Plot
A visiting city reporter's assignment suddenly revolves around the murder trial of a local millionaire, whom he befriends.
Release Year: 1997
Rating: 6.5/10 (21,740 voted)
Critic's Score: 57/100
Director:
Clint Eastwood
Stars: John Cusack, Kevin Spacey, Jack Thompson
Storyline This panoramic tale of Savannah's eccentricities focuses on a murder and the subsequent trial of Jim Williams: self made man, art collector, antiques dealer, bon vivant and semi-closeted homosexual. John Kelso a magazine reporter finds himself in Savannah amid the beautiful architecture and odd doings to write a feature on one of William's famous Christmas parties. He is intrigued by Williams from the start, but his curiosity is piqued when he meets Jim's violent, young and sexy lover, Billy. Later that night, Billy is dead, and Kelso stays on to cover the murder trial. Along the way he encounters the irrepressible Lady Chablis, a drag queen commedienne, Sonny Seiler, lawyer to Williams, whose famous dog UGA is the official mascot of the Georgia Bulldogs, an odd man who keeps flies attached to mini leashes on his lapels and threatens daily to poison the water supply, the Married Ladies Card Club...
Writers: John Berendt, John Lee Hancock
Cast: John Cusack
-
John Kelso
Kevin Spacey
-
Jim Williams
Jack Thompson
-
Sonny Seiler
Irma P. Hall
-
Minerva
Jude Law
-
Billy Hanson
Alison Eastwood
-
Mandy Nicholls
Paul Hipp
-
Joe Odom
Lady Chablis
-
Chablis Deveau
(as The Lady Chablis)
Dorothy Loudon
-
Serena Dawes
Anne Haney
-
Margaret Williams
Kim Hunter
-
Betty Harty
Geoffrey Lewis
-
Luther Driggers
Richard Herd
-
Henry Skerridge
Leon Rippy
-
Detective Boone
Bob Gunton
-
Finley Largent
Taglines:
Welcome to Savannah, Georgia. A City Of Hot Nights And Cold Blooded Murder.
Release Date: 21 November 1997
Filming Locations: Churchill's - 9 West Drayton Street, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $30,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $5,233,658
(USA)
(23 November 1997)
(824 Screens)
Gross: $25,078,937
(USA)
(15 February 1998)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia: Edward Norton was offered the role of John Kelso and turned it down.
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers):
When Mandy first saunters into John's room, she drawls, "You all got some ice?" Southerners never say "you all," and never use "y'all" when speaking to one person.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Minerva:
Quit eye balling me, Flavius. I knew you when you was a two bit hustler on Bull Street.
User Review
Another lesson in movie making by Clint
Rating: 10/10
A stylish and haunting film-noir thriller, "Midnight in the Garden of
Good and Evil" is another lesson in peerless film-making by Clint
Eastwood. John Cusack makes one of his most positive performances and
skips the usual charming giddiness he is famed for. The storyline never
ceases to surprise you and neither do the characters. Spacey's Jim
Williams is one of the most fascinating villains ever and Spacey again
delivers a perfect performance. More solid work comes from Allison
Eastwood, Jude Law and Lady Chablis, the humorous treat of the film.
The most mystic and chilling scene is in the middle of the film, when
Williams and Kelso visit Minerva, the scene which gives the movie its
name. The climax is also incredibly well written and directed, one of
the most suspenseful ever. A bravura work from a man who has long since
learned how to make perfect film noirs. A highly enjoyable and
recommendable movie.10/10
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