The Thin Blue Line (1988 film)
| The Thin Blue Line | |
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Theatrical Poster
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| Directed by | Errol Morris |
| Produced by | Mark Lipson |
| Written by | Errol Morris |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Philip Glass |
| Cinematography |
Robert Chappell Stefan Czapsky |
| Distributed by |
Miramax Films Umbrella Entertainment |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | US$1,209,846 (US and Canada) |
The Thin Blue Line is a 1988 American documentary film by Errol Morris, depicting the story of Randall Dale Adams, a man convicted and sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit. Adams' case was reviewed and he was released from prison approximately a year after the film's release.
The Thin Blue Line has been lauded since its release, and is considered by many critics to be among the greatest documentaries ever made.
In October 1976, 28-year-old Randall Adams and his brother left Ohio for California. En route, they arrived in Dallas on Thanksgiving night. The next morning, Adams was offered a job. On the following Saturday, Adams went to start work but no one turned up because it was a weekend. On the way home, his car ran out of fuel.
David Ray Harris, who had just turned sixteen, came by in a car that he had stolen from his neighbor in Vidor, Texas before driving to Dallas with his father's pistol and a shotgun. Harris offered Adams a ride. The two spent the day together during which they also had some alcohol and marijuana. That evening they went to a drive-in movie.
Robert Wood, a Dallas police officer, was working the graveyard shift with his partner, one of the first female police officers in Dallas that was assigned to patrol. Shortly after midnight, Wood stopped the stolen car in the 3400 block of North Hampton Road because its headlights were not on. As Wood walked up to the car, he was shot twice and killed by someone in the car.
The first shot hit Wood in the arm, passing through his flashlight. The next shot hit Wood in the chest. Wood's wife had bought him a bulletproof vest and had it under the Christmas tree, or had stored it away to give to him on Christmas Day. The Dallas Police Department investigation led back to Harris, who after returning to Vidor had told friends that he was responsible for the crime. When interviewed by police, Harris accused Adams of the murder. Harris led police to the car driven from the scene of the crime, as well as to a .22 Short caliber revolver he identified as the murder weapon.
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Wikipedia