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About The Georgia bulletin (Atlanta) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 1989)
* Selleck Film Is Morally Confusing RELIVING THE LINDBERGH CASE — Edwin Newman will host * the program examining the historic kidnapping case once called “the crime of the century.” PAGE 9 — The Georgia Bulletin, October 12, 1989 Lindbergh Case Revisited BY HENRY HERX NEW YORK (CNS) - The state of New Jersey’s investigation and prosecution of “the crime of the century” is still a matter of legal, literary and public debate. Look ing at some of the reasons for this continu ing interest in the long-ago trial is “Reliv ing the Lindbergh Case,” airing Friday, Oct. 20, 11 p.m. EDT on GPTV, Channel 8. The case involved the 1932 kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's infant son who was found dead a month after a $50,000 ransom had been paid. It was not until two-and-a- half years later that an illegal German im migrant, Bruno Richard Hauptmann, was arrested, convicted and executed for the crime in 1935. Since then, doubts about Hauptmann’s guilt and questions about the conduct of the officials involved in the case have been raised. However, because many associated with the events have died and some of the evidence has disappeared, it seems unlikely that any of these doubts and questions will ever be completely resolved. Hosted by veteran journalist Edwin Newman, the program reports the facts, reviews the evidence and listens to both sides of the question as to Hauptmann’s guilt. The result is an engrossing journey into the American past and a challenging reminder that our justice system is not ab solute but subject to the human limitations of those who administer it. Produced by Janice Selinger for the New Jersey Network, the program succeeds best in showing how the sensational press of the period whipped up public sentiment against Hauptmann. The circus at mosphere in the courtroom which is documented by newsreel footage is described by one commentator as “trial by mob.” Though the program draws no conclu sions about the case, it is clear that the American legal system nas developed bet ter safeguards for ensuring the process of justice. “Reliving the Lindbergh Case” is interesting, substantive viewing for all but the youngest members of the family. <• n t> l| iq •t BY JUDITH TROJAN NEW YORK (CNS) - “An Innocent Man” (Touchstone) is yet anoth- » er incarnation of the wrong man theme in movies that was best evoked by master director Alfred Hitchcock » in numerous classy films. Here, star Tom Selleck and director Peter Yates * (“Suspect,” “Bullitt”) seem to be less concerned with class and credibility than with exploiting * Selleck’s endearing nice- guy looks and Yates’ predilection for violent action-adventures. This * point of view lessens the power of their tale about a wrongfully accused and convicted Everyman who * ends up in a maximum security prison. When two on-the-take * narcotics cops (David Rasche and Richard Young) mistakenly crash Jimmie Rainwood’s (Sel- * leek) suburban home as the supposed site of a drug bust, they lie about the inci dent to cover their goof and * accuse Jimmie of shooting at them and stashing co caine. Incredibly, the court believes the sleazy cops * and their only so-called wit ness, a well-known stoolie, and Jimmie is sentenced to six years. No character * witnesses are brought forth to vouch for Jimmie and no investigation is made into his obviously wholesome lifestyle and respected em ployment. Although Jimmie's devoted bride, Kate (Laila Robins), campaigns uncon vincingly for his appeal and release, he remains in prison for three grueling years, during which time he spends several bleak months in the hole, is beaten to a pulp and is finally forced to kill or be killed by a black inmate (Bruce A. Young) who ap parently has Jimmie marked for slaughter. Jim mie is also befriended by veteran inmate Virgil Cane (F. Murray Abraham), who teaches him the ropes and pushes him to snuff out his black adversary to prove that he’s a contend er. Jimmie struggles ever so briefly with the morality of this murderous man date. If such unconscionable vendettas are in fact easy work in prison, our penal system, like our judicial system, comes off badly in this film. In any case, when Jimmie wins parole, he sets out to resume his life with Kate and subsequent ly must avenge himself against the nasty business of those two sleazy cops who continue to harass him. While “An Innocent Man” has some nice moments between Jimmie and Kate, the film strains \ Mass Televised SUNDAY, OCT. 15 THE CATHOLIC MASS — The Mass will be tele vised at the following times: 8:30 a.m. on WOR-TV (Channel 14 on Prime Cable). 9 a.m. on WGN-TV (Channel 15 on Prime Cable). 10 a.m. on WVEU-TV (Channel 69). The Mass for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time will be celebrated by Father Arthur Smith. The program is produced by Passionist Communications. To obtain a missalette for the Mass, wnte Passionist Com munications, Inc., The Sunday Mass, P.O. Box 440, Pelham, N.Y. 10803. credibility throughout with its bleak vision of our judicial and penal systems and Selleck’s ridiculous transition from nice guy to swaggering tough dude. Uncomfortable racist ele ments tinge the scenario, and the feel-good, vigilante ending is a tad unseemly since it was engineered by inmate Virgil and parolee Jimmie with a good cop’s blessing. In the final analysis, the film makes little distinc tion between innocence and guilt, which \vill leave au diences with yet another morally confused filmgo ing experience. Due to much grisly violence and profanity laced with sexual vulgari ties, the U.S. Catholic Con ference classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R — restricted. 1 Flintstones f Originators Win Gabriel Achievement Awards DAYTON, Ohio (CNS) - William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, pro ducers of “The Flintstones,” the longest-running animated series in prime-time history, will be awarded Gabriel Personal Achievement Awards by Unda-USA Nov. 2. Unda, a national Catholic associa tion of church broadcasters and communicators, announced the 1989 winners of its annual awards at the end of September from its head quarters in Dayton. “The Hanna-Barbera partnership, now in its 50th year, has provided thousands of hours of high-quality family entertainment, and has generated millions of laughs from audiences worldwide,” the an nouncement said. The creative team, which also pro duced the animated characters “Tom and Jerry,” “Yogi Bear,” “Huckleberry Hound” and “Top Cat,” “has not been surpassed in providing entertainment and enriching characters to that special audience: children of the world,” Unda said. The association also noted that the producers recently released a series of animated Bible stories called “The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible.” The awards were to be presented during Unda’s 18th annual general assembly Oct. 30-Nov. 2 in Baltimore. FILM RATINGS NEW YORK (CNS) — Here is a list of recent films the U.S. Catholic Con ference Office for Film and Broadcasting has rated on the basis of moral suitability. The first symbol after each title is the USCC classification. The second symbol is the rating of the Motion Picture Association of America. USCC classifications: A-I — general patronage; A-II — adults and adolescents; A-III — adults; A-IV — adults, with reservations (this in dicates films that, while not morally offensive in themselves, are not for casual viewing because they require some analysis and explanation in A G order to avoid false impressions and interpretations); O — morally offen sive. MPAA ratings: G — general audiences, all ages admitted; PG — paren tal guidance suggested, some material may not be suitable for children; PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned that some material may be inap propriate for children under 13; R — restricted, under 17 requires accompa nying parent or adult guardian; X — no one under 17 admitted (age limit may vary in certain areas). L S The Abyss, A-III (PG-13) The Adventures of Milo and Otis, A-I (G) B Babar: The Movie, A-I (G) Batman, A-III (PG-13) Black Rain, O (R) C Casualties of War, A-IV (R) Cheetah, A-I (G) A Chorus of Disapproval, A-III (PG) Cookie, A-III (R) Criminal Law, A-III (R) D Dead Poets Society, A-III (PG) Distant Voices, Still Lives, A-III (PG-13) Do the Right Thing, A-IV (R) The Dream Team, A-III (PG-13) F Field of Dreams, A-II (PG) Friday the 13th Part VIII — Jason Takes Manhattan, O (R) Getting It Right, A-IV (R) Ghostbusters II, A-II (PG) Great Balls of Fire!, A-III (PG-13) H Heart of Dixie, A-III (PG) Heathers, O (R) Heavy Petting, A-III (No rating) Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, A-II (PG) I In Country, A-III (R) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, A-III (PG-13) An Innocent Man, O (R) J Johnny Handsome, O (R) K K-9, A-III (PG-13) The Karate Kid Part III, A-III (PG) Kickboxer, O (R) Lean on Me, A-III (PG-13) Lethal Weapon 2, O (R) Let’s Get Lost, A-IV (No rating) Licence to Kill, O (PG-13) Lock Up, O (R) M Millennium, A-III (PG-13) Miss Firecracker, A-III (PG) Mississippi Burning, A-IV (R) N A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, O (R) No Holds Barred, O (PG-13) P The Package, A-III (R) Parenthood, A-III (PG-13) Pet Sematary, O (R) Peter Pan, A-I (G) Q Queen of Hearts, A-III (No rating) R Romero, A-II (PG-13) Sea of Love, O (R) Sex, Lies, and Videotape, A-IV (R) Shag: The Movie, A-III (PG) Shirley Valentine, A-III (R) Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, A-!I (PG) T Turner & Hooch, A-III (PG) Twins, A-III (PG) U Uncle Buck, A-III (PG) W Weapons of the Spirit, A-II (No rating) Weekend at Bernie’s, O (PG-13) Welcome Home, A-III (R) When Harry Met Sally..., A-IV (R) Wired, A-III (R) Y Young Einstein, A-II (PG) J
