MISSISSIPPI BURNING

US, 1988, 128 minutes, Colour.
Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, Frances McDormand?, Brad Dourif, R. Lee Ermey, Pruitt Taylor Vance, Stephen Tobolowsky, Michael Rooker, Kevin Dunn.
Directed by Alan Parker.

Mississippi Burning is a hard-hitting film about American civil rights. It is set in 1964 after some Ku Klux Klan murders. The film recreates vividly the atmosphere of racist bigotry. There was some attack on the film as not being authentic: the FBI not so interested in civil rights at this time. Whatever the accuracy, the film makes no extra claims for the FBI. The audience cannot but be involved and horrified at the violence, the cover-ups and the extraordinary prejudice of white supremacists.

The acting is first-rate. Gene Hackman won an Oscar nomination for his role. William Dafoe is the Kennedy era idealist. Brad Dourif and Frances McDormand? are excellent in supporting roles, McDormand? winning an Oscar nomination. Direction is by Alan Parker, who made such striking films as Midnight Express, Fame, Angel Heart.

1. The Oscar nominations, the awards? The quality of the film? The hard-hitting message? Impact for 1988?

2. The work of Alan Parker? His vision? Power and style? The strong cast?

3. The Mississippi locations:? the roads, the town, the black centres, the jail, shops and offices? Authentic? Period? The contribution of the pounding score and its atmosphere?

4. The title of the film:, Mississippi and the south, isolated, defiant, its traditions. Its having four "i's" but. not being able to see! Shots, the war, the Ku Klux Klan, the burning crosses, the torched homes and churches? The symbol of the fire and its visualisation?

5. The prologue and the three young civil rights workers, the night, the chase, their being halted, shot? Black and white workers? Civil rights, the reaction of the rednecks and their violence?

6. The case and the involvement of the FBI (historical or not? The attitudes of J. Edgar Hoover and his criticisms of the civil rights? The emphasis on procedures and tactics? The background of civil rights in 1963-64, the attitudes of the south? The role of the media? People's attitudes and their being interviewed and the racist statements they made? Ignorance? The influence of the Ku Klux Klan?

7. The arrival of Anderson and Ward: into the town, their arrival, the reaction of the town, the mixed welcome, setting up their headquarters, trying to see the sheriff and his being busy, Pell and his defiance, reaction of the people, the intervention of the mayor, getting about their business, the Klan and its opposition, the quality of the investigations?

8. The two different approaches: Rupert and his background as sheriff in Mississippi, his know-how, experience with people, looking around, identifying with them, the personal touch, not afraid? Communication with blacks, whites? Going into the shops, talking with the hairdresser and with Mrs Pell? The contrast with Ward and his tie and collar, direct interrogation, setting up an elaborate headquarters in the theatre, bringing in the extra agents, going into the black section of the restaurant and sitting down, getting more agents to comb the river, the swamp? Going by the book? His emphasis on FBI routines? The clash between the two? Admiration or not? Friendship or not?

9. The consequences of the boy in the restaurant and his fear, his being taken and beaten? The burning of the churches, the houses? The family beaten, the boy who observed and identifying the Klan with his head In a bag? Fear of the blacks, the funerals, willingness to talk? The whites and their spurning the group? Rupert and his going to the club and having a drink, toughing it out with the police, defying them?

10. The attitude of the white police, the meetings and the address? The sheriff and his role in the town, as head of the Klan, his order, the media coverage, rally and the speeches and the attacks on blacks, Jews? The Klan and the burning crosses, the stones in the windows, the hoods and the violence, the attempt at lynching, the individuals in the town, their jobs, being identified and their going to trial and suspended sentence?

11. The ordinary citizens and their being interviewed, their prejudice and bigotry?

12. The sheriff, his shrewdness, his warnings, his involvement, his absence from the killing, his finally going free?

13. Clinton Pell and his smile, his work, his role in the Klan, at home, his impositions on his wife, at work, at his drinking places and with his friends, at the rally, thwarting the investigation? At the trial and his complacency? His wife and beating her? Peterson threatening him? The arrest and jail? The typical redneck?

14. Mrs Pell and her hairdressing work, her friend and her loud and humorous style? At home, her husband's alibi? Rupert meeting her, pleasant, talking, at home, knowing her husband's deeds, knowing Peterson's intent? A nice person, at home in the town, the high school husband? Her friendship with the black woman, fondling the black baby? Wanting to be a mother herself? her decision to tell the truth about her husband? His beating her, in hospital? Thinking she did the right thing? Her final talk with Peterson, wanting him not to send a postcard?

15. Ward as a man of the Kennedy era, direct, reacting to the situation, relying on agents, elaborate headquarters and intelligence? His clashing with Peterson? Finally getting the information? His assistant, Bird? His frustrations, the searching of the river? The information and the finding of the bodies? H1s grief at the funerals? His causing violence to the blacks and its effect on him? His change of heart, allowing Peterson his way? The threats, the fake lynching of Lester, the standover tactics, the trial?

16. Peterson and his style, his contacts, the violent methods, standover tactics, the imitation lynching? Winning?

17. The rednecks and the final summary of their violence and their sentences? The man who hanged himself? The film's asking who was responsible?

18. The emotions of the '80s? Remembering the past? The changes? Human nature?