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:

Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Peña, Stephen Mendillo

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 15 wins & 18 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:

interracial relationship | father son relationship | interracial romance | neo western | family history | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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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:

Coupland, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,845,000, 19 July 1996

Gross USA:

$13,269,963, 12 January 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment, Rio Dulce

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was chosen by Time Magazine as one of the "Best of Film 1996" at position #4 in the in their year end review issue dated December 23, 1996.

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Goofs

When COL Payne is reprimanding PVT Johnson about her failing the drug test, she has her hat on. Members of the US Army do not wear hats indoors. When he's finished he salutes her and she returns his salute--that's backwards. She should salute him first and hold the salute until he returns it.

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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 At the Movies: The Best Films of 1996 (1997)

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Soundtracks

Quiereme Mi Vida
Written by Salome Gutierrez, R.
Performed by Chelo Silva
Courtesy of Arhoolie Records
Published by San Antonio Music Publishers, Inc.

User Reviews

Great movie -- one of the few I watch over and over.

I live in San Antonio and have been to Eagle Pass (where the movie was filmed) many times. I have watched this movie over a dozen times. It is a wonderful piece of film-making! John Sayles captures a lot in this film. His characters have depth and substance. His portrayals of the role racism has played in Hispanic and African-American lives are brilliant but not heavy-handed. The acting is incredible. The casting was perfect. Frances McDormand as Sam's ex-wife is unforgettable. I agree with another commenter that the camera work was exceptional when Sayles filmed flashback scenes using a single take. I especially liked the scene along the river with Sam and Pilar. I am sure there are some people who don't share my opinion, but this movie is one of my top ten favorites of all time.