February 17 - Fatal Vision

Today’s movie is a crime drama with a scene that happens on February 17. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

FATAL VISION          

On February 17, 1970[1:55 to 13:30]  Capt. Jeffrey MacDonald calls in that his wife and children have been murdered by ‘hippies’, while he only has a non-life threatening injury. Army investigators immediately begin examining the crime scene.  The police round up a group of hippies, but start to become suspicious of McDonald’s story. After the funerals, McDonald comes in and tells his story, which includes being beaten in the living room, although no traces of a fight were found there. MacDonald’s in-laws support him. The Army conducts a preliminary hearing. The commanding officer decides there is not enough evidence to prosecute MacxDonald. His father-in-law, Mr. Kassab becomes suspicious when MacDonald resists getting him a transcript of the hearing. The army begins a second, more through investigation.  Mr. Kassab finds inconsistencies in MacDonald’s story and he begins working with the authorities. The Kassabs begin pushing to have MacDonald charged with murder. They file a citizen’s complaint against MacDonald. The forensic lab proves that MacDonald lied about fighting off the hippies with his pajama top.  The grand jury indicts MacDonald for murder and he is arrested.   The indictment is dismissed, but this is reversed by the Supreme Court. MacDonald hires Joe McGuinniss to write a book about the case.  The jury is shown that MacDonald’s story about the pajama top is false. MacDonald calls a hippie as a witness, but she denies knowing anything. At the trial, MacDonald is found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. 

A gripping film. After watching, I have to conclude that MacDonald is guilty. However, evidence found since the movie was made raises the possibility he could be innocent.

Encyclopedia of World Crime ed by Jay Robert Nash (CrimeBooks, Inc. (Wilmete, IL, 1990) at 2032 and the film at 2:05 give the date the crime was called in

Producer -Richard O'Connor

Director - David Greene

Screenplay -  John Gay

Runtime – 3 hours 20 minutes

Released - November 18, 1984

Awards – This film won the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special(Malden), Outstanding Achievement in Makeup and Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series or a Special Emmys.   It was also nominated for the Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or a Special at the 37^th Primetime Emmy Awards

Starring – Gary Cole as Capt. Jeffrey MacDonald, MD

                 Karl Malden as Freddy Kassab                      

                 Eva Marie Saint as Mildred Kassab         

    Andy Griffith as Victor Worheide

                Barry Newman as Bernie Segal

                Wendy Schaal as Colette MacDonald

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014