A famous myth turned feature film screens at 7 pm April 24 at the Malco Oxford Commons
Son of a Gun, a new Mississippi film from writer/director Travis Mills, makes its Oxford debut this month. The filmmaker along with local actor Damon Burks and other select members of the cast will be present for the showing on April 24, which is sponsored by the Oxford Film Festival.
Son of a Gun is inspired by the “minie ball pregnancy” tall tale from the Civil War. Eleven years after the war, a doctor based in Vicksburg named Legrand Capers published a story in a renowned medical journal that has been talked about ever since. He claimed that during a battle, a bullet passed from the private parts of a soldier and struck a young woman, therefore causing her to bear child.
This myth, which has been discussed at length and disputed since (even in an episode of Mythbusters), is the subject of the feature film Son of a Gun which focuses on Dr. Legrand, played by three leading men including Hattiesburg filmmaker Miles Doleac, Florida-based actor Shannon Williams, and Mississippi character-actor Cotton Yancey. Damon Burks, an actor and producer who works frequently in the Oxford area, plays a key role in the film, sharing scenes with Bill Luckett, the former mayor of Clarksdale.
The film was written and directed by Brookhaven-based filmmaker Travis Mills who has produced six feature films to date in Mississippi. With a focus on local stories, Mills has showcased the history of Mississippi in movies such as the Lawrence County-centered Blood Country, the Dixie Mafia tale Cornbread Cosa Nostra, and this recent Vicksburg-set Son of a Gun. He is in the process of completing post-production on the sequel to his first Mississippi movie Porches and Private Eyes, titled If These Porches Could Talk. This film, to be released late this summer, also features Damon Burks in a supporting role. Mills is also committed to casting Mississippi talent in
principal roles, showcasing their talent on a national scale through streaming platforms.
Tickets are available on the event’s Facebook page. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
