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MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 44% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Rosewood
"In 1923, a black town in Florida was burned to the ground, its people murdered because of a lie. Some escaped and survived because of the courage and compassion of a few extraordinary people. This film is for them."
1997 2h 22m EN
👍
6.5
SOLID
★6.5TMDB · 123
DramaHistoryActionThriller
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Spurred by a white woman's lie, vigilantes destroy a black Florida town and slay inhabitants in 1923.
“In 1923, a black town in Florida was burned to the ground, its people murdered because of a lie. Some escaped and survived because of the courage and compassion of a few extraordinary people. This film is for them.”
Cast
Ving Rhames
Mann
Jon Voight
John Wright
Don Cheadle
Sylvester Carrier
Bruce McGill
Duke Purdy
Loren Dean
James Taylor
Elise Neal
Beulah (Scrappie)
Michael Rooker
Sheriff Walker
Robert Patrick
Lover
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- John Singleton
- Writers
- Gregory Poirier
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
29 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by John Singleton, shot by Johnny E. Jensen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by John Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Bruce Cannon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Ving Rhames and Jon Voight and Don Cheadle carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "In 1923, a black town in Florida was burned to the ground, its people murdered because of a lie. Some escaped and survived because of the courage and compassion of a few extraordinary people. This film is for them.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0120036 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
John Singleton directs. Johnny E. Jensen behind the camera. John Williams scores. Bruce Cannon cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Earned back only 44% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 229 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Directed by John Singleton, shot by Johnny E. Jensen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by John Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Bruce Cannon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Ving Rhames and Jon Voight and Don Cheadle carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "In 1923, a black town in Florida was burned to the ground, its people murdered because of a lie. Some escaped and survived because of the courage and compassion of a few extraordinary people. This film is for them.".
- 8IMDB entry: tt0120036 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Classified under 12 themes, including "small town", "sheriff", "racial segregation", "based on true story".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Johnny E. Jensen
- Original score
- John Williams
- Editing
- Bruce Cannon
- Production design
- Paul Sylbert
- Costume design
- Ruth E. Carter
- Sound
- Robert J. Litt
- Stunt coordinator
- Glenn Randall Jr.
- Runtime
- 142 min · 2h 22m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $30,000,000
- Box office
- $13,130,349
- Return
- 44% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- IMDB
- Rosewood (1997)
Also by
John Singleton
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Peters Entertainment
US
- NE
New Deal Productions
US
Warner Bros. Pictures
US
Key crew
- Executive ProducerTracy Barone
- EditorBruce Cannon
- StuntsEric Chambers
- StuntsGrady Allen Bishop
- Costume DesignRuth E. Carter
- CastingMarion Dougherty
- Set DecorationDaniel Loren May
- Still PhotographerEli Reed
- Script SupervisorSioux Richards
- Music EditorKenneth Wannberg
- Production DesignPaul Sylbert
- Art DirectionChris Gorak
- ProducerJon Peters
- Co-ProducerPenelope L. Foster
- Steadicam OperatorP. Scott Sakamoto
- Camera OperatorP. Scott Sakamoto
- Supervising Sound EditorGreg Hedgepath
- Sound Re-Recording MixerRobert J. Litt
- Sound Re-Recording MixerMichael Herbick
- First Assistant DirectorJerry Ballew
- Music EditorLise Richardson
- Sound MixerVeda Campbell
- Sound Re-Recording MixerElliot Tyson
- StuntsWilliam Scharpf
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- small town
- sheriff
- racial segregation
- based on true story
- race riot
- racism
- massacre
- period drama
- historical
- racial slur
- 1920s
- rural setting
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1997-02-21R
Also known as
International titles
- O Massacre de RosewoodBR
- Vítejte v RosewoodCZ
