Product Details

• Actors: James Woods, Mercedes Ruehl, Lolita Davidovich, Sada Thompson, Henry Thomas
• Directors: Mick Jackson
• Writers: Abby Mann, Myra Mann
• Producers: Abby Mann, Diana Pokorny, Janet Yang, Oliver Stone
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• VHS Release Date: September 2, 1997
• Run Time: 135 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303597866
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #252,706 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Item Name: Indictment - The McMartin Trial; Studio: Hbo Home Video

Product Description

Based on the true story of the McMartin family who, accused of a heinous crime, suffered six years of public humiliation before being found innocent. The scandal that tore a family and a nation apart.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vivid and compelling, August 28, 2000

By 

Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Indictment - The McMartin Trial [VHS] (VHS Tape)

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.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and engrossing, May 16, 2000

By 

Alexander L. Gillam "Jenius" (Virginia Beach, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Indictment - The McMartin Trial [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is the second best HBO movie ever made, being closely behind And the Band Played On. The whole cast gives excellent performances, especially James Woods and Henry Thomas, who won emmy awards for their performances. This movie clearly shows that an injustice was done and that the Justice System of the US isn't infallable. The defendant's lost everything because of the LA District Attorney's Office, and it amazes me that anybody could have believed any of the children the way they kept changing their stories. This is an excellent movie but not for the weak of stomach. It is a little difficult to watch the first time through.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Indictment is excellent, February 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Indictment - The McMartin Trial [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Indictment: The McMartin Trial is an engrossing and moving portrayal of the horrrible injustice that was done to the McMartin family by an overzealous L.A. district attorney's office. After a child-abuse complaint was lodged in 1983, the events were set in motion. The 7-year court process resulted in NO convictions. While child-welfare advocates (or fanatics) aren't likely to agree, this is a great docu-drama by producer Abby Mann. Very well-acted and directed this is one HBO original that actually lived up to the hype.