Other Titles • Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil • Mitternacht im Garten von Gut und Böse (1998)
Synopses for Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)
1.
Readers of John Berendt's bestselling novel were bound to be at least somewhat disappointed by this big-screen adaptation, but despite mixed reaction from critics and audiences, there's still plenty to admire about director Clint Eastwood's take on the material. Readers will surely miss the rich atmosphere and societal detail that Berendt brought to his "Savannah story," and the movie can only scratch the surface of Georgian history, tradition, and wealthy decadence underlying Berendt's fact-based murder mystery. Still, Eastwood maintains an assured focus on the wonderful eccentrics of Savannah, most notably a gay Savannah antiques dealer (superbly played by Kevin Spacey), who may or may not have killed his friend and alleged lover (Jude Law). John Cusack plays the Town & Country journalist who arrives in Savannah to find much more than he bargained for--including the city's legendary drag queen Lady Chablis (playing "herself")--and John Lee Hancock's smoothly adapted screenplay succeeds in bringing Berendt's characters vividly to life with plenty of flavorful dialogue. In similar fashion to Warner's acclaimed DVD of L.A. Confidential, this classy DVD includes a behind-the-scenes documentary titled The Real People in the Garden and an interactive map tour of Savannah and its most celebrated (or notorious) citizens. The original theatrical trailer is also included. --Jeff Shannon
(15 votes)
2.
Bringing John Berendt’s international best-selling novel, MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL, to the screen must have been a challenge. The book is essentially an anecdotal travelogue of the fascinating city of Savannah, Georgia. The filmmakers decided to add a character, John Kelso (well played by John Cusack), a writer from New York, who’s meant to represent Berendt’s point of view. They also put most of the focus of the narrative on the murder trial of local millionaire socialite Jim Williams (the redoubtable Kevin Spacey). This is slightly problematic in that Kelso, a mere observer, now becomes the central character of the film. But director Clint Eastwood (straying from his usual milieu, and, atypically, not appearing the film) and writer John Lee Hancock still manage to capture the quirky spirit of the book. They’re greatly aided in this regard by the lush images of cinematographer Jack N. Green and the detailed work of production designer Henry Bumstead, who create just the right atmosphere for the small city and its environs. The strong cast, including actual Savannah residents such as sparkplug transsexual the Lady Chablis, makes the film an enjoyable idyll in a strange yet welcoming place.
(15 votes)
3.
Welcome to Savannah, Georgia. A city of hot nights and cold-blooded murder.
The most important party of the Savannah Christmas season ends with a bang! When affable host Jim Williams (Kevin Spacey) shoots a man to death. The party is over, the mystery begins. Director Clint Eastwood weaves murder, mystery and voodoo into a suptuous adaptation of the John Berendt bestseller based on true events. Spacey and John Cusack as a journalist drawn to Savannah's decadence and eccentrics lead a nimble cast that includes Jack Thompson, Alison Eastwood and The Lady Chablis. For "one of te best American films of the year," rendezvous at Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
(15 votes)
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