Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)

VHS CASE/SIDE

Length of film: 155 Minutes

Rated: R

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Director: Clint Eastwood

Starring: John Cusack, Kevin Spacey, Jack Thompson, Irma P. Hall, Jude Law, Alison Eastwood, Paul Hipp, Lady Chablis, Richard Herd, Sonny Seiler

IMDB Rank: 6.6/10

Part 1 Time: 82 Minutes

Part 2 Time:  73 Minutes

Where does the first part end? Henry Skerridge (Sonny Seiler), John Kelso (John Cusack) and Sonny Seiler (Jack Thompson) speak outside of the courthouse.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “Oh yeah better say a prayer”- Henry Skerridge speaks to John Kelso outside of the courthouse as lawyer Sonny Seiler announces he is leaving for a baseball game before the Jim William’s trial.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “All right, Mr. Largent the state has the burden of proof and you have the opening”- Judge White (Sonny Seiler) announces as Jim William’s trail begins.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal, we wonder why Jim William’s (Kevin Spacey) attorney Sonny Seiler is so calm, as the murder trail is set to begin in a couple of days. Will Jim William’s be found guilty or not guilty of murder?

Which part is better? The prestige, mystery and elegance displayed by members of Savannah’s elite class are on full display in part one of the film. Here we are introduced to many characters, who will play an importance role in Jim William’s murder trial. Part two solely focuses on the murder trial and subsequent aftermath. Part two overtakes part one, as the audience is given answers to the unknowns presented in part one as well as the ironic fate of Jim Williams.

Academy Awards: None