Retrospective: Ghosts Of Mississippi (1996)

GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI
1996 125 min. Rated PG-13(for brief, graphic violence and profanity)
Directed by Rob Reiner
Starring: Alec Baldwin Whoopi Goldberg James Woods
William H. Macy Craig T. Nelson

I once said about Oliver Stone's JFK, that if every single minute of
the movie was fiction, it would still be a terrific piece of
entertainment. Say what you will about historical accuracy, Stone's
film was exciting, fascinating, expertly acted, masterfully edited,
and full of Stone's trademark passion for his subject.

Ghosts of Mississippi tells the story of how Bob DeLaughter (Alec
Baldwin) brought Byron De La Beckwith to justice for killing civil
rights leader, Medger Evers, nearly thirty years after two hung juries
set him free in 1963 Mississippi for the original crime. This is a
story that should have made a great motion picture.

The problem is that it TELLS the story instead of showing it. We're
TOLD that we should want to see justice done. We're told that Evers'
widow (Whoopi Goldberg) strives for resolution. But, the storytelling
is so lacking in energy that by the end, we couldn't care less. Yes,
the killing of Medger Evers is a terrible crime, but you knew that
going in. A movie about this event is supposed to take you inside the
hearts and minds of the characters that were involved. It feels like
pod people performed the story. They say the lines, but, with a few
exceptions, little feeling is shown. Had I not been told that Mrs.
Evers was sad at the fact that her husband's killer was still free, I
never would have known.

Of course, I know I'm trapping myself in a corner. I gave a negative
review to A Time to Kill, which told a similar story, but with almost
too much passion, which made the film feel like a melodrama. Of
course, any film which includes a 'crowd pleaser' involving a man (a
KKK member, but still a man) being set on fire by a teenager is bound
to annoy me. It was also an astoundingly one-sided tale in favor of
vigilante homicide. This picture, while not as entertaining, has its
morals in the right place, and is thus a slightly better film.

Ghosts of Mississippi tells a passionate story but forgets to include
the passion. It lays out the facts and tells its tale, but there is
never any spark in the proceedings. Few of the characters come off as
human beings, simply symbols for righteousness and evil. First we
have "mighty whitie," played by Alec Baldwin, an occasionally terrific
actor who's been in a slump recently. Here he plays the righteous
attorney who strives and crusades for the poor, mistreated Evers
family. While Baldwin does a serviceable job, every attempt to show
him as a loving husband and father comes off as phony and laughable.

Next we have "weeping widow," played by Whoopi Goldberg, who's been in
a slump since Sister Act, back in 1992. This is the woman who's eyes
the story should have been told from. But, by telling the tale from
the white lawyer's point of view, they have regulated the main
characters to bit players. All Goldberg does for about 70% of the
film is talk on the phone with lots of "uhs, huhs, yep's, thank you
Mr. De Laughters." We are told of her pain, but, once again, we see
little suffering.

Of course, as expected, the film's lone energetic performance comes
from James Woods, who is known for giving the only life to otherwise
dull films (see The Specialist, or better yet, don't), and making good
films better merely by his presence (Hercules, Nixon, Contact). As
Byron De La Beckwith, he plays the assassin as a fiendish, sniveling,
slime ball. He is played as a man who is delighted by his own racism
and relishes the chance to shock people with his opinions. Of course,
we are supposed to despise him, but the rest of the main characters
are so lifeless that we are almost grateful for the fact that, while
he is on screen, we will not be bored. If you had the choice between
watching glue dry and watching a train wreck, which would you choose
to view?

The other actors, from ace character actor William H. Macy (Fargo, Air
Force One, Boogie Nights) to Craig T. Nelson (Coach), do what they
can, desperately trying to inject life where there is little. Macy is
the only one who succeeds, but do yourself a favor, and rent Fargo
instead.

The best thing I can say about Ghosts of Mississippi is that it tells
its tale, and, as far as I know, sticks to the facts. In other words,
it might make a good history lesson, but there are several good
documentaries about the case that accomplish that. In the end, we
have a dull tale about "white redemption," on which a noble white
knight saves the oppressed black man, in return for the sins of the
past.

This is becoming a trend of recent years, as if studios think that
audiences won't see a civil rights drama without a white man to
"relate" to. This may be true, as A Time to Kill was a big hit ($104
million) while great films about black people, told by black people
like Rosewood ($10 million) and Once Upon a Time: When We Were Colored
($2 million) have flopped. Of course, this film bombed too ($15
million). The next true test comes with Steven Spielberg's Amistad,
opening December 12th, which tells the true tale of a slave ship
revolt. Morgan Freeman (perhaps the best actor working today) gets
top billing, but Anthony Hopkins is the real star. If anyone can reel
them in for such a story, Spielberg can, and he may win a few more
Oscars in the bargain.

Grade: C+