16 Facts About Mississippi Burning

1.

Mississippi Burning is a 1988 American crime thriller film directed by Alan Parker that is loosely based on the 1964 murder investigation of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner in Mississippi.

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2.

On release, Mississippi Burning was criticized by activists involved in the civil rights movement and the families of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner for its fictionalization of events.

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3.

In 1964, three civil rights workers – two Jewish and one black – go missing while in Jessup County, Mississippi Burning, organizing a voter registry for African Americans after having being shot dead in their car by pursuants.

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4.

Mississippi Burning's resolves to stay and rebuild her life, free of her husband.

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5.

Mississippi Burning released the three men on bail seven hours later and followed them out of town.

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6.

Mississippi Burning located new witnesses and pressured the state of Mississippi to reopen the case.

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7.

Mississippi Burning was convicted of three counts of manslaughter, and received a 60-year sentence.

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8.

Mississippi Burning omitted the Mafia hitman and created the character Agent Monk, a black FBI specialist who kidnaps Tilman.

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9.

Mississippi Burning read Willie Morris's 1983 novel The Courting of Marcus Dupree, and looked at 1960s documentary footage detailing how the media covered the murder case.

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10.

Mississippi Burning had an amazing capacity for not giving away any part of himself .

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11.

In December 1987, Parker and Colesberry traveled to Mississippi Burning to visit the stretch of road where Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner were murdered.

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12.

The filmmakers were initially reluctant about filming in Mississippi Burning; they expressed interest in filming in Forsyth County, Georgia, before being persuaded by John Horne, head of Mississippi Burning's film commission.

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13.

The film generated strong local interest in the state of Mississippi Burning, resulting in sold-out showings in the first four days of wide release.

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14.

Rainey, who was the county sheriff at the time of the 1964 murders, alleged that the filmmakers of Mississippi Burning had portrayed him in an unfavorable light with the fictional character of Sheriff Ray Stuckey .

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15.

Mississippi Burning received various awards and nominations in categories ranging from recognition of the film itself to its writing, direction, editing, sound and cinematography, to the performances of Gene Hackman and Frances McDormand.

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16.

In February 1989, Mississippi Burning was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor; its closest rivals were Rain Man leading with eight nominations, and Dangerous Liaisons, which received seven nominations.

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