There is no shortage of travesties of justice in the American judicial system. Some make it to film, but most do not. The more popular courtroom dramas are the ones in which the defense or the prosecution finds that key piece of evidence in the eleventh hour to secure a not-guilty or guilty verdict at the end of a curt trial. Real life seldom happens like that.

"Indictment: The McMartin Trial" is about a seven-year long court battle that occurred in southern California. Raymond Buckey (Henry Thomas) and a host of other adults associated with the McMartin Preschool were arrested and charged with 56 counts of child molestation. The D. A. was on them with a full court press and no defense attorney wanted to come near that case with the exception of Daniel Davis (James Woods). He would be going up against a less than forthright ADA in Lael Rubin (Mercedes Ruehl).

A police report was filed on August 12, 1983 of child molestation by a woman named Judy Ann Johnson (Roberta Bassin) on behalf of her son Malcolm (Courtland Mead). By the time Children's Institute International's "child therapist" Kee McFarlane (Lolita Davidovich) got through with Malcolm and the other kids at the Manhattan Beach school there would be a nationwide frenzy about kids being molested in preschool by Satanists. Davis represented them all and did his best to make sure that his clients were tried in court and not in the media. As he so adroitly said to his frustrated client, "When you're accused of child molesting everything is a crime."

I was too young to be aware of this case when it happened and this movie is my first introduction to the whole affair. Though the movie started off choppy, disjointed, and a little clumsy, it settled into a real find. The performances by everyone were excellent. James Woods is a known quantity. He brought the smug quick wit to his character that I expected. I was most impressed with Ruehl playing the win-at-all-cost ADA and Davidovich playing the experimental "therapist." I hated them both, which was a testament to their fine acting skills. This is not your typical courtroom drama that wraps up perfectly, but it's based upon real life and sometimes you can't script it better than how it actually went down.

It's 1983. Police receives a complaint from Judy Johnson of her son's molestation at the McMartin family-run pre-school daycare center in Manhattan Beach, California. Eventually over 60 children make accusations of outrageous abuse at the school run by 76 year old Virginia McMartin (Sada Thompson) prodded by child-psychiatrist Kee McFarlane (Lolita Davidovich) and her questionable techniques. Virginia's grandson Ray Buckey (Henry Thomas) is at the center of the accusations. Callous defense lawyer Danny Davis (James Woods) is eager to take the case stoked into a media circus by Wayne Satz. Lael Rubin (Mercedes Ruehl) is self-righteous prosecutor. They arrest Ray, Virginia, his sister Peggy Ann (Alison Elliott),mother Peggy (Shirley Knight),and teachers Betty Raidor and Babette Spinler. Prosecutor Glenn Stevens pulls the case together discovering it to be built upon conflicting testimonies from the children.

This is a compelling true story. It's told from the defense's side although I'm not sure what the prosecution's side would be. It's a harrowing case. James Woods brings his energetic persona to full force. The case is riveting and utterly memorable. It is a great award-winning TV movie from HBO.

Tremendously disturbing and well-acted film. What is most troubling is the fact that this episode really occurred. Remarkable portrayal of how easily something like this can get so totally out of control. It is hard to imagine this feeding frenzy among, supposedly, educated and sophisticated people. James Woods is dead-on perfect as an initially slimy, opportunistic attorney, who finds himself slowly horrified by what he finds himself in the middle of. His courtroom questioning of Dr. McFarlane (Lolita Davidovich)is riveting. An impressive, well-done movie, but extremely troubling for what it says about our justice system.