JFK (1991)

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers (WGA):

Oliver Stone (screenplay) &
Zachary Sklar (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

20 December 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | History | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The Story That Won't Go Away

Plot:

A New Orleans DA discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.

Plot Keywords:

Kennedy | President | John F Kennedy | Assassination Of President | Vietnam

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Sally Kirkland	...	Rose Cheramie
Anthony Ramirez	...	Epileptic
Ray LePere	...	Zapruder
Steve Reed	...	John F. Kennedy - Double
Jodie Farber	...	Jackie Kennedy - Double (as Jodi Farber)
Columbia Dubose	...	Nellie Connally - Double
Randy Means	...	Gov. Connally - Double
Kevin Costner	...	Jim Garrison
Jay O. Sanders	...	Lou Ivon
E.J. Morris	...	Plaza Witness #1
Cheryl Penland	...	Plaza Witness #2
Jim Gough	...	Plaza Witness #3
Perry R. Russo	...	Angry Bar Patron
Mike Longman	...	TV Newsman #1
Edward Asner	...	Guy Bannister

Also Known As:

JFK (France)
JFK - Affaire non classée (France) (poster title)
Project X (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language. (also 1992 edited version)

Runtime:

189 min | USA:206 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) (TV rating) | Iceland:12 | Brazil:14 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (original rating) (cut) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Germany:12 (bw) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R (No. 31561)

Filming Locations:

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Perry R. Russo, who was a key witness to conversations taking place between David Ferrie, Clay Shaw (aka Clay Bertrand), and Lee Harvey Oswald, plays a man in the bar at the beginning of the film, where Garrison and Lou are watching the TV coverage on the shooting. Mr. Russo yells about how they should give the shooter a medal for shooting Kennedy.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Garrison is speaking with David Ferrie, Ferrie's wig frequently changes position from high on his forehead to low, almost to the eyebrows. He's doing this intentionally with his hands because he is nervous.

Quotes:

Jack Ruby: Oswald!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in An American Carol (2008)

Soundtrack:

Tequila

A good mystery

Whether you agree with Jim Garrison's conspiracy theory or not, Stone's film is an effective mystery.

The pieces of the puzzle are put together with great skill so that the viewer is kept involved despite the length of the film. The John Williams score helps to build the atmosphere of intrigue and confusion. Costner is rather bland, as usual, but that works well here since he is surrounded by such an interesting group of colorful characters.

This is definitely a good mystery -- and a frightening one if even part of the conspiracy theory has validity.