The Exchange (aka Changeling) (2008) Movie Review
Clint Eastwood's The Exchange (aka Changeling) is a shocking true story of a courageous woman, Christine Collins (Angeline Jolie), who became one of the first women to fight the system in pre-Prohibition America.
Christine denies that the boy returned to her by the police is her 10 year old missing son (Walter Collins). When Collins accuses the all-powerful LA Police Department and the city authorities of fraud, she is slandered and ends up in the psychopathic ward of the Los Angeles County General Hospital for ten days. Reverend Briegleb (John Milkovich) a benevolent local activist, helps her to fight police corruption and finally vindicates Christine Collins' name in this nationally covered court case of 1928. Unfortunately, history has not been kind to Christine Collins - reducing her to a mere footnote of history. Hopefully this movie will give her greater prominence in history as a courageous woman who "buck the system" in an era when women rights were not taken seriously.
The Exchange (aka Changeling) is a well-crafted re-telling of the real-life Wineville Chicken Murders which took place in Wineville, a working class suburb in Los Angeles in 1928. It was called the "Wineville Chicken Murders" as blood, bones, fingers and hair of the murdered children were found at a chicken house in the murderer's Northcott ranch near Wineville (though the actual bodies of many of the victims were never found). The child serial killer, Gordon Stewart Northcott and his mother were subsequently convicted for the torture and brutal murders of Walter Collins and the other boys in 1929. Wineville changed its name to Mira Loma in 1930 to avoid the shame of this well publicized scandal which shook the county. The real names of all the characters involved in the case are used in the film though some of the events have been fictionalized in the movie for dramatic effect.
Watch this space from a more detailed review of the movie.
The Exchange (aka Changeling) is a period feature set in the "Roaring Twenties" just before the onset of the Great Depression. This movie looks likely to be on the critics' hit list.
Clint Eastwood's The Exchange (aka Changeling) should not be mistaken with another (fantasy) movie called "Changeling 2008" by independent filmmaker Kevin Thomas.
Christine denies that the boy returned to her by the police is her 10 year old missing son (Walter Collins). When Collins accuses the all-powerful LA Police Department and the city authorities of fraud, she is slandered and ends up in the psychopathic ward of the Los Angeles County General Hospital for ten days. Reverend Briegleb (John Milkovich) a benevolent local activist, helps her to fight police corruption and finally vindicates Christine Collins' name in this nationally covered court case of 1928. Unfortunately, history has not been kind to Christine Collins - reducing her to a mere footnote of history. Hopefully this movie will give her greater prominence in history as a courageous woman who "buck the system" in an era when women rights were not taken seriously.
The Exchange (aka Changeling) is a well-crafted re-telling of the real-life Wineville Chicken Murders which took place in Wineville, a working class suburb in Los Angeles in 1928. It was called the "Wineville Chicken Murders" as blood, bones, fingers and hair of the murdered children were found at a chicken house in the murderer's Northcott ranch near Wineville (though the actual bodies of many of the victims were never found). The child serial killer, Gordon Stewart Northcott and his mother were subsequently convicted for the torture and brutal murders of Walter Collins and the other boys in 1929. Wineville changed its name to Mira Loma in 1930 to avoid the shame of this well publicized scandal which shook the county. The real names of all the characters involved in the case are used in the film though some of the events have been fictionalized in the movie for dramatic effect.
Watch this space from a more detailed review of the movie.
The Exchange (aka Changeling) is a period feature set in the "Roaring Twenties" just before the onset of the Great Depression. This movie looks likely to be on the critics' hit list.
Clint Eastwood's The Exchange (aka Changeling) should not be mistaken with another (fantasy) movie called "Changeling 2008" by independent filmmaker Kevin Thomas.
Director: Clint Eastwood
Written by: J. Michael Straczynski
Cast: Angeline Jolie, John Milkovich
Studio: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 140 minutes
Ratings: tba
Release Date: November 2008
Genre: Mystery, Drama
This is a on location video of the filming of The Exchange. Shot on October 18 2007, 2th Street in San Dimas becomes 23th Avenue. Most of the filming done on that day was shot inside the Church:
© http://goingtomovies.blogspot - The Exchange (aka Changeling)
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2 comments:
I plan to see Changeling on November 7, 2008 when it debuts. I look forward to your
review, although I will read it after seeing the film.
From what I know of the Wineville Chicken Murders, the events surrounding the case, the writer, director, cast and crew, this film has film award potential.
Jason Butler Harner role as the Gordon Stewart Northcott could be breakout role for him. Northcott was a charismatic and reprehensible man who sought the limelight during his trial.
Christine Collins had a tragic life even before her son Walter was kidnapped. She seemed to fade into obscurity after the criminal and civil trials.
Dr. Gustav A. Briegleb and Rev. Robert P. "Fighting Bob" Shuler (no relation to the pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California) were larger than life radio evangelists and prohibitionist during the 1920s and early 1930s.
There is a possibility that Changeling will be shown at the Cannes Film Festival (May 14-25, 2008) if editor Joel Cox and the post-production crew are able to complete the film in time.
Thanks Dan for your insightful comments. Looks like you are very knowledgeable about the back story of this movie.
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