psychoticpuppy187 This film is a rare gem. You won't find it on amazon. I went through an independent distributor to get a copy which was burned from the video version of it. This was a made for TV movie but it's theme is deeply mature and complex.How it got past the censors puzzles me. I have never seen a more evil Brian Dennehey.I assume this role is why he was almost cast as Hannibal Lecktor.At the same time i didn't feel that sorry for the town's folk. They treated this man like a terrorist. He was a sinister SOB but he never killed anyone before. It would of been one thing if the town set out to beat the crap out of the guy or shoot him in both knee caps.Since this film is based on something that really happened it is all the more scary. Rowan is very scary but so is the resolve of the citizenry to kill him.

maeder1212 Where do I get a copy of this movie? I have not seen this movie for 15 years and I would love to see it again. I grew up in Novinger Missouri about two and a half hours east of Skidmore. I have been telling my family and friends about this movie, because my brother married a girl who's family is from the Skidmore area. They took my brother for a drive down Main Street in Skidmore and he is dieing to see the movie. I have been looking one ebay, amazon, and any video web sight I can fined and nobody has this movie for sale. If anyone knows where I can fined it can you please email me at [email protected] If anyone can help me it would be appreciated. Thank you. [email protected]

Attorney Douglas Palaschak I saw this movie some years ago. I also read the book. The man portrayed by Actor Brian Dennehy was Ken McElroy. The town is Skidmore, Missouri, population 200. This is an amazing story. The movie gives everybody different names to avoid lawsuits. McElroy lives a life of crime. He sired perhaps 6 children by several women. He stole pigs and cattle for a living. He shot two locals. The law failed dismally. He even escaped a traffic ticket by pointing a shotgun in the face of a copy. The cop did not complain. On July 10, 1981 the incompetent court continued/ postponed the case once again. McElroy was on trial for shooting a 70 year old man in the neck. He was out on a tiny bail. The farmers immediately held a meeting at 10 a.m. at the American Legion Hall. Within minutes McElroy came to town and went in the bar. This time he was without his gun. Within seconds, the farmers told him to go home. As soon as McElroy stepped in his fancy pickup truck several shots rang out. They killed him. Nobody was ever prosecuted for this assassination. The townsfolk held tight. McElroy's widown immediately reported the crime. She turned back and saw the assassin. She named him to the police. Nobody would corroborate her story.My only fear is that some day some do gooder will re-open this case. Justice was served. Incidentally, while the cops would let McElroy go even when he threatened them with murder and pointed a shotgun right in the face of the cop, these same cops would instead prosecute the farmers for speeding tickets.The law in this town did not work.People don't need police.This story shows you why.

CsharpOrBeFlat I have to watch this movie once in a while just to send chills down my spine. Naturally, the names were changed to protect the innocent. This movie is based on a true story and the movie closely represents the actual events. I knew the man who wrote the original story. We watched original TV showing together and I was able to get his take on the whole thing. This story was presented almost exactly the way it happened. We both thought that Mr. Dennehy's portrayal of Len was excellent. The killing at the end of the movie was extremely accurate and was witnessed by the fellow sitting next to me. I read the original manuscript. This movie may not have all the typical Hollywood bells and whistles, but it correctly represents what really happened. (Great work Chris and congratulations again!) We rarely get to see movies that tell the original story so well...