Under indictment - The McMartin case

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Movie
German title Under indictment - The McMartin case
Original title Indictment: The McMartin Trial
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1995
length 131 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Mick Jackson
script Abby Mann , Myra Mann
production Diana Pokorny
music Peter Rodgers Melnick
camera Rodrigo García
cut Richard A. Harris
occupation
synchronization

Under Indictment - The McMartin Case (Original Title: Indictment: The McMartin Trial) is a TV judicial drama that was produced in 1995 with James Woods in the lead role. It is based on the true story of the abuse allegations at McMartin Preschool . Oliver Stone was the executive producer of this television film .

action

The McMartin family run a preschool in Manhattan Beach, California. After allegations by a mother about the alleged abuse of her son, all preschool staff are investigated. The allegations of sexual abuse in connection with satanic rituals increase in over 100 cases. Charges are brought, the case is described in the press in advance as a huge scandal and the suspects are to be locked up until the trial.

Most allegations are based on statements made by children after suggestive interviews by Kee MacFarlane, who poses as a psychotherapist but is completely unqualified in this area. In addition, it turns out that the reporter Wayne Satz, who covers the case in the press, is in a relationship with Miss MacFarlane, which has led to the unobjective press coverage. Little by little, the defense and the prosecution recognize these wrongdoings and other inconsistencies. The first mother to report abuse is also diagnosed with severe mental illness.

More and more allegations have to be dropped and in the end all defendants are acquitted and the public prosecutor emerges from the process embarrassed. A second trial was initiated by the public prosecutor due to the hysteria and the resulting public pressure and again ended with an acquittal. The seven-year trials cost the then record sum of $ 16 million.

criticism

Seth Mydan of the New York Times wrote, "The film does not claim to be objective: there are good guys in the McMartin saga, and there are very, very bad guys ..." He added, "Don't try that either Examine film for difficult questions. It's a drama, not so much about the painful process of children's stories of abuse or the fear and guilt of their parents, but about the destructiveness of a system that runs amok. "

"Well-researched, explosive crime drama"

"James Woods (" Nixon ") plays the leading role in a high-profile court drama by Mick Jackson (" Bodyguard "), which questions the American judicial system based on an authentic case and denounces the practices of the sensational media. Except for the supporting roles, this ambitious justice thriller offers two hours of pure excitement, which was awarded two Golden Globes and immediately reached the top 10 of the video charts in England. "

Awards

The film won the 1996 Golden Globe Awards for Best Miniseries or TV Feature, and Shirley Knight for Best Supporting Actress. He was also nominated for two other Golden Globe Awards in 1996. The film won an Emmy at the 47th Emmy Awards in 1995 in the category "Extraordinary TV Movie" and Shirley Knight for Best Supporting Actress and Richard A. Harris for its editing. He was also nominated for three other Emmys. The Directors Guild of America Award winning director Mick Jackson and the America Cinema Editors Award winning Richard A. Harris. Richard A. Harris won the Cable ACE Award. The film was also nominated for six other awards.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Seth Mydans: A Child-Abuse Case, in the Eyes of the Accused The New York Times, May 14, 1995, reviewed March 3, 2016
  2. Under Charges - The McMartin TV Feature Film Case . Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  3. Indictment - The McMartin Trial Kino.de . Retrieved February 10, 2018.