A Time to Kill

A Time to Kill is a 1996 American crime drama film based on John Grisham's 1989 novel of the same name.

The film was directed by Joel Schumacher and starred Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey, Kiefer & Donald Sutherland, Ashley Judd, Oliver Platt & Patrick McGoohan.

Plot
The film is about an African-American father, Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson) who avenges his young daughter's brutal rape by killing the men responsible for the crime as they're on their way to trial.

Carl turns to lawyer Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) to defend him and Brigance works to get him acquitted.

Cast

 * Sandra Bullock as Ellen Roark
 * Samuel L. Jackson as Carl Lee Hailey
 * Matthew McConaughey as Jake Brigance
 * Kevin Spacey as Rufus Buckley
 * Brenda Fricker as Ethel Twitty
 * Oliver Platt as Harry Rex Vonner
 * Charles S. Dutton as Ozzie Walls
 * Ashley Judd as Carla Brigance
 * Patrick McGoohan as Judge Omar Noose
 * Kiefer Sutherland as Freddie Lee Cobb
 * Donald Sutherland as Lucien Wilbanks
 * John Diehl as Tim Nunley
 * Doug Hutchison as James Louis "Pete" Willard
 * Nicky Katt as Billy Ray Cobb
 * Chris Cooper as Dwayne Looney
 * Anthony Heald as Dr. Wilbert Rodeheaver
 * Kurtwood Smith as Stump Sisson
 * Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly as Tonya Hailey
 * M. Emmet Walsh as Dr. Willard Tyrell Bass

Production
Joel Schumacher originally offered the lead role to Val Kilmer during the production of Batman Forever, but Kilmer declined. Kevin Costner was considered for the role of Jake Brigance, but he wanted complete control of the project, but John Grisham objected to it and Costner ended up passing on the project.

Woody Harrelson wanted to play the role of Jake Brigance, but John Grisham objected to his casting. Other actors considered for the lead role included Alec Baldwin, Brad Pitt, Bill Paxton, Ralph Fiennes and Aidan Quinn.

Matthew McConaughey was originally cast as Freddie Lee Cobb, but after reading the script, he preferred the role of Jake Brigance. He went to director Joel Schumacher, who granted him a private screen test.

Paul Newman turned down the role of Lucien Wilbanks because he found the film's message distasteful. Donald Sutherland reportedly wanted Lucien Wilbanks to be much more of a radical drunkard, but Joel Schumacher wanted a mostly serious drama and said that it would be too much comic relief.