RELEASED TO TV IN 1980 and directed by William A. Graham, "Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones " chronicles the life of Jim Jones (Powers Boothe) from his childhood in racist rural Indiana to the launching of his church, The Peoples Temple in Indianapolis, to their move to northern California and, eventually, The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better known as "Jonestown" in northwestern Guyana. The last act, of course, involves the cult's infamous mass suicide and murders, which left 918 people dead.
The movie (a two-part "mini-series") shows that Jones started out with good intentions, but his obsession with the "social gospel" and its inherent socialism (i.e. communism with a smile), as well as his deviation from sound Scriptural hermeneutics, his many adulteries and his increasing drug problem destroyed him and any positive impact his ministry had in the early years. While the movie starts out with some contrived scenes (the black boy in the barber shop), it soon picks up steam and becomes gripping to the dismal, shocking climax. Remember: THIS REALLY HAPPENED.
The picture scores high marks on the female front with Meg Foster and her mind-blowing eyes, curvy blonde Linda Haynes and winsome cutie Diana Scarwid. Veronica Cartwright is also on hand as Jones' wife.
ADDITIONAL CAST: Randy Quaid plays Jones' accountant, Brad Dourif his drug supplier ("physician"), Michael C. Gwynne his bodyguard, Colleen Dewhurst his spiritual mentor grandmother and LeVar Burton an increasingly suspicious disciple. James Earl Jones has a glorified cameo as Father Divine. There are numerous others.
THE FILM RUNS 3 hours and 12 minutes and was shot in Atlanta, Georgia, and Dorado & San Juan, Puerto Rico. WRITERS: Ernest Tidyman wrote the script based on Charles A. Krause's eyewitness account of the events; he was a reporter who was traveling with Congressman Leo Ryan (Ned Beatty), who visits Jonestown in the last act.
GRADE: B+/A-
The movie (a two-part "mini-series") shows that Jones started out with good intentions, but his obsession with the "social gospel" and its inherent socialism (i.e. communism with a smile), as well as his deviation from sound Scriptural hermeneutics, his many adulteries and his increasing drug problem destroyed him and any positive impact his ministry had in the early years. While the movie starts out with some contrived scenes (the black boy in the barber shop), it soon picks up steam and becomes gripping to the dismal, shocking climax. Remember: THIS REALLY HAPPENED.
The picture scores high marks on the female front with Meg Foster and her mind-blowing eyes, curvy blonde Linda Haynes and winsome cutie Diana Scarwid. Veronica Cartwright is also on hand as Jones' wife.
ADDITIONAL CAST: Randy Quaid plays Jones' accountant, Brad Dourif his drug supplier ("physician"), Michael C. Gwynne his bodyguard, Colleen Dewhurst his spiritual mentor grandmother and LeVar Burton an increasingly suspicious disciple. James Earl Jones has a glorified cameo as Father Divine. There are numerous others.
THE FILM RUNS 3 hours and 12 minutes and was shot in Atlanta, Georgia, and Dorado & San Juan, Puerto Rico. WRITERS: Ernest Tidyman wrote the script based on Charles A. Krause's eyewitness account of the events; he was a reporter who was traveling with Congressman Leo Ryan (Ned Beatty), who visits Jonestown in the last act.
GRADE: B+/A-