INCIDENT AT MARION (IN THE LINE OF DUTY)

US, 1192, 96 minutes, Colour.
Ed Begley Jr, Tess Harper, Dennis Franz, Kyle Secor, William H.Macy, Paul Le Mat.
Directed by Charles Haid.

Incident at Marion (In the Line of Duty) is part of a series about the FBI, telemovies under the general title "In the Line of Duty".

This film is based on a true story from the '70s and '80s, a rebel family of Mormons, fundamentalists going off by themselves, clashing with Mormon authorities, bombing their building, holding themselves (especially a good number of children) in a farmhouse with the FBI deciding to lay siege to the house to protect the children. This was one of the longest sieges for the FBI, especially in terms of not making contact with those inside the house. Ultimately there was violence - fairly minimal, all things considered. The protagonists eventually are sentenced to prison.

The film has echoes of such groups as the disciples of Jim Jones in Jonestown as well as those of David Koresh in Waco, Texas (an FBI siege in which almost a hundred people died, most of them by fire, when the religious group set fire to the compound. - The siege had lasted 51 days.)

The film was directed by actor Charles Haid, best known for his performances in Hill Street Blues.

1. Interesting and topical telemovie? American religious groups? Fundamentalists? Mormons? The rights of religion, the rights of family? The intervention of the FBI, local authorities, the governor? Sieges, violence?

2. The Utah settings, the isolated farms, the winter and the snow? The action sequences, violence, the siege? Musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Marion? The series of FBI stories?

4. Credibility of the plot? American fringe sects? Their fundamentalist beliefs? Inspiration from the Bible? Direct messages from God? The strong patriarchal system? The head of the family, the subjugation of the women and children? Religious fanaticism? Madness? The storing up of arms? The expectations of violence? Apocalyptic messages?

5. John Singer, his wife Vicki and her children, his other wives? Vicki's husband and his getting a writ? The violent confrontation at the fence? The appeal to the police, desperation? The police and their decision to accost Singer, the confrontation, the violence and his death? The consequent angers of the family, of Vicki?

6. The arrival of Adam Swapp, his support of Singer, the family, his religious beliefs, his fanaticism? The attraction to Vicki? The rest of the household? The seven years passing and Adam Swapp becoming the patriarch? The number of children in the household? Vicki and her wanting vengeance? Supported by Adam? Weapons?

7. The local police and their concern? The FBI coming in? The FBI leader and his strong personality? Decisions? Dealings with the local police? The special squads - especially Fred House and the trained dogs? The decision to lay siege to the house? The siege, the number of days, the lack of contact? The threat of violence? The friend and his taking in the food, their wanting to get radio contact? The failure of getting an insight into the house except for the photos and the verbal report?

8. The character of Adam Swapp, his origins, support of John Singer, fundamentalist beliefs, love for Vicki? The children? His leadership, violence? His isolation? Prayer, direct messages from God? Ultimate shooting, his own wounding, his being filmed against a light, his religious and melodramatic gestures? Collapse? - The arrest and his imprisonment.

9. Vicki, her bitterness? The support of her children? The discussions with the police, at the supermarket? The growing number of children? The violent backgrounds of some of the teenagers? The older women? As a community, supporting Adam? The experience of the siege? The eventual shooting and the killing of Fred House?

10. The siege, the FBI leader, the local authorities, the sheriff? Fred House and the setting of the dogs on the family? His being shot (and the grief of his wife)? The appeal to the governor, his caution, the concern about the children? Their declaration of not being bound by the laws of Utah, and his giving the go-ahead?

11. The siege, the few deaths? Yet the possible alternatives? The FBI leader becoming as obsessed as Adam? The inevitability of violence? The comment on American religion, family, patriarchal authority, attitudes towards law? The use of violence?