The Marcus-Nelson Murders

I came across this movie whilst channel surfing and boy was I pleasantly surprised. I was expecting an episode of the TV series but instead got a gritty 70'd classic. This a low down story of Police and the systems corruption which is still relevant today. Telly Savalas is superb as Kojack the only decent cop in New York who is prepared to see the set up that is taking place. A slow reveal with excellent supporting cast makes this a recommendation for everyone. This is truly an undiscovered gem that if it was a cinema movie would still be lauded today. This is a movie that really needs wider exposure. Now how to I go about getting the to show it at the BFI?

"Kojak:The Marcus-Nelson Murders" was a made for television movie that premiered as a CBS Special Presentation on March 8,1973. It was based on the book by Selwyn Raab(who was a reporter for the New York Times)titled "Justice In The Back Room". Written by Abby Mann and Directed by Joesph Sargent,this Emmy-winning television drama was based on the 1963 Wylie-Hoffert "Career Girls Murders". The crime involves the brutal rape and murder of two young professional women in Manhattan. The movie serve as the basis as the pilot for the "Kojak" television series starring Telly Savalas. An African-American male by the name of Lewis Humes(Gene Woodbury)was arrested for a crime that he did not commit. To find the real killer,Lt. "Theo" Kojak conducts a second investigation with a different team of detectives(Ned Beatty, William Watson)along with his superior officer Sgt. Dan McCartney(Bruce Kirby). After illegally obtaining a confession,the police have identified the real suspect in the murders which exonerated the suspect and identified the culprit,who was a Puerto-Rican junkie.

"Kojak:The Marcus-Nelson Murders" was a gritty and intense police drama with a subtext focusing on institutionalized prejudice and the civil rights and suspects and witnesses. The opening and closing titles of the film emphasize that it was a fictional account of the events that led to the creation of "Miranda" rights by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1966. As for the TV-Movie on which the series "Kojak" was based on,there was no other actor out there that did it better than the great Telly Savalas. The supporting cast features Chita Rivera,to Tol Avery, Robert Walden,Jose Ferrer,Val Bisoglio,Lorraine Gary and Allen Garfield,many of these stars would make guest appearances later on for the "Kojak" television series during the early-to-mid 1970's.

This generation of film makers are afraid to make something like this now. Distributors wont touch it.This should not have been a TV movie. Academy award worthy across the board here. The direction, the cinematography, one heck of a script, and you can take your pick of the actors whose performances went past the heart and right for the gut. The subject matter supporting the Kojak mythology puts the film right up there with any top civil rights documentary. I first saw it as the " The 3:30 movie" on channel seven in Chicago back in 74.I didn't know what I was looking at until I studied the King event. Abby Mann later wrote and directed "King" but this script is as close as you will get to a saturated gritty matter-of -fact telling of a story that still rightly embarrasses the legal system. I always wondered why the networks never bothered to show it again. I see why...and so will you.

"The Marcus-Nelson Murders" is a made for TV movie set in the summer of 1963 that turned out to be the pilot for "Kojak". It's based on a real case, 'The Career Girl Murders' of Emily Hoffert and Janice Wylie, though names and a few other details have been changed. The film details the investigation as well as the misconduct by the New York Police Department, as the accused was denied his rights to an attorney and was forced into confessing for a crime he did not commit. This is a fact, as the real killer was eventually caught and later confessed to the crime...though the falsely accused man was also sent to prison for several years! The injustice of the case helped lead to the landmark Miranda Decision in 1966.

The story begins with two young women being attacked and viciously murdered by a psycho with a knife. One was also raped.

You never see who he is and the film shows the case from the standpoint of the police department...as well as from the investigator, Lieutenant Kojack (the name was changed to 'Kojak' for the TV series). Over time, he starts to wonder if the confession was infact coerced and if the young man is being victimized. Naturally, the Department is not thrilled with Kojack's actions and they just want him to just drop his inquiry...especially the prosecutor.

If you are expecting something like "Kojak", you'll probably be disappointed. Aside from Telly Savalas and a brief scene where George Savalas plays a reporter, the cast is entirely different from the TV show. This isn't good nor bad...it's just different. And, it's generally a very good film. My only quibble is a very small one...everything looks like 1973 instead of 1963...such as clothing and hairstyles.

By the way, this film came out the same year as "Serpico"...a true film about corruption within the New York Police Department.

This is amazing. Kojak is more low-key here than in the series. His voiceover, especially at the end, is excellent. It's got a semi-documentary tone, thanks to the narration, comparing favorably with The Naked City. The collection of actors is good too --Jose Ferrer, Ned Beatty, Marjoe Gortner, Bruce Kirby, Allen Garfield, etc. This is a little-remembered gem, like so many forgotten pilots for successful TV shows.