Loving (2016)

The story of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple whose arrest for interracial marriage in 1960s Virginia began a legal battle that would end with the Supreme Court's historic 1967 decision.

Director:

Jeff Nichols

Writer:

Jeff Nichols

Stars:

Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton, Will Dalton

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 25 wins & 85 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ruth Negga	...	Mildred
Joel Edgerton	...	Richard
Will Dalton	...	Virgil
Dean Mumford	...	Drag Race Driver
Terri Abney	...	Garnet
Alano Miller	...	Raymond
Chris Greene	...	Percy (as Chris R. Greene)
Benjamin Booker	...	Shotgun Shack Musician #1
Justin Robinson	...	Shotgun Shack Musician #2
Dennis Williams	...	Shotgun Shack Musician #3
Keith Tyree	...	Bricklayer
Sharon Blackwood	...	Lola Loving
Rebecca Turner	...	Pregnant Girl
Christopher Mann	...	Theoliver
Mike Shiflett	...	Magistrate

Storyline

Richard Loving, a white construction worker in Caroline County, Virginia, falls in love with a local black woman and family friend, Mildred Jeter. Upon Mildred discovering that she is pregnant, they decide to marry, but knowing that interracial marriage violates Virginia's anti-miscegenation laws, they drive to Washington, D.C. to get married in 1958. Richard makes plans to build a house for Mildred less than a mile from her family home..

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Plot Keywords:

racial segregation | interracial couple | based on true story | virginia | supreme court | 

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Taglines:

All love is created equal.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 November 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Loving

Filming Locations:

Crewe's Place, Charles City County, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$159,615, 6 November 2016

Gross USA:

$7,751,969

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,957,265

Company Credits

Production Co:

Raindog Films, Big Beach Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mildred Delores Jeter Loving's 2008 New York Times obituary reported that her ancestry was both part African American and part Native American on both sides: Rappahannock on her maternal side; Cherokee on her father's. The obituary also said that she preferred to self-identify as Native American rather than African American.

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Goofs

While appearing in front of the Virginia judge the second time for violating parole, their lawyer asks for leniency. When he walks in his tie is askew and top button on his shirt is undone. After the judge agrees to grant leniency, his shirt is all buttoned up and tied nicely.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mildred: I'm pregnant.
Richard Loving: [long pause] Good. That's good.

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Connections

Featured in Film 2017: Episode #46.3 (2017)

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Soundtracks

Don't Be a Fool
Written by Willie Clarke and Clarence Reid
Performed by Clarence Reid
Published by Dust Index
Courtesy of Numero Group
By arrangement with Bank Robber Music

User Reviews

Missing the historical part

This could have been a much more interesting film if: 1- we got more backstory on how they met and if they considered the dangers and difficulties of being an inter-racial couple 2- there were fewer long"meaningful" pauses. I started to get impatient as another five minutesof silent stares went by. 3 - the events were compressed so that muchmore time was given to both the state and federal court proceedings 4- much more of the actual Supreme Court case was shown. The Lovings didn't want to attend the court proceedings, but *I* did! I wanted to hear the arguments on both sides and comments of the judges. I wanted to get a glimpse into the thinking of the time. Surely all of this is available.

Nice scenery, good score, and for those of us who remember the '60s, lots of shirtwaist dresses and plaid shirts. The two main characters are excellent actors, especially the female lead. But overall, it's very very slow going with almost no passionate arguments about the heart of the matter: why miscegenation laws were on the books at all. Can't really recommended it whole-heartedly.