4 Mississippi Towns Where Famous Movies Were Filmed

When those first movie cameras started rolling in Mississippi over a century ago, no one could have predicted that some of Hollywood’s most iconic cinema moments would end up being shot here. Used as a backdrop for more recent productions, such as O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Help, to name a few, its quaint small towns and charming rural landscapes remain ideal spots for filmmakers seeking authentic Southern settings.

This is especially great news for travelers interested in combining a little movie nostalgia with some Mississippi fun. Pay a visit today, and you’ll find that many of the state’s film locations have barely changed since their big screen debuts. Whether it’s a courthouse square, a historic home, or a small-town main street, these four Mississippi towns where famous American movies were filmed are bucket list-ready for film buffs to visit.

Canton

Canton certainly deserves its unofficial title as the "Movie Capital of Mississippi." Just 25 miles north of Jackson, the state capital, this quaint town has hosted productions ranging from quirky small-budget independent films to major studio releases with A-list stars. The appeal? Ask any production crew, and they’ll tell you the main reason is Canton's remarkably preserved historic district.

It's here you’ll find the Canton Courthouse Square District, an unspoiled urban space with a classic Southern courthouse surrounded by original 19th-century commercial buildings, providing a ready-made period setting. It was here that the Coen Brothers filmed their famous rally scene in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Released in 2000, this magnificent musical comedy boldly reimagined Homer's Odyssey in Depression-era Mississippi, with George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson playing escaped convicts who become radio sensations as the Soggy Bottom Boys. Pure movie magic from start to finish.

The film adaptation of John Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill, was also shot in Canton. Filmed in 1996, the city's historic square also featured prominently in the film, with a star-studded cast including Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, and Ashley Judd all playing key roles. One of the most memorable scenes features McConaughey and Bullock standing together on the Canton courthouse steps, an easy-to-reenact movie moment.

Four years later, Canton welcomed another production when My Dog Skip came to town. A family classic based on the memoir by Mississippi author Willie Morris, it was filmed throughout the town during the summer of 1998. It’s an excellent excuse to visit for its many easily recognizable settings.

To learn more about these and other movies filmed in and around town, include the Canton Movie Museums on your itinerary. Book an official tour from the Canton Welcome Center, and you’ll have the chance to see set pieces and props from A Time to Kill and My Dog Skip, along with the coffee shop, law firm offices, and, of course, the courthouse square that all made the cut

Greenwood

Greenwood became internationally recognized following its starring role in the film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's bestselling novel, The Help. Set in early 1960s Jackson, this Mississippi Delta town was the perfect dupe for the state capital as Greenwood's period architecture was to prove the perfect backdrop for the film’s Kennedy-era segregation.

The film’s social elite gather around Greenwood's Grand Boulevard, a splendid tree-lined thoroughfare that runs through the heart of town, boasting 300 majestic oak trees that create a picturesque canopy over the street. Several houses along the street also make appearances, while the bus stop scenes were filmed in the Baptist Town neighborhood.

Other scenes were shot at the Mississippi Garden Club Headquarters, and the stand-ins for Jackson’s Robert E. Lee Hotel included the exterior of the Leflore County Courthouse, and the interior is the Greenwood Elks building.

The best way to visit these stars of the silver screen is to pick up a self-guided driving tour map online or from the Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau. You’ll also want to include The Alluvian Hotel, recreated from the 1917 Hotel Irving, as well as the town’s musical roots. You can do the latter by following the Mississippi Blues Trail, which includes the gravesite of blues legend Robert Johnson.

Natchez

High on a bluff overlooking the mighty Mississippi River, with more than 1,000 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, makes Natchez a no-brainer when it comes to setting movies in the American South. Dating back to 1716 and the oldest settlement on the river, its concentration of antebellum mansions, Greek Revival townhouses, and Victorian-era commercial buildings has been attracting filmmakers since Hollywood’s silent film era.

More recent productions include 2014’s biopic, Get On Up, featuring Chadwick Boseman as James Brown. Shot in and around Natchez, the scenes where Brown performs his iconic Apollo show in Harlem were filmed in the Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center. Other Get On Up filming locations include the New and Old Jails, the Malt Shop, and Holy Family Catholic Church, to name but a few. The pre-Civil War mansion known as the Dunleith Historic Inn, as well as Bilbo's Fish Market, were also featured in the film.

Television has also discovered Natchez's cinematic potential. When the producers of True Blood needed a mansion in 2010 that befitted “Vampire King of Mississippi,” they found the perfect location in spectacular Longwood. Partially constructed in 1860 (it was never finished due to the outbreak of the Civil War), this huge mansion’s unique onion-shaped dome and unfinished upper floors made it an ideal setting for the HBO vampire series. Guided tours are available.

Vicksburg

Best known as the site of one of the Civil War's most decisive sieges, Vicksburg has leveraged its preserved historic districts and dramatic river bluff setting into a second career as a filming location. Its mix of 19th-century architecture, military landmarks, and pretty rural landscapes has made it particularly attractive for productions depicting the American South from the Civil War through the Civil Rights era.

One of the most famous movies,1988’s Mississippi Burning, used Vicksburg for several key sequences, including the funeral eulogy and procession at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Vicksburg also appeared in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, serving as the backdrop for the baptism scene. Filmed at Alligator Lake, this popular hunting and fishing spot is filled with cypress trees, creating a dramatic, otherworldly atmosphere that helped define the film's distinctive visual style.

The Vicksburg National Military Park is also worthy of a mention. It preserves the battlefield where Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant finally captured the Confederate stronghold in 1863, and has appeared in several documentaries and historical productions needing authentic Civil War settings.

The Bottom Line

There’s little doubt that Mississippi's small towns have given filmmakers something that’s becoming increasingly difficult to find: a sliver of authentic Americana. Looking like they just stepped out of an old photo from an earlier era, these towns are re ready for their close-ups, and ready to play a starring role in your own movie magic. For film fans and curious travelers seeking out unique destinations where cinema history meets genuine Southern culture, Mississippi's film towns deliver.