Paris Trout is a vile Southern bigot. He owns a store and is a loanshark. He often sues people, and so his lawyer, Harry Seagraves, eventually meets Paris' wife Hannah. A former schoolteacher, she made the mistake of her life when she married Paris, who brutalizes her. Soon Paris goes beyond the overgenerous bounds of what a man in his position can get away with even in the segregated South, leading to a spiral of perverse insanity.
| Editing | Harvey Rosenstock | Editor |
| Production | Frank Konigsberg | Producer |
| Production | Larry Sanitsky | Producer |
| Directing | Stephen Gyllenhaal | Director |
| Writing | Peter Dexter | Screenplay |
| Sound | David Shire | Original Music Composer |
| Camera | Robert Elswit | Director of Photography |
| Production | Diana Kerew | Executive Producer |
| Production | David Womark | Co-Producer |
| Writing | Peter Dexter | Novel |
| Art | Richard Sherman | Production Design |
| Art | Michael Warga | Set Decoration |
| Costume & Make-Up | Mary Rose | Costume Design |
| Production | Tom Luse | Unit Production Manager |
| Directing | Brenda Kalosh | Second Assistant Director |
| Production | Eric L. Morton | Production Assistant |
| Directing | David Womark | First Assistant Director |
| Sound | Peter Bergren | Sound Effects Editor |
| Sound | Gary C. Bourgeois | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Sound | Brad Sherman | Sound Effects Editor |
| Crew | Davis Bates | Stunt Double |
| Camera | Michael G. Riba | First Assistant Camera |
| Camera | James 'Brandy' Spear | Second Assistant Camera |
| Camera | C. Ashley Sudge | Dolly Grip |
| Costume & Make-Up | Linda N. Robinson | Costumer |
| Production | Cynthia Stillwell | Casting Coordinator |
| Production | Diane Alexander | Casting Assistant |
| Editing | Teressa Longo | First Assistant Editor |
| Editing | Dan Muscarella | Color Timer |
| Production | Carri Gibbs | Location Manager |
| Sound | Lori Slomka | Music Editor |
| Directing | Gail Hunter | Script Supervisor |
| Crew | Mike Robinson | Driver |
| Crew | Shanda Scott | Driver |