THE MOST FAMOUS KIDNAPPING IN HISTORY CLAIMED MORE THAN ONE VICTIM. 

The 1932 kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh’s baby is known as the crime of the century. The treatment of the suspected murderer, carpenter Bruno Hauptmann, is a notorious, alleged miscarriage of justice. This TV movie claims that Hauptmann’s life was sacrificed because of politics, lies and a desperate need to convict somebody, anybody, of the murder. There’s a certain spark missing, but this is nevertheless an engaging, juicy presentation of the case, as the filmmakers vehemently try to convince the viewer of foul play. Well-picked actors bring life to the story, including David Paymer as the aggressive prosecutor. 

1996-U.S. Made for TV. 114 min. Color. Produced by Barbara Broccoli, Amanda Schiff, Mike Moder. Directed by Mark Rydell. Teleplay: William Nicholson. Book: Sir Ludovic Kennedy (“The Airman and the Carpenter”). Cast: Stephen Rea (Bruno Richard Hauptmann), Isabella Rossellini (Anna Hauptmann), J.T. Walsh (Norman Schwarzkopf), Michael Moriarty, David Paymer, Allen Garfield.

Trivia: The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case (1976) is another TV version depicting these events.

Last word: “That film was very important to me, because it indicted a certain element of avariciousness and greed and political expediency. The whole contention of the film was that Hauptmann was innocent. J.T. Walsh, what a sad thing that was. He was on his way to becoming one of the great American actors. Early death is one of the saddest aspects of human life.” (Rydell, The Hollywood Interview)

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