GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 7.5 Alternative Scale: *** out of ****
United States, 1996 U.S. Release Date: 12/25/96 (limited); 1/97 (wide) Running Length: 2:10 MPAA Classification: R (Mature themes, profanity, violence) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, James Woods, Craig T. Nelson, Diane Ladd, Bonnie Bartlet, Bill Cobbs, William H. Macy, Virginia Madsen, Michael O'Keefe, Susannah Thompson Director: Rob Reiner Producers: Frederick Zollo, Nicholas Paleologos, Andrew Sheinman, and Rob Reiner Screenplay: Lewis Collick Cinematography: John Seale Music: Marc Shaiman U.S. Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Shortly after midnight on a steamy June evening in 1963, civil rights activist Medgar Evers was shot to death outside his home in Jackson, Mississippi. One shot, fired from a high-power rifle, exploded through his chest, ripped through the nearby wall of his house, ricocheted off a refrigerator, and broke a coffee pot. The assassin was white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith, a man with such an intimidating personality that even the KKK feared him. De La Beckwith was captured, but, after two trials ended in hung juries, he went free. When, 30 years later, at the behest of Evers' widow, Myrlie, Assistant DA Bobby DeLaughter re-opened the case, he had no idea of the difficulties he would face in obtaining a new indictment. Evidence was missing, witnesses had died, and even the official court transcripts of the original trials could not be located. On top of that, DeLaughter's own wife turned against him and his life was threatened. Undaunted, he pursued the case, determined to see it through to the end.
GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI, director Rob Reiner's 1996 Academy Award contender and his follow-up to last year's THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, tells this compelling story using a solid, if somewhat unconventional, cast. The lead, Bobby DeLaughter, goes to Alec Baldwin, the most "serious" actor in his family. Baldwin is fine in the role, although far from Oscar material. Whoopi Goldberg gives an uneven performance as Myrlie Evers, starting out rather unconvincingly, but finishing strong. James Woods, who almost always plays bad guys these days, is creepy and unsettling as the despicably cock-sure De La Beckwith. The supporting cast functions admirably, and includes Craig T. Nelson (TV's "Coach") as DeLaughter's boss, Diane Ladd (RAMBLING ROSE) as his mother-in-law, William H. Macy (FARGO) as his assistant, and Virginia Madsen (THE PROPHECY) as his racist wife.
As a courtroom drama, GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI is reasonably successful. The trial, which carefully follows the actual transcript from 1994, avoids the contrived, theatrical twists that mar many similar films. There are no surprise witnesses or unexpected moves by either the prosecution or the defense. Each side presents its case, then leaves the final decision in the hands of the jury. As a result of this verisimilitude, the courtroom aspects of GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI are intelligent rather than over-the-top. We care about the characters and what happens to them.
As an examination of how the Civil Rights movement has changed lifestyles and attitudes in Mississippi (and, by extension, across the entire country) during the last 30 years, GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI is less effective. One problem, which at least makes one wonder about the film's intentions, is fairly obvious: this is yet another example of a story where a white hero enters the Civil Rights fray and becomes the lead player. Even though this is the way events actually happened (the real DeLaughter is Caucasian), there's little doubt that setting up a white man (Alec Baldwin) as the central figure makes the film more "accessible" and appealing to the predominantly-white, mainstream crowds who frequent multiplexes.
Even though none of this material is groundbreaking, it is presented in an interesting manner. Reiner uses this situation to investigate two prevalent, albeit contradictory, views of how the Civil Rights movement has changed the nation. Either we are making slow progress, step by step, to a better future, or, "emotionally, we will always be segregated." DeLaughter's conscience becomes the battleground for these viewpoints. But, although the script is tightly-written for the most part, there are times when it lapses into sermonizing (such as when DeLaughter tries to explain to his young children why Evers was a great man).
Whatever its faults, GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI is certainly an involving drama. However, while I have no doubt that Reiner meant for this to be an indictment against racist attitudes and a survey of some of the successes and failures of the Civil Rights movement, it succeeds only sporadically at those goals. At times, GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI resembles nothing more lofty than a toned-down, historically-grounded version of A TIME TO KILL. (A white man in the "new" South faces racism and personal danger for defending the "black" perspective.) So, although I recommend GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI and believe that it deserves to find a wide audience, I am cognizant that this is not a perfect motion picture. It is occasionally thought-provoking, but rarely haunting.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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