Mississippi Burning

A highly charged box of fireworks is the best way to describe "Mississippi Burning". It is 1964 and the Civil Rights Movement is tearing apart many areas in the deep south. Mississippi is definitely the hottest spot of all as the entire state seems to be split between whites and African Americans. After some white Civil Rights activists disappear, the FBI is called in to investigate (Oscar-nominee Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe). Naturally the sheriff's department is difficult to say the least and it appears that it may have even had a part in the apparent murders. Frances McDormand (Oscar-nominated) proved that she was a truly gifted actress as the wife of one of the local deputies (an evil Brad Dourif). Alan Parker's smart Oscar-nominated direction and the Oscar-winning cinematography give the film a tense feel that leaves its audience visibly shaken during and after its running time. A great achievement. Easily one of the finest films of the 1980s. 5 stars out of 5.

Mississippi Burning is set in 1964 when three civil rights activists are murdered in a small town by the Ku Klux Klan… Two of them were white and one of them black…

Based on actual events in Philadelphia, the screenplay centers chiefly on the hostility relationship between the two FBI agents (Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe) sent down to the small Mississippi town to seek information about the vanishing of the three victims… Immediately upon their arrival, they are greeted with hostility by the local law enforcement and the town in general…

Dafoe's Ward— in charge of the case—comes off as the embodiment of everything those men in the south dislike about the "Yankees" who are coming down there commanding them how to act…

Anderson(Hackman), who was once a Mississippi officer himself, has a special feel for how to settle things with Southerners… He uses his charm to win the confidence of the friendly wife of a Klansman deputy, whom he suspects holds the key to unravel the details of the case…

The scenes between McDormand and Hackman are the best of the film… They dramatize how quickly two lonely people can match...

The film succeeds by being gripping, emotional, and disturbing… Alan parker graphically explores the hatred, motivations and mentality that were once flaming through the American society in the 60's.

On June 21, 1964 three young men drove a CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) station wagon from Meridian to Longview, Mississippi. On the return trip to Neshoba County Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price arrested them for speeding. He jailed them in Philadelphia, MS. Then finally released them a little after 10 p.m. And told them to leave town. A few miles outside of Philadelphia the deputy stopped their car again--this time after a wild chase--and turned them over to a group of Neshoba County Klansmen. Their bodies wouldn't be found until over a month later by FBI agents.

That's the real story. "Mississippi Burning" is a close dramatization of it.

I watched in both disgust and surprise. I was disgusted by the actions of the proud citizens of Mississippi and I was surprised to see actors that I knew nothing about when the movie came out in 1989--the likes of Willem Dafoe, Frances McDormand (Three Billboards...), R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket), Michael Rooker (Merle from The Walking Dead), Frankie Faison (commissioner on The Wire), and Darius McCrary (Eddie Winslow on Family Matters). I was surprised, not in a bad way, but in a "Whoa! He's in this?!" way. Sure these names aren't A-listers but they are all familiar faces to me that I never knew culminated on a 1989 project.

As for the movie itself, there was some creative license taken but it was very close to the real events. In fact, the FBI knew so much about the murders because one of their informants was with the guilty party. The movie does evoke strong feelings and it is unavoidable. How do you depict 1960's deep south without raising the hairs on the back of someone's neck? Because this movie wasn't a through-and-through tragedy there was a modicum of justice served. I thought all the actors did a good job (too good in fact in some cases) and the script was well written. I still file this movie under "hard to watch".

This film is a good,though not flawless representative of the turbulent 1960's south.The character representation is good,though taken to a bit of an extreme in places.Gene Hackman gives another knockout performance here,as he does always as does Willem Dafoe.The cast is great,though Gailard Sartain was a surprising choice as Sheriff Stuckey, given his penchant for appearing in the worst of films.It is based on a true story,and as we all know,true stories are never presented to perfection.It is,however,presented as well as it can be.This is a very gripping,edge of your seat film,and very well done.

What a great film. Hackman and dafoe amazing. Brilliant and moving story. Hasn't aged for me