They've Taken Our Children: The Chowchilla Kidnapping

A brilliant cast featuring Oscar Winner Karl Malden as a school bus driver who gets hijacked with the young students in rural California by three young criminals who plan a careful school bus hijacking but everything goes wrong no matter how well planned you orchestrate such a horrendous crime. The children and the bus driver played by Karl Malden are taken and held against their will despite the children's pleas, cries, and fear when they are placed in a dark, hot below ground in a secret location by the criminals. Suddenly, things start to go bad. I couldn't want too much more. I just kept thinking about the children being kidnapped and held for so long. It's based on a true story of an event in rural California in the 1970s.

I was in this movie with Karl Malden and he was a great man to work with. I was in the first grade when it was filmed. I actually didn't even want to be in the movie. I was scared and didn't really know what to expect. But it was all worth it and I don't regret anything and I can say I've done something not a lot of people have. I had a lot of fun and it was worth all the long days I put in. Everybody I worked with was wonderful. I didn't really have a speaking part, but I did get to tell my Barbie to "shhhhh" when we were getting in trouble for being loud on the bus. I hope everyone that watches it, enjoys it just as much as I did making it.

This movie is based on a true crime which occurred in the small town of Chowchilla, California on July 15th, 1976. Karl Malden stars as the school bus driver Edward Ray, transporting 26 children from school to their homes. His wife, Odessa Ray is played by Julie Harris.

What struck me about this true crime story is why three (3) young men, two of which were brothers James and Richard Schoenfeld who came from respectable hard working and caring parents, would even consider kidnapping a school busload of children and how they really did not think their crime out very thoroughly. The alpha kidnapper, Frederick Newhall Woods IV, parents inherited a considerable amount of property from Fred's grandparents so Fred was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth and never understood nor appreciated the hard work his parents required to sustain and grow the family fortune.

If I could criticize one aspect of the films weakness is it did not accentuate the fear these children must have endured while being buried underground in the gravel pit owned by Frederick Newhall Woods IV's family.

I will not provide any spoiler as to how the film ends but since it is based on a true story Wikipedia will provide the details which I suggest you do not read until after watching this film so as not to be influenced on your opinion of the film.

It was a well done true crime film worthy of a 7 out of 10 IMDb rating. Kudos to Karl Malden, Julie Harris, and the 14-year-old hero Michael Marshall whose name does not appear in the film credits all were excellent in their respective roles.

Going nowhere, three losers decide to plan an elaborate kidnapping of a school bus load of children. The sad thing is, they actually go through with it, and things rapidly spiral out of control. The adult acting includes a fine, believable, performance from Karl Malden, as the school bus driver. The non actors, including all of the children, are spectacularly unimpressive. Nevertheless, despite some required "feel good" subplots, the story maintains interest. For those that demand a certain amount of realism in their entertainment, "Vanished Without a Trace" will provide a satisfying viewing experience. I know I liked it. Recommended - MERK