Faszination True Crime: "Der Fall Randall Adams"

In our film series "Fascination True Crime" with films about true crimes, a documentary that uncovered a serious miscarriage of justice: THE CASE OF RANDALL ADAMS

What is it about?

At the end of November 1976, Texas police officer Robert W. Wood is shot dead during a vehicle stop. Underage David Ray Harris and Randall Adams are suspects - the latter is charged and sentenced to death.

Errol Morris, one of the most renowned contemporary documentary filmmakers (THE FOG OF WAR), came across the Adams case in the belief that a miscarriage of justice had occurred: At the trial, the evidence against the second suspect had fallen by the wayside. With his research and interviews, Morris was actually able to uncover contradictions and perjuries. After the film was released, Randall Adams was acquitted in 1989.

About the movie

Morris uses movie-like stylistic devices, such as re-enacted scenes - highly unusual in a documentary film at the time - or film music by Philip Glass. In 2008, Variety judged THE CASE OF RANDALL ADAMS to be "the most political work of cinema in the last 20 years", while Sight and Sound named it the fifth best documentary of all time in 2014.
Introduction: Manuel Hugenschmidt