The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case

I was a teenager when I first saw this on TV and was blown away by this unknown actor who played the accused kidnapper. Hopkins performance is amazing. He also did fantastic work around the same time in the great mini-series QBVII. The film is a bit slow and meandering, but the subject matter is gripping, the acting is well done and again, a first rate piece of work by Sir Anthony Hopkins.

It was a good thing that this enactment began directly with the crime itself, rather than lengthy Lindbergh background information. Hero parade footage under the opening credits sufficed.

The viewer was plunged into the night of the kidnapping, which was meticulously presented, as was every aspect of this torturous event.

One became aware of the media circus that ensured, spurred on by an invasive press and "nosey" public. One was struck by the absurdity of so many people reaching their own conclusions without being privy to actual case evidence.

What was particularly disturbing was the re-enactment of a capital punishment crowd brandishing its "eye for an eye" primitive philosophy. Likewise, was the extreme consequences offered by the price of fame.

A worthy cast included several veteran actors, bringing great feeling to their roles. Despite its over-length, the drama maintained interest.

The ending credits admitted to the story's being "based" on fact, with "some characters and incidents fictional." Just where the lines of demarcation occurred left one hanging regarding full script credibility (ironically, I caught this on the "True Stories" channel).

For a general background of this highly publicized case, this enactment provided useful informative.

Full of Familiar Faces that Don't Do Much to Raise this Above Another Look-Back at the Infamous "Celebrity" Murder/Kidnapping Trial of the "Lindbergh Baby" with the Accused "Bruno Richard Hauptman" (Anthony Hopkins), a German Immigrant.

Although Hopkins is Excellent, His Screen-Time is Very Limited and He is More of a Supporting Actor even though He Won the Emmy for a Prime-Time Lead.

It's a Rather Dull Affair, because first of all, Most Folks Know the Complete Story, and this Version of the Events Shows Nothing New, is a Bit Flat All Around.

It Goes to Great Pains to Translate the Ridiculous, Riotous Rigamarole that Became Known as the "Cult of Celebrity".

With Mobs on the Street Chanting and Selling Souvenirs (like little ladders with the Baby's face glued on...just $1.00), and Along with the "Scopes 'Monkey' Trial" Showcased just How-Low People, when Mobbed-Up, Could Behave.

Joseph Cotton Makes an Impression as the Flamboyant "Condon", a Citizen who just Wants to "Help" and Gets Caught-Up in the Eye of the Hurricane.

None of the Other Name Actors Contribute Much, and Perhaps Worst of All Cliff De Young and Sian Barbara Allen as Charles and Mrs. Lindbergh are Non-Entities and Seem Almost Vacant to the Proceedings.

If You Don't Know the Story, it's...

Worth a Watch

If You are Familiar with it All, the 2 and a Half Hours is a Waste of Time.

I found this to be a reasonable telling of a true story that gripped America in the thirties but it was definitely overlong.I do usually enjoy courtroom dramas but must admit that this isn't at the top of the tree for me.For some reason I found it to be less than gripping and I also found the editing at times to be abrupt and a bit confusing.

On the plus side,the acting is pretty good and Anthony Hopkins did well in a role that made it difficult for anyone to have any sympathy for his character.You did get the feeling that some things were never discovered such as was the child murdered by just one person and this gave the movie a flat almost empty ending.

Not too bad I suppose but at least thirty minutes too long.

Buz Kulik produced and directed this famous and still unsolved case over Lindbergh's kidnapping baby in early thirties, the American hero suffers too much with the press at your neck during the investigation and trial that ends up move on to England to have a peace for his family, this picture bring the audience since the night of kidnapping until the supposedly German kidnaper Bruno Richard Hauptmann (Anthony Hopkins) at last has been executed on electric chair.

Also bring step by step all investigation process, how was the modus operandi of "John" using a go-between Dr. Condon (Joseph Cotten) to send his message to Lindbergh (Cliff De Young) also by Bronx's newspaper and sneaking away to deliver the ramson and get his baby back at cemetery where Dr. Condon face-to-face the man self-called "John", sadly he didn't bring the baby as planned, thus Dr. Condon recedes letting at Lindbergh's hands the final decision if deliver the ramson or not, he just suggest hand over 50.000 dollar to got the baby in another place as "John" offers for security reasons.

Well the rest everybody knows the baby was found dead nearby the house, aftermaths the police's intelligence squad track down the marked money found some bills at Bronx area, reaching in the carpenter German immigrant Bruno Richard Hauptmann at your home, also finds out 14.000 dollars of ramson at your car garage, the reputable lawyer Edward J Reilly (Martin Balsan) is hired as defense attorney in the case, the Governor Hall Hoffman (Lawrence Luckinbill) assures by any means appointing a hard line Lawyer David Wilentz (David Spielberg) led the prosecution.

This case is far away to be solved, firstly is quite sure that Hauptmann didn't have a fair trial whatsoever, the press tries helping him hiring the Lawyer, therefore this man has a flamboyant life with many young women on those high society circle as the movie wants imply, worst the massive voice of streets on crowed people yelling in front of Courthouse had a pressure on the jury, the casting with veteran actors is noteworthy as Dean Jagger, Warter Pidgeon, Joseph Cotton, Keenan Wynn, Tony Roberts and the newbie Cliff De Young in very convincing portrait of Col. Lindbergh, a fabulous TV movie, hidden in the dust of past, hard to find really, just a good print at Youtube.

Thanks for reading

Resume:

First watch: 1986 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 8.