Cross of Fire (1989) (TV)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Paul Wendkos

Writer (WGA):

Robert Crais (written by)

Release Date:

5 November 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Plot:

Story of the rise and fall of 1920s' Ku Klux Klan leader D.C. Stephenson. |

Plot Keywords:

Ku Klux Klan | Hate Crime | Based On True Story

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy.

Cast

John Heard	...	David 'D.C.' Stephenson
Mel Harris	...	Madge Oberholtzer'
David Morse
George Dzundza
Donald Moffat
Kim Hunter
Caroline Kava
Keith Szarabajka
Ed Wiley
Dakin Matthews	...	Hiram Evans
Douglas Roberts
William Schallert
Dion Anderson	...	Sen. Monroe
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Buzz Barton	...	Mayor of Addis
Lloyd Bridges	...	Lawyer
Kevin Brief	...	Bailiff
Alan Clarey	...	Dr. Foreman
Christopher Curry	...	Hollings William Jennings Bryan
Peggy Freisen	...	Harriet Monroe
Jennifer Glimpse	...	Linda Ann Ferguson
T. Max Graham	...	Kenley
Gary Neal Johnson	...	Jail Guard #2
Joneal Joplin	...	Dr. Moon
Annie Kellogg	...	Jommy
Pam Kristin	...	Secretary
Gilbert Lewis	...	Levi Eames
Paul Meier	...	Templett
Lynn Milgrim	...	Marsha Eames
Anthony Mockus Sr.	...	Judge Sparks (as Tony Mockus)
Marc Penney	...	LeBouf
Jeris Poindexter	...	Royal Eames
Glynn Praesel	...	KKK member
Peggy Rea	...	Eunice Schultz
Luke Reilly	...	Millencamp
Ray Reinhardt	...	Dr. Kingsbury
Mark A. Reiter	...	High School Yell Leader
Richard Riehle	...	Duvall
Mark Robbins	...	Crowe
Stephen Root	...	Beggs
James Shelby	...	Broadbent
Tracy Sloat	...	Clerk #1
Tim Snay	...	Gov. Jackson
Ben Stephenson	...	Noblesville Reporter
Olivia Virgil White	...	Allie Eames (as Olivia Virgil Harper)
Mimi Wickliff	...	Mrs. Adderly

Runtime:

200 min | Germany:180 min (2 parts) | UK:104 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Lawrence, Kansas, USA

Company:

Leonard Hill Films

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Harriet Monroe is shown raking leaves in her yard, but all the trees around her have green leaves, because the filming was done in July.

I was shocked

This actually isn't that bad of a movie, considering the fact that it... 1.) has no stars I have even really heard of, except for a few I don't care for. 2.) was not just a movie-of-the-week, but was a miniseries, which aired on my TV it's entirety (though I only saw most of the second part) and # 3.) is flawed by a few hokey parts, such as people cheering loudly in a courtroom.

But every movie has its flaws, and "Cross of Fire" actually had some good points as well. It covers the rise of Ku-Klux-Klan leader D. C "Steve" Stevenson, who eventually became so powerful in his town, that he could pretty much get away with doing whatever he wanted, or so he thought.

Now court cases appear frequently in these kinds of movies, and often the cases are much more dramatized than they would ever be in the real world. This case had it's dramatic moments, some of them touching, others quite silly, but hey, D. C Stevenson was supposed to be a prominent figure, so it wasn't totally off-the-wall. I also enjoyed Madge's lawyer-friend, who proved to be not the wimp everybody thought he was. I am not certain of the actor who played this fellow, but he was actually quite well-cast, as was Lloyd Bridges as Steve's veteran lawyer. Mel Harris, as Madge, was actually somewhat touching in her own sense, and the man who played Steve nailed down a pretty hateful character, who only rarely over-acted.

Well, while I don't exactly think I would watch "Cross of Fire" again and again, but it's rare when a miniseries is able to rise above the usual silliness. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it's...alright.