Nothing makes me angrier faster than those who insist on saying that Jeff MacDonald "allegedly" murdered his family on that cold rainy winter night in February 1970.
I heard it most recently on an episode of Criminal Minds. Usually, that is a show that gets it mostly right when it comes to crimes and killers. This was not one of those times.
And for those who scream that Fatal Vision was a smear job, let me just say this: it is the third finest true crime book ever written, with In Cold Blood being number one, and Helter Skelter being number two.
The NBC telefilm of Fatal Vision was an absolute triumph. Karl Malden and Eva Marie Saint do star turns as the parents of murdered Colette MacDonald, and the grandparents of young Kimmy and Kristy. However, the movie belongs to a very young Gary Cole, who plays MacDonald, and does so in such a way that you can never really look at the poor guy the same way again after you've seen it. (It's a shame, actually. I like Gary Cole very much and I think he's terrific in other roles.) However, he will always be Jeffrey R. MacDonald, murderer of his pregnant wife and two little girls, to me.
And this is what Jeff MacDonald did.
"It was a blow of tremendous force."
Notice the silence as MacDonald murders his family. I think this was a brilliant decision. Background music would have done a disservice to the horror unfolding onscreen.
Notice the silence as MacDonald murders his family. I think this was a brilliant decision. Background music would have done a disservice to the horror unfolding onscreen.
Cry one for them.
