Mississippi Burning Review Essay Sample

The movie, Mississippi Burning is crime thriller film directed by Alan Parker, and written by Chris Gerolmo. The movie is based on Federal Burial of Inventions (FBI) into the 1964 Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner murder case in Mississippi. The film was about the three civil rights workers who were murdered while they participate in a voter registration drive. The death of these three civil rights workers became the root of conflict in the motion picture. In 1960s, segregation dominated not only in Mississippi. In the movie, the three civil rights workers were missing and last seen in a small town in Mississippi. These people came to the town to build a voter registry clinic for the blacks. However, most of the people, the whites are not in favor with such advocacy for the benefit of the blacks in their town. After the three boys were missing, two agents sent by Bureau of Immigration were asked to investigate the case. The two agents found out that people who lived in the town had high opposition for any welfare offered to blacks. They view them as the least creature that does not deserve to be treated as whites are.

Mississippi Burning portray era when the United States suffered from the violation of human rights and lack of equality. However, it is released in cinemas to depict specific ideology to people about the poor exercise of equality in America in 1960s. The era of violation of human rights was evident in the movie when the two agents were very close to what happened to the three boys, violence against black also incremented until they found out that the sheriff and the cops are members of Ku Klux Klan (KKK). A movement against immigration and advocates white supremacy, pure extremist. Cops and KKK movement denied immigrants to protect the Anglo-Saxon democracy. Also, era illustrates how blacks were mistreated and the fear during the supremacy of whites. At the end of the movie, all the member of the KKK responsible for violation of civil rights were imprisoned. The rights of those who are oppressed prevail.

The central theme of the movie is the injustice and inequality that still exists in the United States in 1960s. Injustice and inequality were contributed due to racial differences and conflicts that arise against each race (Jansson, 265-285). White men do believe they are superior out of all other races in America for they bear the name on an Anglo-Saxon democracy. The movie had various representations which depict how freedom was denied to blacks just like the burning of churches with a signboard Freedom at the front. The movie created a point of view how cruel white supremacy is to those who are on the edge of the theme society. It expressed how people from different races were oppressed because of white supremacy. The theme is well conveyed well in conveyed in the movie because it represents the problems people suffered through the road to freedom.

The theme further addresses rights and equality among blacks in the 1960s. The oppression and violence they do not deserve prevail due to impotent law and law enforcement in every community. The distress events that existed in America force them to create Civil Rights Movement who will fight for the rights and equality of those who are in the least level of the society relevant to what Robert Dahl and Jim Crow advocate.

It is clear that Mississippi Burning was developed in an era were leaders misused their power to gain the political advantage. Whites used their power to undermine rights of blacks, another concept portrayed in the movie and Dahls book contradicts the idea, Jim Crow. Jim Crows laws mainly legalized the separation of black and white men (Woodward). Although this concept of Crow has pointed to keep peace and order among communities, the Civil Rights Movement still opposes this idea because of some reasons. They believe that separation is not the answer to racial discrimination existed in America for many years. The upright enforcement of the law and proper treatment is the only key that may solve all the issues between the white men and the blacks. The movement does aim not only peace and order but also the proper protection of their rights as a legitimate citizen of the United States. There are issues about the separation law nowadays that withdraws still disturbs the peace and order that Jim Crow talked about. Different people have the different perception of the movie. Many criticized the firm because many argued that the movie was set around white democracy viewpoint.

For the best parts in Mississippi burning firm was entirely accurate. There were some parts were changed for the better demonstrating the central theme of the movie and to give the firm, good flow. For example, some characters while interchanged, to create a successful film. For instance, the two main FBI agents existing in a firm. This is changes that make the audience understand the movie well and the main aim.

Mississippi burning is advantageous because it was conveying its chosen subject very well. It indicates the struggles that black American experienced to attain freedom. The movie has successfully conveyed the needs of democracy rights towards blacks. All in all, blacks were given equal rights to vote. This law provided jurisdiction to every African-American people and other races who dwell in the United States the right to vote. Along with this jurisdiction will be their recognition as legitimate citizens of America with full citizen rights.

We can use this movie to narrate the most vital mark of racial progress would show changes in the attitude toward whites. The movie is not just a motion picture that simple points of view and plot but a film that shows the struggles of civil rights movement fights to attain freedom. The movie will remind modern generation the importance of maintaining peace and respect among different race. It depicted different images of injustice, violence, and inequality all these aspects should be symbols to represent blacks problems for the decade. The story is an active manifestation of what history had and how racial differences broke the foundations of this nation over and over again. It can serve as a reminder for each white men, and black men that the things fought and done in the history should not repeat itself.

Work cited

Woodward, Comer Vann. The strange career of Jim Crow. Oxford University Press, USA, 1955.

Jansson, David R. "A geography of racism: Internal orientalism and the construction of American national identity in the film Mississippi Burning." National Identities 7.3 (2005): 265-285.