Crazy in Alabama is a 1999 American crime film directed by Antonio Banderas in his directorial debut and written by Mark Childress based on his novel. The film stars Melanie Griffith as an abused housewife who becomes an actress, while her nephew deals with a racially motivated murder involving a corrupt sheriff. It marked Dakota Johnson's film debut.

REAR COVER

In the sweltering summer of 1965, everybody in Alabama went a little crazy - especially 12-year-old Peejoe's glamourous Aunt Lucille (played with a marvellous performance by MELANIE GRIFFITH). Deciding to no longer let her abusive husband stand in the way of her dreams, she gets rid of him in a most unusual way and sets off to Hollywood to become a television star.

Travelling across country and evading the long arm of the law, Lucille will have the time of her life on the way to discovering that sometimes, you have to lose your mind to find your freedom.

The acclaimed directorial debut of Antonio Banderas, CRAZY IN ALABAMA is a heart-felt comic adventure that features a superb supporting cast including David Morse (from

CONTACT), Lucas Black (from SLINGBLADE) and Meat Loaf Aday (seen recently in FIGHT CLUB).

DETAILED PLOT

In 1965 Alabama, Peter Joseph "Peejoe" Bullis lives in a small town at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. His eccentric aunt, Lucille Vinson, kills her husband Chester with poison, after suffering years of domestic violence. She decapitates him and brings his severed head with her en route to Hollywood, where she is convinced that television stardom awaits her. In New Orleans, Lucille buys a black hat box to store Chester's head. When a bartender on Bourbon Street insults her, she threatens him with a revolver, before stealing the car and money. Back in Alabama, Peejoe's uncle and Lucille's brother, Dove, a local funeral director, is notified of the incident. While traveling, Lucille becomes increasingly paranoid, convinced Chester's ghost is haunting her.

Meanwhile, Peejoe becomes involved with a group of black students protesting the town's racially segregated municipal swimming pool, leading to a violent protest. A young black boy, Taylor Jackson, is killed by the town sheriff, John Doggett. Peejoe, the only witness, is pressured by the sheriff to keep it quiet. While mowing the lawn, Peejoe is struck in the eye with a rock. The townspeople circulate a false story that he was shot in retaliation for Taylor's death. The black townspeople stage a protest honoring Taylor in which they enter the swimming pool. Peejoe and his brother, Wiley, join them in support, but the protest is interrupted by police and white pro-Confederates.

Lucille wins $32,000 in Las Vegas while playing roulette at a casino, and subsequently pays for a personal driver, Norman, to bring her to Los Angeles. She arrives in Hollywood, taking the stage name Carolyn Clay, and manages to land a minor role on Bewitched. Back in Alabama, Peejoe and Wiley attend a speech by Martin Luther King Jr., and Peejoe's racist aunt Earline is infuriated over the publicity involving the family. That night, they discover Lucille appearing on television.

At the industry party in Hollywood Hills, hostess Joan Blake discovers Chester's severed head in Lucille's hat box. Lucille and Norman flee to San Francisco, and try to discard the head off the Golden Gate Bridge. However, the two policemen discover this and stop Lucille from attempting suicide. She is arrested and escorted back to Alabama for the trial, where she is met by a media circus. In the local jail, Lucille is incarcerated in a cell near Nehemiah Jackson, Taylor's father who has been jailed over the protest.

After being convicted of first-degree murder, Lucille is sentenced to twenty years in prison. However, the sentence is suspended when she earns the judge's sympathies after testifying to the abuse she received, and she is put on a five-year probation with the condition that she seek psychiatric help. Lucille, her children, and all her friends leave the courtroom, while the sheriff (through Peejoe's testimony) is put under arrest for Taylor's murder.