Mord in Greenwich

Murder in Greenwich (2002)

A movie that tries too hard and isn't all that well made, but got some attention because of it's very high profile story, based on true events in Greenwich, Connecticut. Not recommended, especially given all the other movies in this genre that are much better. Kennedy family obsessors might enjoy it for how it depicts various known people.

The most famous character of all is the ex-police officer who blows into town to solve a two decade old unsolved crime: Mark Fuhrman. I'm guessing anyone under forty won't know this guy--he was a cop who was in the middle of the O.J. Simpson trial and later was convicted a perjury. This is years later and Fuhrman is a relentless, and tactless, private investigator who is basically hated by everyone, even, at times, himself (he seems weirdly unhappy as played by Christopher Meloni).

So, that's the whole package. Because it's actually a straight forward cold case kind of situation, the movie tries to mix it up a bit with flashbacks and with a corny voice-over by the victim, who faces the camera. The cinematography is competent--and in fact the basic "look" of the movie is one of its moderate strengths--but the editing is awkward at times. Certainly the story itself gets unwieldy fast, with a lot of characters and a seeming presumption that the view might know who many of these people are beforehand.

Not me. But I hung in there and saw the shenanigans of these very rich people as they squirrel their thoughts and testimonies and the detective bulldozes his way into the old and creaky facts. Eventually someone is nailed--though there is debate (to this day) about whether the right person went to jail. It's not all that enjoyable watching this movie, there is not a single sympathetic character (including the victim, who is just blonde and bland), and it's a spasmodic experience for the viewer.

In 1974, the teenager Martha Moxley (Maggie Grace) moves to the high-class area of Belle Haven, Greenwich, Connecticut. On the Mischief Night, eve of Halloween, she was murdered in the backyard of her house and her murder remained unsolved. Twenty-two years later, the writer Mark Fuhrman (Christopher Meloni), who is a former LA detective that has fallen in disgrace for perjury in O.J. Simpson trial and moved to Idaho, decides to investigate the case with his partner Stephen Weeks (Andrew Mitchell) with the purpose of writing a book. The locals squirm and do not welcome them, but with the support of the retired detective Steve Carroll (Robert Forster) that was in charge of the investigation in the 70's, they discover the criminal and a net of power and money to cover the murder.

"Murder in Greenwich" is a good TV movie, with the true story of a murder of a fifteen years old girl that was committed by a wealthy teenager whose mother was a Kennedy. The powerful and rich family used their influence to cover the murder for more than twenty years. However, a snoopy detective and convicted perjurer in disgrace was able to disclose how the hideous crime was committed. The screenplay shows the investigation of Mark and the last days of Martha in parallel, but there is a lack of the emotion in the dramatization. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

Martha Moxley, the fifteen-year-old daughter of a wealthy Connecticut woman, was found clubbed to death near her home in October of 1975. The case received national attention because one of Moxley's neighbors was the Skakel family, related to Ethel Kennedy. Indeed, Martha was a friend of two of the Skakel boys: Tommy and Michael. For over twenty years Moxley's murder went unsolved.

Enter Mark Fuhrman, the infamous L.A. cop who figured heavily in the O.J. Simpson trial. In the late 1990s, Fuhrman set out to investigate this unsolved murder, for the purpose of writing a book, considered by some to be a troubling motive. The result of Fuhrman's efforts, in addition to the publication of his book, was the indictment and conviction of a suspect in the Moxley case, some 25 years after the killing.

With flashbacks to 1975, "Murder In Greenwich" tells the story of this well-known case, from the POV of Fuhrman. The plot is clear, concise, and easy to follow. Martha Moxley's "ghost" (Maggie Grace) narrates part of the story, a plot device I happened not to care for. The film implies both a cover-up and botched police work in the original 1975 investigation. A big part of Fuhrman's efforts centers on re-establishing the time of death. Fuhrman, himself, comes across in the film as irritating, arrogant, and an opportunist.

The most interesting thing about this film is that the story is real. It is not fictional. Real-life incidents usually, though not always, make for engaging viewing. The film has excellent color cinematography, and the production values are high. Acting is quite good, especially the performance of Liddy Holloway, as Martha's mother.

I make no judgments one way or the other about Fuhrman's personal reasons for his work on this case. The movie itself I found to be well-made, except for scenes showing palm trees in Connecticut. The story was interesting, easy to follow, and had an outcome I had previously been unaware of.

This was truly a insightful way of looking into the Moxley case. Marth and her family deserved for their story to be seen and now they have gotten their chance. The actors in the show were very talented and had the characteristics of each character they played. Maggie Grace as Martha was amazing...she looked a lot like Martha. I'd say this was one of the best tv movies i have seen in a long time!

If you like detective and police shows and you like suspenseful movies, then you will love this movie!! This movie is great! Christopher Meloni has amazing acting skills. You may think you know who the killer is in the beginning, but you don't. This movie is about the true story of the murder of Martha Moxley. Watch the movie!!