KILL ME IF YOU CAN
US, 1977, 100 minutes, Colour.
Alan Alda, Talia Shire, John Hillerman Barnard Hughes, Ben Piazza, John Randolph.
Directed by Buzz Kulik.
Kill Me if You Can is a most impressive telemovie, serious and intelligent. Based on the true story of Caryl Chessman (pictured), it traces the 12-year period from his arrest to his execution in which he experienced prejudice in the American courts, numerous appeals, much time going to the Death Row and back again - witnessing ninety people in Death Row going to their executions while he was there. A man of great intelligence, he studied law during his prison time, wrote four books against the wishes of the authorities. One of these "Cell 2455 Death Row" was filmed in 1955 with William Campbell in the central role.
Allan Alda, a good actor and comedian, is excellent in impersonating Chessman. Talia Shire from The Godfather and Rocky, is also excellent as his counsel Rosalie Asher. Many good television film and stage actors and actresses have supporting roles to give the film a great strength in itself and to offer a most persuasive look at prison, injustice, and especially capital punishment.
1. The impact of the film as a telemovie? As a human drama, as a recapturing of an aspect of history, as a social issue film? Combination of these?
2. Why such an interest in Caryl Chessman in 1978? The issues of cover-ups, prisons, capital punishment in the United States in the late seventies? The aspects of social conscience that the film appealed to? For American audiences, international audiences? How persuasive on these issues?
3. The quality of the film as a serious telemovie, the intelligence behind it and its presentation? The requirements of concentration and attention for the audience? The emotional response to character and issues for an audience at home? The devices for drawing an audience into its impact?
4. The choice of Allan Alda for the central role? His reputation an actor and comedian? How well cast was he? His impersonation of Chessman, as a thug and as a self-reputed criminal? As intelligent, as would-be lawyer? As prisoner, as intelligent legal writer and defender of himself? As a man and. as a human being? The choice of strong actors and actresses for supporting roles and the quality of their
performances for the overall impact?
5. The film's reliance on the facts about Chessman, its emphasis on dates and places? The fact that Rosalie Asher acted as technical adviser? How authentic a feel for persons, times, issues? The problems of imprisonment, legal procedure, prejudice, capital punishment within the forties and fifties? The importance of the 12 year duration and its effect on people's lives?
6. The success of the film as a plea for justice, fair treatment, about abolition of capital Punishment? The importance of the prospect of execution ahead of a person for twelve years?
7. Audience judgment on Chessman and his guilt at the beginning? The response to the official verdict? Audience judgment on his guilt over the period of the twelve years? The importance of the opening and his being a criminal, the kinds of crimes that he boasted of committing? The evidence for his being the 'red light' killer? Chessman as a person within this context and the effect of the trials and imprisonment on him over the twelve years?
8. What impression did he make as a person - his boasting, way of speaking, way of looking with his eyes? Manner of dress and appearance? his explanation of his I.Q.? his reaction to his arrest? his being the object of prejudice by judge and lawyer? his reaction to the charges especially denying that he was a sex fiend? Was he wise to conduct his own case? How did the film show that he was exploited by prejudice, the victim of his ignorance in conducting his case? The requests which the judge denied? his being looked down on?
9. The portrait of the judge and the reasons for his reactions? his disapproval of Chessman? Leavy and his hostility? The portrayal of the jury, the questions to the jury, the speeches and the appeals? Such injustices as the questions of the transcript, Chessman not being able to move near the witnesses etc.? Edmonds and his help and advice? The reaction of the witnesses and their personal hostility towards Chessman no matter what? The woman and her accusing him in her answers? The girl and her fright, latent schizophrenia and reaction to him? (And the significance of having the flashbacks about the crimes within the questioning - the point being made about visual presentation of
evidence, its limits, the limitations of memory and people being more assertive than they should be?)
10. The introduction of Rosalie and audience response to her? Seeing her at home so often with her mother and. discussing things there, doing the ordinary things? her skill as a lawyer, friendship with Edmonds? The initial encounter with Chessman and her assertion of Miss Asher? her reaction to him as a person, to his ideas? his not wanting a lawyer but legal advice? her decision to help? The background question of his asking her age? how did Rosalie change over the years - as helped by the change in her appearance, styles and clothes? The decision she made for Chessman? The quality of her work for him? Helping him with typewriter, paper, the courts, the appeals? The way that they talked over the years even when she was not helping him for some years? her introduction of various lawyers to him for example George Davis, Judge Goodman? The personal suffering over the years especially with the hate letters and telephone calls? her discussions with the Warden especially about the publication of the books? her being the mouthpiece of various points being made about prisoners, justice, prejudice? The book being dedicated to her? Chessman's will and his leaving things to her? Her fighting for him until the end? The final close-ups and his letter to her as an ending for the film? The quality of Talia Shire's performance? A woman from 28 to 40 involved in such work? A woman of integrity, seeing her in action, her motives? Her genuine love for Chessman?
11. Chessman and his work on law, his study and his capacity over the years? Doing his work by himself? His conducting of the various appeals, his work in the court especially before Judge Goodman, his interrogation of the judge and Leavy? His life on Death Row and the continual moving backwards and forwards? His decision not to name the 'red light' criminal? His refusal to ask for mercy from the Governor? Why these principles and standards?
12. How interesting were the sequences of his conducting his cases the contrast between his initial performance and his cross-examination of judge and lawyer? Did the audience expect him to lose this appeal? His reaction to the appeals? The persecution and his reaction? The outside hostility which he did not see for example the pickets? How was this illustrated by the quotations from the judge which showed American hostility towards Chessman?
13. The build-up to the preparations for his death? The returns from Death Row? The final going to Death Row? The symbol of the cigar? his being ready for death, the will, finding out Rosalie's age? The long walk to the gas chamber - and the audience having seen it so often especially through Rosalie’s eyes? His being strapped, the advice he was given about breathing, the death throes? the pace of the appeal to the Board of Judges, Judge Goodman, the irony of the telephone call and being too late?
14. The sadness of the film in seeing a person experiencing this? Whether innocent or guilty? The rights of justice to execute human beings? How much insight into this?
15. Themes of prisons and prison life, crimes and punishment for crime? The importance of his Press conference and his speech on retributive justice? The importance of executions and the reaction of people who are present at these, the journalists. the guards? The nature of evidence and its repercussions for people - as illustrate& in Sarah's
schizophrenia and the testimony given? The film as a testimony to the integrity of the human spirit? Society as being judged by its prison laws and capital punishment laws?
