Indictment: The McMartin Trial
| Indictment: The McMartin Trial | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Written by | Abby Mann Myra Mann |
| Directed by | Mick Jackson |
| Starring | Lolita Davidovich Shirley Knight Mercedes Ruehl Henry Thomas Sada Thompson James Woods Nicollette Sheridan |
| Music by | Peter Rodgers Melnick |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Diana Pokorny |
| Cinematography | Rodrigo García |
| Running time | 135 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Release | 1995 |
Indictment: The McMartin Trial is a made for TV movie that originally aired on HBO on May 20, 1995. Indictment is based on the true story of the McMartin preschool trial.
Summary
A defense lawyer (played by James Woods) defends an average American family from shocking allegations of child abuse and satanic rituals. After seven years and $16 million, the trial ends with the dismissal of all charges.
Reception
John J. O'Connor, writing for The New York Times:
This is a portrait of mass hysteria, fueled by panic-stricken parents, overzealous prosecutors, irresponsible talk shows and an out-of-control tabloid press..."Is Indictment balanced? Is it fair to the other side? No. As Mr. [Abby] Mann puts it, "What other side?" Watch it and shudder."[1]
Also writing for The New York Times, Seth Mydans said:
The film makes no pretense at objectivity: There are good guys in the McMartin saga, and there are very, very bad guys..." He adds "Nor does the film try to examine difficult issues. It is a drama not so much about the painful process of assessing children's stories of abuse or about the fear and guilt their parents feel but about the destructiveness of a system run amok.[2]
Impact
The film is cited as a watershed in the shift of ideas about satanic ritual abuse in the United States, recasting Ray Buckey as a victim of a hysterical conspiracy rather than a child abuser.[3]
References
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (1995-05-19). "The Horrors Behind The McMartin Trial". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
- ^ Template:Cite article
- ^ Baringer, S (2004). The metanarrative of suspicion in late twentieth century America. Routledge. p. 71. ISBN 0-415-97076-8.
External links
- Indictment: The McMartin Trial at IMDb
- Indictment: The McMartin Trial at AllMovie
- Indictment: The McMartin Trial at Rotten Tomatoes
 | This article related to a made-for-TV movie is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |