The title of this disturbing and important film about false accusations of sexual abuse comes from a quote from 18th century poet Alexander Pope: "All is yellow to the jaundiced eye." Once someone is accused of such a horrible, emotionally-charged crime, people look at them differently, often seeing molesters, since the defendants are regularly assumed guilty until proven innocent. Nonny de la Peña's documentary chronicles the case of Melvin and Stephen Matthews, a Michigan father and son who were accused of grotesque abuse of Stephen's five-year-old son (among other outrages, they were supposed to have repeatedly raped him with a machete). Despite a complete lack of physical evidence, the two were convicted in 1989, at the height of the sex abuse hysteria that began with the McMartin Preschool in 1983 (covered in Frontline: Innocence Lost--The Verdict [VL-1/94]). Since then, the extent of children's suggestibility has been well-documented, and the two men were released on appeal in 1997. The Jaundiced Eye provides a window into the mindset of overzealous therapists and prosecutors and incompetent defense counsels, shows how the "memories" of abuse can become firmly rooted (ten years later, the boy is still firmly convinced that he was abused), and provides an interesting look at the destruction that false accusations can wreak in an ordinary family. Although marred by imperfect sound quality and occasionally amateurish attempts at dramatic camerawork, this film documents an extraordinary human drama and a late 20th century phenomenon that rivals the Salem Witch Trials for passionate ignorance. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. [DVD Review--February 25, 2003--Vanguard, not rated, $29.95--Extras include audio commentary by director Nonny de la Pena, 10 minutes of extra footage, and a three-minute follow up segment (with subtitles that update the subjects' lives). Bottom line: a solid extras package for a powerful documentary.] (M. Pendergrast)
The Jaundiced Eye
(1999) 90 min. $89.95. SomFord Entertainment (dist. by Reko Fulfillment Center). PPR. Color cover. Vol. 15, Issue 6
The Jaundiced Eye
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