First let me say that this case was a tragedy and I feel for the real police officer victims. Perhaps I was missing the point of the filmmaker, but I thought this was a frustratingly bad film and a big disappointment. I remember the buzz about this film and the Wambaugh book but somehow missed it until last night when it was on cable. Until I brought up the cable guide that identified it as "The Onion Field", I thought I was watching some mediocre 1970s (Hollywood/Burbank) cop show because it was so full of pointless dialogue, stereotypes, illogical reactions, and poor police procedure. I am incredulous at some of the praise that other people are heaping upon this... heap. I understand that it was a true story and that we are supposed to be frustrated at the legal system and the police investigation, but was the "real" dialogue/transcript from this case this inarticulate and pointless? Apparently, the jury came to the correct conclusion anyway, but in this film they made the James Woods character out to be some legal, debating wonder that frustrates the prosecution and mesmerizes the judges into inaction. After watching so much tighter dialogue actually containing cogent points in shows like Law and Order, I was not buying it here. Even in "obstructionist" defense cases, there should be some logical basis or the judge would just dismiss the motion. So we repeatedly see the defense's ramblings, but not the prosecution's counterpoint. Perhaps it is authentic to the time period, but I thought the depicted police procedure was poor (the interviews, weapon security, car approaches, searches, control of suspects). And, I'm sorry, but the drill and ceremonies at the funeral scene was almost laughable... from Savage's poor bent-wrist salute to the inept flag folder. I watched this car wreck of a movie with morbid fascination. The clincher was the dramatic epilogue with the wife and bag piper boy. To me, it all just looked and sounded like a bad Hollywood made for TV movie of the week.
Review of The Onion Field
