Mississippi Burning
An idealistic FBI agent and a seasoned local investigator clash in 1964 Mississippi as they race to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of three civil rights workers—and expose a Klan conspiracy before it silences justice forever.
“1964. When America was at war with itself.”
Synopsis
Two FBI agents are investigating the murder of civil rights workers during the 1960s, aiming to uncover the conspiracy of silence in a small Southern town marked by racial segregation. The younger agent, trained at FBI school, faces challenges in navigating the local customs and resistance from his partner, a former sheriff accustomed to small-town ways.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 280+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Gerry HamblingShot by Peter BiziouScored by Trevor JonesDesigned by Philip HarrisonSound by Rick KlineCostumes by Aude Bronson HowardStunts by John Robotham
Box Office
1988 · Box office
⚖️ Fell short of break-even — grossed 2.3× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$34.6M
US & Canada: $34.6M — 100% of worldwide · International: $57 (0%)
Full synopsis
Also known as
- Mississippi Burning – Die Wurzel des Hassesde
- Mississippi Burning: Le radici dell'odioit
- (Bulgarian)Мисисипи в пламъци
Release dates around the world3 countries · showhide
- United StatesDec 2, 1988
- CanadaDec 9, 1988
- MalaysiaJan 27, 1989
Production & Distribution
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Cast & Crew
280 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Gene Hackman
as Anderson
Willem Dafoe
as Ward
Frances Mcdormand
as Mrs. Pell
Brad Dourif
as Deputy Pell
R Lee Ermey
as Mayor Tilman
Gailard Sartain
as Sheriff Stuckey
Stephen Tobolowsky
as Townley
Michael Rooker
as Frank Bailey
Pruitt Taylor Vince
as Lester Cowens
Badja Djola
as Agent Monk
Kevin Dunn
as Agent Bird
Frankie Faison
as Eulogist
Supporting cast
75Thomas B Mason
as Judge
Geoffrey Nauffts
as Goatee
Rick Zieff
as Passenger
Christopher White
as Black Passenger
Gladys Greer
as Hattie
Jake Gipson
as Mose
Dianne Lancaster
as Waitress
Stanley W Collins
as Hollis
Daniel Winford
as Fennis
Marc Clement
as Floyd Swilley
Larry Shuler
as Earl Cooke
Stephen Bridgewater
as Wesley Cooke
Bob Penny
as Curtis Foy
James F Moore
as Barber
Park Overall
as Connie
Georgia F Wise
as Beauty Parlor Woman 1
Lois Allen
as Beauty Parlor Woman 2
Barry Davis Jim Sr
as Choctaw Man
Dan Desmond
as Television Commentator
Darius Mccrary
as Aaron Williams
Lou Walker
as Vertis Williams
Billie Jean Young
as Mrs. Williams
Alisa R Patrick
as Church Soloist
Barbara Gibson
as Church Soloist
Pat Funderburk
as Pell Maid
Dawn Boyd
as Interviewee
Dwight Boyd
as Interviewee
Linda Fuller
as Interviewee
George Isbell
as Interviewee
Ethel L Mayes
as Interviewee
James Arnold Mayes
as Interviewee
George Mason
as Farmer
Charles Franzen
as Interviewer & Reporter
Harry Franklin
as SNCC Interviewer
Virginia Bennett
as SNCC Interviewee
James Lloyd
as SNCC Interviewee
Jesse Merle Speaks
as Pecan Vendor
Simeon Teague
as Obie Walker
Tonea Stewart
as Mrs. Walker
Harry Quick
as Doctor
Cullen Gilliland
as Lawyer
Zeke Davidson
as Lawyer
Robert F Colesberry
as Cameraman
Frederick Zollo
as Reporter
Judy Sasser
as Neighbor Woman
Mark Jeffrey Miller
as Fire Bomber
Ed Geldart
as Fire Bomber
Mert Hatfield
as Fire Bomber
James Eric
as Fire Bomber
Paul Saveles
as Trooper
John P Fertitta
as T.V. Commentator #2
Ron De Roxtra
as Reporter #3
Doug Jackson
as Reporter #4
Gary Moody
as Reporter #5
Robert Erickson
as Reporter #6
John Brook
as Reporter #7
Tobin Bell
as Agent Stokes
Daniel Chapman
as Agent MacMillan
Rick Washburn
as Agent Brodsky
Robert Glaudini
as Agent Nash
Ken Magee
as Agent Reilly
Everett Thrall
as Agent Tubbs
Bernice Poindexter
as Grieving Mother
Brenda Dunlap
as Mrs. Cowens
Lannie Spann Mcbride
as Gospel Singer
Jack Buck
as Baseball Announcer
Hoyt Chavers
as FBI Agent
Major Combs
as Deputy Sheriff
Ralnardo Davis
as Willie
Betty Lucille Dejournette
as Pedestrian on the Square
Paul Henderson
as Local #1
W Mitchell Morgan
as Angry Reporter on Bridge
Ralph Pruitt Vaughn
as Peckerwood
James Lowell Turnham
as Man in Car
Andrew Whatley
as Boy in Shop
Directors
2Writers
1Producers
2Other crew
194Barbara Harris
adr voice casting
Camilo Garcia
Anderson
Samuel L Cauthen
animal wrangler (as Sammy Cauthen)
John Marston
apprentice editor, location projectionist
Daniel Fisher
art department assistant
John Willett
Art Director
Angela K Salinas
art production assistant
Steve Arnold
assistant art director
James C Feng
assistant art director (as James Feng)
Patricia Grivetti
assistant auditor
Vicki Dee Rock
assistant auditor (as Vicki Dee)
Cynthia L Hamilton
assistant costume designer (as Cynthia Hamilton)
Parents Guide
AI Personalities
Advisory Bot AI
I keep the family-safety picture honest — community advisories, AI-moderated, summarized without spin.
Ratings & reviews
Official ratings
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Where to watch
Live · bot-verified- MGM+Stream
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