"Murder in Greenwich" reviews
Billie
MURDER IN GREENWICH. Friday night at 8, USA Network.
The names involved with, or invoked in, the USA Network telemovie "Murder in
Greenwich" are right out of Who's Who.
It's based on the true-crime novel by Mark Fuhrman, he of the O.J. Simpson
trial and bloody-glove incident. It's presented by Dominick Dunne, who has
covered that trial and others for Vanity Fair. And it's about a decades-old
murder in an affluent Connecticut community where the original suspects were
two nephews of Ethel Kennedy.
Given the celebrity cachet, viewers would be forgiven for expecting more
exploitation than entertainment. In recent years, when fact-based crime dramas
have been, by and large, plodding disappointments, there's no reason to be
optimistic.
Especially not on USA, which for years generated so many bad movies that it
appeared to be some sort of twisted goal.
Yet USA has been cleaning up its act, and this first installment in "Dominick
Dunne Presents," airing Friday night at 8, is another strong step in the right
direction.
"Murder in Greenwich" is based on Fuhrman's book-length examination of the 1975
beating death of 15-year-old Martha Moxley. Kennedy nephews Tommy and Michael
Skakel were among the initial suspects, but at the time, police investigators
accepted their alibi based on the presumed time of Moxley's death. Decades
later, crimes-of-the-rich-and-famous chronicler Dunne persuaded Fuhrman, who
had just published his book on the Simpson case, to look into the
stilll-unsolved crime.
Fuhrman did — and despite resistance to his inquiry, finally uncovered enough
information to write a book naming the person he considered the most likely
suspect, and why. A month after its publication, Michael Skakel was indicted,
and eventually convicted.
Making a movie of this is tricky, because the outcome was front-page news,
Fuhrman isn't exactly a cuddly or admirable protagonist, and there's the
question of deciding whose point of view to dramatize. Teleplay author David
Erickson and director Tom McLoughlin make all the right choices, from casting
and music to structure and tone, and succeed in making "Murder in Greenwich"
more like the superb "Fatal Vision" miniseries than a tacky tabloid
reenactment.
Christopher Meloni, from "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," is a perfect
choice to play Fuhrman; on "Oz," Meloni proved he could play characters who do
odious things without losing the audience's interest and sympathy. Robert
Forster, as the former cop who provides key information, is another strong
choice.
Maggie Grace's Martha Moxley is present not only in flashbacks, but as a voice
from the grave.
"Murder in Greenwich" casts Fuhrman as a discredited Columbo, wandering among
the rich and doggedly digging up facts — but also gives plenty of voice to
Fuhrman's opposition. He's not painted as an attractive character, which ends
up making the drama more balanced and likable.
/////////
NY POST/LINDA STASI
------------------------
"Dominick Dunne Presents Murder In Greenwich"
Friday at 8 on USA Network
RACIST cop Mark Fuhrman didn't turn tail and run after being fried alive at the
trial of O.J. when he was revealed to be a bigot and a braggart. Instead he
decided to become an author.
His first book, "Murder In Brentwood" was a New York Times #1 best seller, but
it was his second book that turned him from the most hated man at the O.J.
trial (which was going some since there was not one likeable character in the
whole wretched bunch), back to the hero investigator he once was.
It was his investigation for that book, "Murder in Greenwich"of the 25-year-old
murder of Martha Moxley, and his personal indictment in that book of Kennedy
cousin Michael Skakel that caused Skakel finally to be brought to justice. You
can't discount that, no matter what the guy's philosophies are.
Now USA Network has made a movie about Fuhrman's investigation, woven into a
retelling of the final days of Moxley.
So far, so good. But for reasons I hope never to understand, instead of playing
it out, they have the dead girl (played by Maggie Grace) narrating from heaven.
Maybe Furhman read Alice Sebold's best seller "Lovely Bones" and loved the
whole technique. Anyway, it almost ruins the whole thing. I mean, a narrating
dead girl?
Add to that, Grace's narration is so flat and annoying, it comes out sounding
like somebody practicing to be dead.
Why they would do this with a true crime story I have no idea. Everytime she
shows up from the grave the whole thing goes south.
That aside, Chris Meloni does a bang-up job as the very unpleasant and
personality-challenged ex-detective. Robert Forster, always good, is even
better here as the discouraged, retired, real-life Greenwich cop, Steve
Carroll, and Beth Allen as Moxley's long suffering mom is a heartbreaker.
But where the movie shines is in the low-key performances by Tobey Moore as the
gorgeous, despicable Tommy Skakel, and Jon Foster as half-nuts Michael. Talk
about a pack of dysfunctional weirdos! Sheesh. Why people like that get to be
rich beats me.
At any rate, since Dominick Dunne is involved, it had to be good. It's a good
start to what promises to be a great series of true-crime movies.
Since CBS and Lifetime gave up the ghost, there's been a horrible drought of
true-crime movies - which are always, always, more interesting than the pap and
drivel all the networks come up with when left to their own devices and to the
whims of bad screenplay writers of even worse fiction.
Now, I hope somebody gives my other favorite true crime writer, Anne Rule, a
network series too. As the old saying goes, "There's never enough true crime on
TV."
OK, I made that up.
"STUPIDITY IS NOT A HANDICAP. Park elsewhere!"
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Leigh Melton
>NY DAILY NEWS/DAVID BIANCULLI
[snip]
>So far, so good. But for reasons I hope never to understand, instead of playing
>it out, they have the dead girl (played by Maggie Grace) narrating from heaven.
>Maybe Furhman read Alice Sebold's best seller "Lovely Bones" and loved the
>whole technique. Anyway, it almost ruins the whole thing. I mean, a narrating
>dead girl?
I can only suppose Mr Bianculli has never seen "Sunset Boulevard".
Leigh
--
Consequences, shmonsequences, as long as I'm rich. - D. Duck
China Kate Sunflower
cannonballs pusss...@aol.com's motto is:
>Fuhrman did — and despite resistance to his inquiry, finally uncovered enough
>information to write a book naming the person he considered the most likely
>suspect, and why. A month after its publication, Michael Skakel was indicted,
>and eventually convicted.
I thought Fuhrman had originally fingered Tommy Skakel as Martha's killer, no?
K.
***
Shop smart. Shop S-MART. YA GOT THAT?
Nick
> information to write a book naming the person he considered the most likely
> suspect, and why. A month after its publication, Michael Skakel was indicted,
> and eventually convicted.
>
> Making a movie of this is tricky, because the outcome was front-page news,
> Fuhrman isn't exactly a cuddly or admirable protagonist, and there's the
> question of deciding whose point of view to dramatize. Teleplay author David
> Erickson and director Tom McLoughlin make all the right choices, from casting
> and music to structure and tone, and succeed in making "Murder in Greenwich"
> more like the superb "Fatal Vision" miniseries than a tacky tabloid
> reenactment.
>
> Christopher Meloni, from "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," is a perfect
> choice to play Fuhrman; on "Oz," Meloni proved he could play characters who do
> odious things without losing the audience's interest and sympathy. Robert
> Forster, as the former cop who provides key information, is another strong
> choice.
>
> Maggie Grace's Martha Moxley is present not only in flashbacks, but as a voice
> from the grave.
>
> "Murder in Greenwich" casts Fuhrman as a discredited Columbo, wandering among
I agree with Billie that this exploitation piece was entertaining
except for the lame narration. However, it included some serious
bogusness of venue in true Hollywood style. The aerial shot of Indian
Harbor at the beginning was authentic, but the Moxley mansion looked
nothing like the real thing, which was a rambling Spanish-style stucco
place sans columns. Also, the shots of a high bluff overlooking what
puported to be Long Island Sound were laughable. They looked much more
like Redondo Beach than anything in or near Greenwich.
Myname2use4now
>From: js...@hotmail.com (Nick)
>Date: 11/16/02 3:53 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <e45bb75.02111...@posting.google.com>
>
>snip
>I agree with Billie that this exploitation piece was entertaining
>except for the lame narration. However, it included some serious
>bogusness of venue in true Hollywood style. The aerial shot of Indian
>Harbor at the beginning was authentic, but the Moxley mansion looked
>nothing like the real thing, which was a rambling Spanish-style stucco
>place sans columns. Also, the shots of a high bluff overlooking what
>puported to be Long Island Sound were laughable. They looked much more
>like Redondo Beach than anything in or near Greenwich.
>
From what I understand, the original Moxley house was torn down and a new one
built, IIRC. I also agree that some of the areal shots didn't look right. Are
you from around there?
~~~Fortune favors the bold.~~~
True Blue
financial and ideological gain does have historical roots (besides
al-Qaida, the Stern Gang, the SA, the SS, the KGB, the IRA, the UDF,
Eta, Hamas, Shining Path and countless other upholders of Bushian
morality, decency and freedom). We refer of course to Operations
Northwoods, oft mentioned in these pages: the plan that America's top
military brass presented to President John Kennedy in 1963, calling
for a phony terrorist campaign -- complete with bombings,
hijackings, plane crashes and dead Americans -- to provide
"justification" for an invasion of Cuba, the mafia/corporate fiefdom
that had recently been lost to Castro.
Rumsfeld has resurrected Northwoods, but on a far grander scale, with
resources at his disposal undreamed of by those brass of yore, with
no counterbalancing global rival to restrain him -- and with an
ignorant, corrupt president who has shown himself all too eager to
embrace any means whatsoever that will augment the wealth and power of
his own narrow, undemocratic, elitist clique. Dissent is not
tolerated.
It looks like the purpose of Homeland Security Spies is to stifle
dissent, and the current murder of Senator Paul Wellstone is a lesson
in how to stifle dissent.
The people loved Wellstone and they wanted to keep his voice alive.
The murder of Paul Wellstone backfired because his death caused people
to examine his legacy. A reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press said
they had never had so many people covering a death. Not even that of
Hubert H Humphrey. He touched so many people. Even his political
opponents in the Senate openly praised his passion and his character.
He is remembered as being a good man.
The impact he had on people around the country and especially
Minnesota was a guarantee that the people would elect Walter Mondale,
to carry forward Paul Wellstone's worthy legacy. Even the Secretary
General of the U.N. issued a statement, about the loss that the death
of Senator Paul Wellstone entailed. That is not very common.
The only thing that can alleviate the grief that the loss of a beloved
politician produces, is the assurance that his death was not in vain
and that his legacy will not extinguish. That is what caused the
elation over the emergence of Senator Walter Mondale. If Walter
Mondale was granted the opportunity to be Paul Wellstone's voice, the
Senator from Minnesota would receive the political icon status he
deserved, and that is the information that every exit poll in the
country, was supposed to bury.
One might say, paraphrasing Oscar Wilde, that to lose one election,
despite the exit polls is a misfortune, but to lose two the same way,
is positively suspicious. Karl Rove may be all strategy, but this
selection business is beginning to be a bore.
If we know who voted for who and why, we know which votes were NOT
COUNTED:
Election 2002: Exit Polls
_________________________
Question: Why did Minnesotans vote in record numbers?
They wanted to honor the memory of Paul Wellstone.
Question: Why did Coleman win?
Because the ballots were counted in the middle of the night, by hand
[one for you, two for me] when everybody was either yawning or
sleeping.
By the way, the enthusiasm to elect Mondale in memory of Wellstone
exceeded any 'stupid whiners' backlask by 10-1.
Is CNN trying to manufacture the news?
______________________________________
"The crews on the ground found two large sections of plane. The tail
section was intact. The weather DID NOT have anything to do with the
crash," said the on the scene reporter."
Wolf Blitzer tried to correct her.
He said, "The plane was flying into the storm of freezing rain,
right?"
"There is no evidence that weather had anything to do with the crash."
The on-the-scene reporter stuck to her guns.
And after Wellstone was murdered and his murder was covered up by the
false claim that the weather was responsible, Walter Mondale was
slated to foil the original plot, until the politics of election 2000
were hastily exported.
Clearly, Senator Walter Mondale would be representing Minnesota today,
and just one of the many tactics that were deployed in Florida, were
more than adequate to steal the election. Remember the butterfly
ballot? This is what reuters had to say about that:
"Palm Beach County's controversial "butterfly" ballots cost then
vice-president Al Gore about 6,600 votes in the country, more than
enough to have given him the presidential election, a newspaper
reported yesterday. A review of 19,125 discarded ballots on which a
voter punched holes for more than one candidate found that about 6,600
Beach voters invalidated their ballots by punching holes for Mr. Gore
and another candidate." Reuters
Welcome to 1984. Congressman Bob Barr is finally correct, we are
living George Orwell's 1984, and nobody has ever called Bob Barr a
Liberal.
The fact that Wellstone was murdered cannot be covered up. It can
certainly be denied by the politically motivated wackos who post
messages on the Internet, 24/7, in order to discredit the obvious.
They typically post crap like, Wellstone conspiracy theories are "the
work of people with a grade-school knowledge of airplanes and little
understanding of the dynamics of crashes." But we know who the people
who post this crap are.
The Bush administration has mobilized ring-knocking masters of deceit
like Poindexter, and the plans of these serial criminals are clearly
more scandalous than Iran-contra. The crimes of politically motivated
wackos are serial in nature, and the only thing that you can count on
is the fact that they routinely abuse their power. Poindexter
currently heads the "Information Awareness Office" in the otherwise
excellent Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which spawned the
Internet and stealth aircraft technology and is now realizing his
20-year dream: getting the "data-mining" power to snoop on every
public and private act of every American. And despite Poindexter's
Ministry of Propaganda, we can safely conclude that the murder of Paul
Wellstone was not "the work of people with a grade-school knowledge of
airplanes and little understanding of the dynamics of crashes." Maybe
Poindexter is in a position to put faces on the people who are
responsible for the murder of Senator Paul Wellstone.
Kim L
That's because they filmed the movie in New Zealand. You can even see
palm trees in the background of some of the shots. Wonder why they
filmed in New Zealand? Must have been a lot cheaper.
Kim
True Blue
Nick
Yes. I grew up in the house where the Moxley's lived. My parents sold
it in 1960 (not to the Moxleys - they moved in much later.) My Mother
retained part of the property, which originally covered eight acres,
and built and occupied a smaller ultra-modern style house that had a
small pond next to it. The cops asked my Mother's permission to drain
the pond to search for the golf club head. That house has since been
torn down and replaced by a larger, conventional mansion. The original
garage apartment has also been torn down and replaced by a mansion.
Two smaller sub mansions were built on two acres of the front lawn,
which abuts Otter Rock Drive next to the Skakel house. And yes, the
original big house was torn down recently. I don't know what progress
has been made on the replacement, but the old house was built in the
1920's and was always high-maintenance. My father bought the entire
eight acres with the big house, the garage apartment and several
smaller buildings in early 1950 for under $60,000.
Nick
Myname2use4now
>Message-id: <e45bb75.02112...@posting.google.com>
Wow, pretty interesting. Currently I live in Stamford. Damn, I wish I had $60
grand at the time...
~~~Fortune favors the bold.~~~
paull...@hotmail.com
atleast Levy was not over 27 years ago, what are they waiting for?