[.ca] Indictment: The McMartin Trial

Vivid and compelling:
This account of the most celebrated trial arising out of the child molestation and satanic abuse hysteria of the eighties and nineties-a witch hunt far worse than that of the McCarthy era in terms of lives destroyed and innocent people thrown in jail, and even worse than the Salem witch trials of the 17th century in extent, except that nobody was actually stoned or hanged, was only the tip of the iceberg. Hundreds of innocent people went to jail and some are still there. Nobody can give them back their lives, ruined by immoral prosecutors bent on career-building at any cost and by guilt-ridden latch key parents out to excite their blood lust. Yes, children do lie and more important, as this film demonstrates, they can be brainwashed and coerced into telling the most outrageous and horrific tales (and believing them) to escape the gestapo tactics of their interrogators. Oliver Stone produced, and Abby Mann, who wrote the celebrated Stanley Kramer film, "Judgement at Nuremberg" (1961) and Myra Mann penned the compelling script. James Woods is excellent as Ray Buckey's attorney, but Lolita Davidovich who plays the evil and sick Kee MacFarlane (who led the indoctrination of the children) is both too pretty and too sane to be truly effective. Mercedes Ruehl plays incompetent L.A. County prosecutor Lael Rubin with enough vile to drip. Sada Thompson brings warmth and charm to the part of Virginia McMartin, and Henry Thomas plays Ray Buckey to a perfect fit. But this movie was made too soon. In the five years since its production, the full extent of the hysteria has come to light. When a significant portion of a society is taken in by something like this, it takes the passage of time before the full truth can be accepted. Had director Mick Jackson known of the near pandemic extent of the sickness he might have made a larger film. As it is, this is a vivid and compelling film.

One side of a very tragic story:
Too bad only one side of this story was ever turned into a movie. I would consider it a powerful piece of government propaganda, playing on the incredulity of an audience that would rather not believe the history of this very kind of abuse far beyond what this case attempted to handle ... particularly since it was one of the first to attempt to make its way through the courts. If one believes everything they see in a movie as the truth, one comes away believing that a terrible injustice has been done. James Woods was, indeed, magnificent as the lawyer defending the accused McMartin clan; as was Mercedes Reuhl as the prosecuting attorney. The McMartin's were portrayed as hapless, innocent victims of a hysterical media circus and Kee MacFarlane was portrayed as ignorant, manipulative and overtly sexy -- bad, boo! evil! They show you what they want you to see, and so many people have bought it, hook, line and sinker. The children have grown up, their memories intact, and those who survive, continue to suffer and struggle with their healing, moreso because of how the media betrayed them. The children know what this movie could not possibly reveal, they knew it then, and they know even more today. Someone should make a movie telling *their* story. Not the lawyers, not the accused, not the media, but the children, who are children no longer. It's as if the charges never existed, and the children never existed either. The fact of the matter is they did, and they still do, as do hundreds of children who were caught up in the nightmare of trafficking in children for nefarious purpose that existed then, and continues to exist today, now in the thousands, globally. We have a better understanding of this entire phenomenon now, and it is incumbent on all of us to understand the story that is unfolding here so that we can finally put an end to it. ... ......

They told the wrong story:
I grew up in Manhattan Beach in the 80's. Luckily for me, I went to a different pre-school. I grew up with bumper stickers reading, "I believe the children." This movie offends me simply because they only told one side of the story, and because they skewed it so much. I was horrified to see the defendants portrayed as victims, and the children and parents portrayed as fools, when I knew the opposite to be true. Parents are not fools. They know when their kids are lying. I helieve the children. Other reviewers claim this is a true story. I beg any viewer to take it with a grain of salt-- this is the "true" story as told by the defendants. Ask any parent or child involved, and you'll hear a completely different story.

James Woods, Superstar:
Armed with a perfect Verbal SAT score and an IQ of 180, intellectual powerhouse James Woods aces his portrayal of a defense attorney who, against the political might of the Los Angeles District Attorney's office, brings the best possible approximation of justice to a family falsely accused of committing the most heinous of non-capital crimes--a family already tried and convicted, though ambitious, reckless, and sensational reporting, in the court of public opinion. So put the kids in bed, put the DVD in the player, sit back, and prepare to be blown away by Woods's best performance since his guest appearance on "The Rockford Files".

Everybody Loves Raymond:
HBO really outdid themselves with this one! The riveting story of the McMartin Pre-School tragedy is delivered with a knock-out punch! The story centers around the molestation charges hurled at the infamous Manhattan Beach pre-school, where head maven Virginia rules with either an iron fist or a mother's heart (depending which side you choose to believe) from her wheelchair. Joining Ma McMartin is her daughter Peggy and her grandchildren, Ray and Peggy Ann. There are also special appearances by Betty Radar and Babette Spitzler. James Woods delievers an inspiring performance as Ray's attorney, while Mercedes Rhuel & Lolita Davidovich play the "villians," Lael Rubin and loose Kee MacFarlane. The film really gets to the heart of the argument that if "children say it is true, they must be believed." I went to school with a guy named FC Gaybo and he knew Kee personally. He said she'd sleep with anything on 2 legs, but that "children don't lie about these types of things." I found this quite an ignorant statement. It is also to note that the writers, Abby & Myra Mann had their home burned to the ground. Insanity! The film is campy too. Watch out for hilarious references to the Alligator Game and (my fave) Naked Movie Star (wish I knew how to play that!). The film also demonstrates the level of paranoia that engulped everyone involved. The mother of the first accuser (a drug addicted psychotic) hits the bottle and makes outrageous claims that the family dog was molested and that she is "Jesus Johnson"! Keep an eye out for Peggy's body cavity search scene!