Manthast Absolutely amazing

Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

FrogGlace In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

john22900 I've seen this movie/miniseries once or twice now and it just gets better with every viewing.The cast is perfect and the acting uniformly superb.The best part is that this is a true story and is based on a true historical murder case.One small problem is that dramatic license has been taken in the telling of certain aspects of the reality which I think detracts from the overall quality a bit. Not really enough to do any serious damage to the film but personally I prefer films that are based on true stories to be absolutely faithful to all aspects of that story. That is my own personal preference. I realize that some parts of the story, namely the lynching and the aftermath of it were horrifying as well as gross but I also think that portraying those elements just as they occurred in history would have made this film an even more powerful movie than it already is.Throughout the history of the cinema there have been antiwar films and anti vigilante films that did not moderate their violence, brutality, savagery and explicitness. Such filmmakers usually are criticized for dwelling on the violence and the grim details. But in my opinion it is precisely those same elements that elevate a mediocre or good film to epic classic stature. Make no mistake. This is by no means a mediocre film. I just wish this film had not been as squeamish as some of those other movies. A minor complaint, I grant you. But still very worth seeing! A must-see for fans of great cinema.

malvernp This mini-series captures Jack Lemmon in a strong role as a real historical figure. Governor Slaton of Georgia risked (and ultimately lost) a promising political career in his search for the truth as to what really happened to Mary Phagan. Lemmon is heroic in an understated way----very different than many of the manic-like comedy performances that conspicuously dotted his long career.The story was filmed before in 1937 by Warner Brothers with Mervyn LeRoy directing as "They Won't Forget." This is the film that launched the career of Lana Turner as a major sex symbol. She played the very small Mary Phagan-like role when just a young teenager---and who could forget her famous stroll through town as she strutted her sexy stuff just before her murder? In "They Won't Forget," the story was changed significantly to eliminate any reference to the Leo Frank-like character as a Jew. Instead, he was depicted as a teacher (not a pencil factory manager) with apparently a Christian background."They Won't Forget" was a typical Warner Brothers social drama of the 1930s. It fudged on the facts but was quite gripping and engrossing. Claude Rains may have been somewhat over-the-top as the prosecuting attorney---but he commanded your attention.On the other hand, "The Murder of Mary Phagan" stays much closer to the true story. It's interesting to compare the two films to see just how much easier it was in 1988 to tell the whole narrative of the Leo Frank case than it was in 1937.For another source of information on this remarkable historical event, seek out Harry Golden's fine book of many years ago---"A Little Girl is Dead."

kathi-13 Just finished reading "And the Dead Shall Rise", the book about the murder of Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo Frank. I thought the film did a great job at attempting to bring the story to the film medium, even accepting the dramatic license that the film-makers took (had to take, really) to fit the story into 4 hours.Being a transplanted Yankee, and now a resident of Atlanta, I thought the filmakers did a terrific job at trying to get the nuances (sp) of the South across. Atlanta is a wonderful place to live, but the echos of past prejudices can be seen and heard in her history.This film, attempts (and succeeds more often than not) to show the mentality of the almost-next-generation-after-the-civil-war populace. Many of whom disparaged all people of color, races other than white, and (perhaps even more so) Yankees. Then there is poor Leo Frank, a Yank and a Jew. The singing of hymns and the song about Mary Phagan, mentioned in one other review, was believable to me. I've lived in Mississippi, Texas and now Georgia, and I find it historically accurate from what I've experienced of the South. I think it would have added a deal to illustrating this if the producers had included some of the hideously vile comments from Watson's newspapers during the events of the time. There was some incredible stuff printed and bought up - ate up - by the majority of the people of Georgia. Watson had SO much to answer for.I recomend the film, but would add that a reading of the book (mentioned above) before viewing it would add to the viewer's appreciation as well as provide in-depth background to the telling of the tragedy. As well, the book adds more about the identities of the famous and infamous involved in the trial and lynching. Moreover, there are a few 'heroes' who did quite a bit in the interest of justice that seem to have been rolled into single characters for the sake of movie-making. You learn more about all of these people, too. And the rise of the New KKK and Jewish Anti-Defamation League from the results of what happened in Georgia. The worst of the short-cuts that the movie took, IMO, was the way they had the lynch party seem to give Leo Frank dignified treatment after they hanged him. Truthfully, they left him there, and more than 3000 people rushed to the site the next day - many having their pictures taken with his body still hanginh there. Finally, after his shirt sleeves were cut off as souvenirs, (and more attempted) the killers moved him, succeeding only after one rather rabid man had smashed the dead mans's face with his boot heel several times.But all-in-all, a faithful as Hollywood ever gets it, telling of the story.

Rose-35 This is one of the best mini-series I've seen in a long time. They get the story right and is acted out very well, esp. by Lemmon and Gallagher. It was also nice to see Kevin Spacey in one of his first roles. If you get a chance, watch this one. It will be worth it.