 |
| STAR RATINGS EXPLAINED |
| Unmissable |
|
| Excellent |
|
| Good |
|
| Poor |
|
| Tragic |
|
|
| FILM DETAILS | | Certificate 15 | | Cast
Stephen Rea
Isabella Rossellini
JT Walsh | | Directors
Mark Rydell | | Screenwriters
Ludovic Kennedy
William Nicholson | | Running Time
111 minutes |
|
|
|
Crime Of The Century
Above average trial drama based on true events.
Plot
In 1932, the nation was shocked when the 14-month-old son of Charles Lindberg was kidnapped, held for ransom, and murdered. Two years later, Bruno Richard Hauptmann was arrested, convicted, and executed.
This film dramatizes the investigation against Hauptmann, the trial, and the execution, painting a picture of a corrupt police force under pressure to finger a killer framing an innocent man by manufacturing evidence, paying-off and blackmailing witnesses, and covering up exculpatory evidence.
Verdict
The film belongs to Rossellini, who is now as good an actress as her mother ever was, and Rea as the German salesman, who speaks with an accent as realistic as his riveting and heartfelt performance.
Reviewed by Jake HamiltonRead The Full Empire Review »
Click for the full Empire review and post your own review and rating.
|
|
|
|
