Ghosts of Mississippi
1996 · Movie · PG-13 · 130 min · ★ 6.6 · 50% critics
A Mississippi district attorney and the widow of a civil rights leader fight to bring a white supremacist to justice for a 1963 murder. Decades later, a retrial effort faces missing records and fierce opposition as they push forward with a decades-delayed attempt at accountability.
Also known as Ghosts from the Past
Where to watch
Not currently available to stream in the US.
2 hours to watch.
Not currently available to stream, rent, or buy in the US.
Streaming availability and prices may be inaccurate or change — verify with the provider before subscribing.
unSUB's subscription recommendations are informational only, not financial advice.
More value for your money
Similar titles, ranked by watch-hours per subscription dollar.
Details
- Years
- 1996
- Release date
- 1996-12-20
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 130 min
- Critic score
- 50/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.6/10 (165 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy Ghosts of Mississippi if you want an emotional, history-driven courtroom drama about seeking justice after entrenched racism; Not for you if you prefer lighter entertainment or action-heavy plots like Crazy in Alabama or A Time to Kill.
Pros: gripping real-life case; powerful lead performances; emotionally intense courtroom drama | Cons: missing case details; some pacing drags; music not memorable
Themes
- assassin
- widow
- civil rights
- racist
- trial
- racism
- justice
- white supremacists
- activist
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1997 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Makeup and Hairstyling · 1997 · nominated
Cast & crew
Alec Baldwin
as Bobby DeLaughter
Whoopi Goldberg
as Myrlie Evers
James Woods
as Byron De La Beckwith
Craig T. Nelson
as Ed Peters
Susanna Thompson
as Peggy Lloyd
Lucas Black
as Burt DeLaughter
- JT
Joseph Tello
as Drew DeLaughter
Alexa PenaVega
as Claire DeLaughter
William H. Macy
as Charlie Crisco
- LB
Lloyd 'Benny' Bennett
as Benny Bennett
Directed by Rob Reiner