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Crime of the Century (1996) (TV)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Release Date:
14 September 1996 (USA)
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Plot:
In 1932, the nation was shocked when the 14-month-old son of Charles Lindberg was kidnapped, held for ransom...
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Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Golden Globes.
Another 5 nominations
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User Comments:
Who dunnit? If you don't know already, this movie will not help you.
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Stephen Rea | ... | Bruno Richard Hauptmann | |
| Isabella Rossellini | ... | Anna Hauptmann | |
| J.T. Walsh | ... | Col. Norman Schwarzkopf | |
| Michael Moriarty | ... | Governor Harold Hoffman | |
| Allen Garfield | ... | Lt. James Finn | |
| John Harkins | ... | Edward Reilly | |
| Barry Primus | ... | Ellis Parker | |
| David Paymer | ... | David Wilentz | |
| Bert Remsen | ... | Dr. John Condon | |
| Don Harvey | ... | Lt. Gus Kramer | |
| Gerald S. O'Loughlin | ... | Commissioner ORyan | |
| Stefan Gierasch | ... | Albert Osborn Sr. | |
| Jay Acovone | ... | Sgt. Wallace | |
| Vyto Ruginis | ... | Lloyd Fisher | |
| Scott N. Stevens | ... | Col. Charles Lindbergh |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some intense thematic elements, including an execution scene.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
114 min
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Language:
Color:
Black and White |
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1 more
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Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The character, Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf played here by J.T. Walsh, was the father of Norman Schwarzkopf of Desert Storm fame.
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Movie Connections:
Version of The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case (1976) (TV)
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This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (7 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Crime of the Century (1996) (TV)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| Does this sad story deserve to be told on a huge screen? | Samfortune2004 |
| Where can I get a copy? | green-elf |
| So how much of this is true? | rgcustomer |
| DVD Release | andgiles |
Recommendations
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| The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case | Changeling | Evil Angels | Call Northside 777 | From Hell |
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Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Crime section | IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |



Crime of the Century fails much in the same way the system of justice failed in the prosecution of for the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh's baby in the 1930s, not enough evidence.
I know Mark Rydell (On Golden Pond) to be an extremely sensitive filmmaker and stage director, his motivation here, I'm sure was to present an alternative to Hauptmann's guilt, to entertain ideas that the prosecution may have erred. The evidence was only circumstantial, of the course the crime was horrible, but Hauptmann's execution may have been more a result of public outrage than guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
And he may be right, based on everything I've read, he probably is right. Unfortunately all the probabilities in the world add up to nothing on screen. After only a couple of suppositions the viewer gets so lost in the ultimate goal of the story that he loses interest. I've watched this film 3 times, and lost interest every time.
What a waste of terrific actors, including Stephen Rea, J.T. Walsh, Michael Moriarty, Vyto Ruginis, Barry Primus, and Allen Garfield.
Without closure, as long we as know as little as we do about what actually happened, maybe this story is best left to the true-crime section of the local bookstore, or Investigative Reports, Dateline, or 20/20. Told this way, in this medium it's a sad waste of time.