Mississippi Burning (1988)

Mississippi burning shows Gene Hackman at his best and at his side is Willem Dafoe who also plays very strong. Mississippi Burning is a dramatic movie made in 1988 directed by the talented Alan Parker (who has also directed Fame and Midnight Express). The lead roles are played by Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe and Frances McDorman is at her best playing a supporting role. The movie is based on the true story of the murder of three civil rights workers in 1964, so the movie is set in 1964 Mississippi.

The movie begins with the three civil rights workers who are brutally murdered; the viewer now already knows that the police are involved. Allan Ward and Rupert Anderson (Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe) are sent to Mississippi to shed some light on the case. The two agents have very different personalities, Rupert Anderson used to be a sheriff in a small Mississippi town, just like the town where they are investigating missing civil right workers, he does not like to do everything by the book, in contrary to Allan Ward, he is a hard working FBI agent who likes to do everything by the book. Not long after they enter the town they see that it will not be easy, the townspeople are very hostile towards them and the KKK is involved, Mr. Ward soon ask for more FBI agents, even when Mr. Anderson thinks it is a bad idea. Soon there are an enormous amount of FBI agents in the small town, but that only makes the townspeople angrier. The KKK set a church for black people on fire to scare the black people into not talking to the FBI, when Ward and Anderson walk into a restaurant and try talking to a black person he says: ''I have nothing to say to you'' but still the townspeople beat him up for talking to people from the FBI. The FBI agents search trough the endless swamps and find the car of the civil rights workers, but they still find no bodies. Agent Anderson feels a connection with the wife of the deputy sheriff and feels that she knows something but she won't tell anything. When Ward lets Anderson do it his way they finally see what really happened.

The acting in Mississippi Burning is close to brilliant, Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe are both good actors, but together they are brilliant. Gene Hackman is born for the role of an old Mississippi sheriff who knows how it all works. Gene plays very dominant and the scene in the bar where he threatens the townspeople is one of the best moments in the movie, because you don't expect it from him but still it fits him very well. Frances McDorman plays the cop who does everything by the book excellent, even his appearance, the glasses and his pale skin. Especially the scene where Anderson beats someone up in the barber shop you see that this goes against his principles.

The music in Mississippi Burnin is phenomenal; there are a lot of gospel songs for example the song by Vesta Williams '' Try Jesus ''. The soundtrack is by Lannie Spann McBride, she made the very powerful song ''Walk On By Faith''. There is also a tune in the film when something bad is about to happen, when you hear it for the first time in the movie recognize the tune immediately, when you hear it you feel uncomfortable and are at the tip of your seat. Also Kitty Wells and Mahalia Jackson have made songs for the movie which are all beautiful.

This movie is a beautiful movie with a perfectly cast. The music is very well made and used. Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe are a perfect duo and should do more movies together, they fit the term '' good c

Fmovies: Alan Parker's 'Mississippi Burning' is a hard-hitting 'how to prove they did it' (rather than a whodunnit) thriller. watching this isn't easy and at times it instigates a chill because this is still happening. People like that, communities like that still exist. 'Mississippi Burning' raises the question of where it started and how it happens. Is racism taught/learned? In a dialogue between McDormand's Mrs. Pell and Hackman's Anderson, she pretty much sums up what living among hatred can do. Even though she's good-hearted and not a racist, she married one. Furthermore, even the law, takes the side of such people and how many years did it take for it to support and protect equal rights? Meanwhile those who fight, continue to be victims of hate.

Parker's direction and Gerolmo's writing are first rate. 'Mississippi Burning' has a very earthy look. The sets, props and costumes look authentic. Gene Hackman is superb as the man who's seen a lot and is yet determined to get to the end. Willem Defoe is great as the idealist copper. Frances McDormand is excellently restrained. The rest of the cast does well too.

There have been numerous films made on similar themes but there's something about 'Mississippi Burning's rawness that draws you in.

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 fmovies. Hard to believe that this happened in our country let alone the south. I traveled in the south in the early 60's and was amazed at the conditions the blacks had to put up with but this movie told it all the way it was.

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.

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

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 victimsÂ… Immediately upon their arrival, they are greeted with hostility by the local law enforcement and the town in generalÂ…

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 SouthernersÂ… 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 caseÂ…

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

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