Ghosts Of Ole Miss

Year: 2012

Grade: B

Country: USA

Director: Mitchell

Review

30 for 30 that takes a frank, but partisan, look at the 1962 ole miss team and the desegregation of the school. it’s told from the perspective of a mississippian filmmaker and football fan which is the partisan part – he’s clearly a homer. at the same time, the film is honest about the unsavory parts of ole miss’ past, and even its present. in a way the film asks us “what will it take for us to get over what mississippi did?” and “what more do they need to do to get rid of the ghosts of that dark time?” i have no love for mississippi or much of the deep south which did so much to hurt the country between the 1860s and 1960s. at the same time, we’re going to need to move on at some point; both the north and the south.

the ole miss team itself had a great season in 1962. they went undefeated and beat arkansas in the sugar bowl. usc, it should be noted, also went undefeated and won in the rose bowl over #2 wisconsin to gain the #1 ranking in the final poll. interestingly, ole miss was ranked #1 at the beginning of the season just a couple years later and ended up losing 5 games that season. in 2012 usc was ranked #1 in the preseason and has also lost 5 games. the documentary doesn’t mention usc at all, but that’s because that no good SEC filmmaker doesn’t know a good football team when he sees it. fucking hick. 🙂