90s TV

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A place to recommend, review, discuss, and geek out over 90s TV shows, mini-series, "made for TV" movies, cartoons, and commercials.

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In Broad Daylight (1991 NBC made-for-TV movie) - American vigilantism (www.youtube.com)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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In Broad Daylight is a 1991 American made-for-television thriller drama film about the life of Ken McElroy, the town bully of Skidmore, Missouri who became known for his unsolved murder.[1] McElroy was fictionalized as the character Len Rowan, portrayed by Brian Dennehy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Broad_Daylight_(1991_film)

the link from above (240p but good sound quality): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vl5Br8ck4A
another copy (480p but slightly worse sound quality): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_A3N75uV-4

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Ye who wish to make sense of Americans, heed this film. At one point a character says they haven't seen so many people in town since Reagan was elected president but that the people were a lot happier on that occasion. This is a rural, deeply conservative town characterized by Main Street neighborliness, a skepticism for institutions, and a love of guns matched only by a penchant for drink. What has brought all those people to town is a rascal who abuses his family and steals from his neighbors, evading prison by threatening potential witnesses. Finally action is taken, which is no spoiler because it is based on a famous case.

The movie makes early mention of historical gunslingers, and at one point a character states a disgust for mobs that gather in white robes. It's a reminder of a history that is overly romanticized on one hand (cowboy gunfighters, who were generally just ignorant criminals) and kept alive as heritage on the other hand (KKK lynchings). And yet everyone in the movie is a basically decent human. Even the villain has a family that cries for him at the end. Somehow they are driven to these roles, this situation. The movie on its face is not that great, but as a cultural artifact is well worth examining.