Suspect d'office

"When Every Day Was the Fourth of July" is a made for TV movie---and an excellent one at that. In many ways, it seems reminiscent of "To Kill a Mockingbird" but if you can believe the epilogue, it's based on true events.

The story is set in New England in 1937. A young girl comes to befriend a mute man who others make fun of and call 'Snowman' because of his white hair. However, when Snowman is accused of murder, the child appeals to her father (Dean Jones) to defend the man in court. Much of the film consists of this tense trial as well as the eventual discovery of the true reason for the murder.

Overall, this is a very well made film--the sort of TV movie they just don't make anymore. The acting is really very nice (especially for child actors) and Jones is just terrific. The story is also nice and engaging--a food one for the entire family without being saccharine. Sadly, however, although I loved this film, two years later they made another with mostly different people (other than Jones) playing the same characters--and it just wasn't nearly as good. Both are available together on DVD.