on the book "Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy" by)
    • Oliver Stone(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Kevin Costner
    • Gary Oldman
    • Jack Lemmon
  • Director
    • Oliver Stone
  • Writers
    • Jim Garrison(based on the book "On the Trail of the Assassins" by)
    • Jim Marrs(based on the book "Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy" by)
    • Oliver Stone(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Kevin Costner
    • Gary Oldman
    • Jack Lemmon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 549User reviews
    • 81Critic reviews
    • 72Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 19 wins & 43 nominations total

    Videos5

    JFK
    Trailer 2:20
    Watch JFK
    JFK
    Trailer 2:20
    Watch JFK
    JFK
    Trailer 0:16
    Watch JFK
    Kevin Bacon Gets Quizzed On His IMDb Page
    Video 3:49
    Watch Kevin Bacon Gets Quizzed On His IMDb Page
    Athletes Who Chose Acting Over Football
    Video 3:14
    Watch Athletes Who Chose Acting Over Football

    Photos211

    Kevin Costner and Jay O. Sanders in JFK (1991)
    Columbia Dubose, Jodie Farber, Randy Means, and Steve Reed in JFK (1991)
    Kevin Costner in JFK (1991)
    Kevin Costner, Wayne Knight, Gary Grubbs, Laurie Metcalf, Michael Rooker, and Jay O. Sanders in JFK (1991)
    Kevin Costner and Sissy Spacek in JFK (1991)
    Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, and Michael Rooker in JFK (1991)
    Kevin Costner and Donald Sutherland in JFK (1991)
    Kevin Costner and Wayne Knight in JFK (1991)
    Kevin Costner, Michael Rooker, and Jay O. Sanders in JFK (1991)
    Kevin Costner, Joe Pesci, and Jay O. Sanders in JFK (1991)
    Oliver Stone in JFK (1991)
    Kevin Bacon, Kevin Costner, and Michael Rooker in JFK (1991)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kevin Costner
    Kevin Costner
    • Jim Garrison
    Gary Oldman
    Gary Oldman
    • Lee Harvey Oswald
    Jack Lemmon
    Jack Lemmon
    • Jack Martin
    Walter Matthau
    Walter Matthau
    • Senator Long
    Sally Kirkland
    Sally Kirkland
    • Rose Cheramie
    Anthony Ramirez
    • Epileptic
    Gary Taggart
    • Doctor (credited on Director's Cut)
    Ray LePere
    • Zapruder
    Steve Reed
    • John F. Kennedy - Double
    Jodie Farber
    Jodie Farber
    • Jackie Kennedy - Double
    • (as Jodi Farber)
    Columbia Dubose
    • Nellie Connally - Double
    Randy Means
    • Gov. Connally - Double
    Jay O. Sanders
    Jay O. Sanders
    • Lou Ivon
    E.J. Morris
    • Plaza Witness #1
    • (as E. J. Morris)
    Cheryl Penland
    • Plaza Witness #2
    Jim Gough
    • Plaza Witness #3
    Perry R. Russo
    • Angry Bar Patron
    Mike Longman
    • TV Newsman #1
    • Director
      • Oliver Stone
    • Writers
      • Jim Garrison(based on the book "On the Trail of the Assassins" by)
      • Jim Marrs(based on the book "Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy" by)
      • Oliver Stone(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The murder of Oswald by Jack Ruby was filmed on location in the actual basement garage of Dallas City Hall, where the real-life shooting took place.
    • Goofs
      David Ferrie's "confession" in Fountainbleu Hotel never happened. Ferrie went to his death denying any knowledge of Oswald or the plot to kill JFK.
    • Quotes

      Jim Garrison: The Warren Commission thought they had an open-and-shut case. Three bullets, one assassin. But two unpredictable things happened that day that made it virtually impossible. One, the eight-millimeter home movie taken by Abraham Zapruder while standing by the grassy knoll. Two, the third wounded man, James Tague, who was knicked by a fragment, standing near the triple underpass. The time frame, five point six seconds, determined by the Zapruder film, left no possibility of a fourth shot. So the shot or fragment that left a superficial wound on Tague's cheek had to come from the three shots fired from the sixth floor depository. That leaves just two bullets. And we know one of them was the fatal head shot that killed Kennedy. So now a single bullet remains. A single bullet now has to account for the remaining seven wounds in Kennedy and Connelly. But rather than admit to a conspiracy or investigate further, the Warren Commission chose to endorse the theory put forth by an ambitious junior counselor, Arlen Spector, one of the grossest lies ever forced on the American people. We've come to know it as the "Magic Bullet Theory." This single-bullet explanation is the foundation of the Warren Commission's claim of a lone assassin. Once you conclude the magic bullet could not create all seven of those wounds, you'd have to conclude that there was a fourth shot and a second rifle. And if there was a second rifleman, then by definition, there had to be a conspiracy.

    • Crazy credits
      Closing statement: What Is Past Is Prologue
    • Alternate versions
      A director's cut prepared by Oliver Stone for the video release features 17 minutes of footage not included in the theatrical version. Among the new material:
      • Guy Bannister and his secretary talk briefly about Oswald and laugh.
      • New flashbacks of Oswald's life in Dallas with his wife after his return from Russia and his contacts with George De Mohrenshildt, Janet and Bill Williams (the man who gets Oswald a job at the book depository).
      • When Garrison and his assistant are at the book depository, they discuss the fact that the motorcade route was changed by then Dallas mayor Earle Cabell, brother of general Charles Cabell fired by Kennedy in 1961.
      • A fake Oswald (Frank Whaley) is seen in a flashback test-driving a new car and talking about Russia to the salesman.
      • In another flashback, Oswald is introduced to the New Orleans Cuban community and meets Sylvia Odio, leader of an underground anti-Castro movement.
      • A new flashback of Oswald and Clay Shaw seen together at a voter's registration drive in September '63.
      • Jim Garrison appears on "The Jerry Johnson Show" on TV to be interviewed. He tries to show photographs and defend his theories but he's cut short by host Jerry Johnson (John Larroquette).
      • Bill Broussard meets Jim Garrison at the airport where he's leaving for Phoenix, AZ and tells him the mob will attempt to assassinate him. After a few minutes he has to flee from a public restroom when he hears strange voices in the next stall and is approached by an unknown man (a cameo by production designer Victor Kempster) who pretends to be a friend of him.
      • Garrison and his staff discover that Broussard has disappeared from his apartment, and argue about the real reason why Clay Shaw has been brought to trial. While they're talking, Garrison sees Robert Kennedy on TV and says "They'll kill him before they'll let him be president".
      • During the trial, more witnesses against Shaw are shown than in the theatrical version, including a obviously insane man (Ron Rifkin) who claims that Shaw discussed killing Kennedy with him.
    • Connections
      Edited into Malcolm X (1992)
    • Soundtracks
      Drummers' Salute
      Arranged by D. G. McCroskie

      Performed by The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

      Courtesy of Fiesta Records Co. Inc.

    User reviews549

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Thrilling film
    The first film in Oliver Stone's films about the American presidency, JFK is a historical drama exploring a popular conspiracy theory regarding John F. Kennedy's assassination, adapted from the books On the Trail of the Assassins by Jim Garrison and Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy by Jim Marrs. On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas, allegedly by Lee Harvey Oswald (Gary Oldman). The inciting incident occurs when New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison notices several inaccuracies in the Warren Report (the official investigation of the assassination) and decides to reexamine the case of Kennedy's death. Garrison and his team pursue the truth at all costs, and eventually take Kennedy's death to court to ask: who really is responsible for killing the President?

    Clocking in at more than three hours, the film has a definite focus on its story, with every element of the film being used to further the plot. Garrison is a modern hero in the film, a city DA that rises to the enormous challenge of investigating the President's assassination. Kevin Costner seems to perfectly capture this type of character (also achieving a thick, charming southern accent) and connecting with the viewers. He is surrounded by an all-star supporting cast, all of which truly become the real life figures they portray. Stone writes believable and engaging dialogue, but since the film focuses so heavily on story, he spends little time developing the characters. Oliver Stone is a controversial director, and his style can be very polarizing, but personally, I enjoyed his strange method of storytelling. The costumes seemed appropriate for the setting, and the set designs were extraordinary, particularly the recreations of 1960s city streets such as Dallas and New Orleans.

    John Williams was responsible for writing the film's score, and was nominated for an Oscar for his efforts. Williams was busy writing the score for Hook around the same time, so he actually wrote themes for the film before the film was shot. This resulted in Stone cutting and editing the film to the music, instead of the typical method of fitting the music to the film. Williams gives JFK a tragic, but heroic theme, but also incorporates pulsing synthesizers for the investigative scenes (an unusual tactic for the composer). This resulted in an effective score and a seamless integration with the film. The cinematography was unusual, but played a very important role in the story. The film opens with a montage of newsreel clips from JFK's presidency. It slowly intersperses Stone's own clips, but the lighting and coloring (black-and-white and grainy film) make the clips all seem genuine. Much of the film is shot in this manner, giving a very real sense to the story, very similar to a documentary. I can honestly say this film would not have been the same had it not been for this unique approach to cinematography.

    JFK (rated R) contains strong language throughout, and the assassination scenes may be too graphic for young viewers. The 3-hour runtime will bore some; however, any lover of historical dramas or investigative thrillers will finish the film asking for more. The film is an emotional journey, and viewers will always find themselves rooting for Garrison and his seemingly impossible quest. I give this film a B+, finding it "guilty" of keeping me on the edge of my seat.
    helpful•19
    7
    • cjessup-92910
    • Oct 13, 2016

    FAQ32

    • What is 'JFK' about?
    • Is 'JFK' based on a book?
    • How much of this movie is true?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 20, 1991 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • France
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Project X
    • Filming locations
      • Dealey Plaza - 500 Main Street, Dallas, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Warner Bros.
      • Canal+
      • New Regency Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $40,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $70,405,498
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,223,658
      • Dec 22, 1991
    • Gross worldwide
      • $205,405,498
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 9 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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