The heroine of the movie "The Substitution" by Christine Collins

In 1938, in Riverside and Los Angeles, a series of kidnappings took place, followed by the murder of boys. The US public has directed all efforts to help parents in the search for boys, which led to the exposure of corruption actions by the police department of Los Angeles. A terrible tragedy affected the simple family Collins. In memory of the terrible tragedy in 2008, the film "Substitution" about the strong woman Kristin Ida Dunn Collins was shot.

Biography of women

Christine Collins was born on the fourteenth day of December 1888 and lived until December 8, 1964. After marrying Walter James Collins Sr., the woman gave birth to a son who was named after his father. Her husband turned out to be a malicious criminal, on his account numerous armed robberies that led him to a California prison. The woman raised her son alone while her husband was behind bars. In order to feed her family, she worked as a telephone operator. The usual measured life of a woman changed on March 10, 1928. Her son Walter James Collins Jr. left on that day to the theater and never returned home.

The mother's heart can not be fooled

The long absence of her son at home was very worried by Christine Collins. Her biography has forever left this ill-fated day in the memory of a woman. The mother turned to the police, suggesting that the child was abducted by her husband's enemies. After working out this version, the police rejected her. In the investigation of the case involved hundreds of policemen, but to the truth no one could reach. The five-month investigation did not bear any fruit, which led to unrest in the society. Then there was a rumor that the boy appeared in Illinois. After paying seventy dollars, the mother seemed to have regained her son. But seeing him, the woman firmly stated that it was not Walter.

She was asked not to make hasty decisions and not to chop up the heat. Kristin Ida Dunn Collins (photo below) took the child, but this could not convince her. Having the evidence in the form of a dentist's testimony, the woman came to the police to return another's child and continue her search for her. Police captain Jay Jones for this statement hid the woman in a psychiatric hospital. Five days later, the boy still admits that he is Arthur Hutchins. Such forgery was organized by the Los Angeles police in order to hide the corruption machinations in the investigation department of the murders. As a result, the psychiatrist released Christine Collins. The real story of kidnapping the boy was worse than anyone could have guessed.

Serial killer

The story that led to the abduction of Walter Collins began in 1926. Then Gordon Northcott took for himself the education of Sanford's nephew Clark. Parents approved the move of a boy from the Canadian provincial town of Saskatchewan to Weinville. Here, Gordon mocked a thirteen-year-old child, carrying out beatings and sexual violence in his direction. The boy at the will of Northcott wrote home letters that he was all right.

The visit of Sanford's sister Jesse Clark saved the boy from the persecution of his uncle. Sanford managed to secretly notify his sister about what was happening, in response to which she gave all the information to the authorities. Soon the police came to the ranch, who arrested Sanford because the boy was illegally transported across the border with Canada. During the interrogation, the boy said that Gordon Northcott had stolen and killed three children. At the same time, Gordon was helped in every possible way by his own mother. Sanford was also forced to participate in the trial on pain of death. Walter Collins was one of the three boys.

The film "Substitution"

In 2008, the forces of Clint Eastwood on the big screen came out an American thriller "Substitution." The basis of the film is a real story related to the investigation of the Weinville murders. For the first time the picture was presented to the audience at the sixty-first Cannes Film Festival, which took place on May 8, 2008. Then the film was alternately looked in North America, the United Kingdom and Ireland and Russia. The film was spent fifty-five million dollars. The exhaust from the film distribution amounted to more than one hundred million.

The actress who played the main role

The main role in the film went to Angelina Jolie. Kristin Collins actress played masterpiece. In the company of Jolie in the film, John Malkovich, Amy Ryan, Jeffrey Donovan and Jeff Pearson took part. In the movie "Substitution", Christine Collins faces serious twists of fate. Angelina Jolie professionally conveyed emotions and feelings that were experienced by the main character at the time of loss, disappointment and injustice. According to the actress, in the process of work she deeply immersed herself in the problems of the main character. Inside Jolie, something flinched during the filming. And if in the movie "Substitution" Christine Collins loses a child, then Angelina during the filming in the picture found out that she was pregnant.

Interesting facts about the shooting of the film

1. In the movie "Substitution" Christine Collins could play another actress. The director reviewed the candidatures of Reese Witherspoon and Hilary Swank.
2. The film is based on real events that are known to the world as "Weinville killings in the hen house".
3. After shooting the film was completed, Clint Eastwood along with the entire film crew visited the eighteenth room in a psychiatric hospital where patients were calmed with electric shock.
4. The architecture of Los Angeles in the twenties was created with the help of computer graphics.
5. The decision to become the director of the project was taken by Clint Eastwood immediately after the reading of the script was completed.
6. Some cinemas showed the film, changing the name to "Wanderer".

Reviews of the movie

The audience bravely gives the picture ten points out of ten. In their opinion, this is one of the most powerful films of our time. In the movie "Substitution" by Christine Collins, performed by Angelina Jolie, looks like befitting a grief-stricken mother. The actress coped magnificently, some even note that this is her best role.

The viewer has no complaints about the plot, the idea, or the scenery. In the very first minute of watching the film is intriguing, it's impossible to break away from the picture. The spectator saw in the film not only the tragic story of his mother, but also considered the fight against irresponsibility and nightmarish elements in human form. The film evokes such a vivid emotion as empathy. It is impossible to remain indifferent, seeing a woman who is on the verge of insanity and uncontrollable bitterness. The picture is interesting for viewing, but in most cases scary. And frightens not by the spectacular tragedy of the plot, but by its truthfulness. Understanding that all this was happening actually puts the viewer in shock.

The reaction of critics

International and Russian critics have reacted favorably to the film. "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" in its review notes the predisposition of the picture to the status of the masterpiece. Everyone admires here, except Eastwood's choice of the main character. According to Catherine Barabash, Angelina is not such a great actress to play a tragic role. Jolie is a glamorous Hollywood diva, and it was thanks to her that the film became simply good, but not a masterpiece.

For Anton Dolin from Vedomosti, the film was an example of director's honesty and uncompromising. The advantage of the picture, in his opinion, is the charm of the era, musical accompaniment and serious themes based on facts. But the main character of the film "Substitution" in the performance of Angelina Jolie was a problem for the journalist. In his opinion, the sex symbol of Hollywood could not have been played plausibly by a grieving mother.