The Witness
Directed by: James D. Solomon.
Written by: William Genovese & Russell
Greene & Gabriel Rhodes & James D. Solomon.
The
murder of Kitty Genovese has become infamous in true crime circles since it
occurred in 1964. Even if the name doesn’t ring a bell, you have probably heard
about the woman who was murdered in New York City late at night, while
screaming for help – and all of her neighbors in the apartment building did
nothing except sit back and watch it all happen before going to bed. The film
became emblematic of urban apathy – a perfect example of how society had
changed, and how no one really cared about each other anymore. The case led to
the invention of 911, to make it easier to call for help, and has gone onto to
inspire countless TV episodes, novels, book, etc. It is wildly accepted that 38
people witnessed the crime and did nothing to help – not even call the police.
James Solomon’s The Witness makes the case that
this is, at best, an exaggeration on the part of the media – in particular the
New York Times. Some people heard screaming, went to their windows, and
couldn’t see anything, so they went back to bed. Some of the 38 never did give
statements at all – and their relatives claim they slept through the whole
thing. There is at least one woman who says she did, in fact, call the police.
And contrary to what many think, Genovese wasn’t alone when she died – she was
in the arms of her friend, who came to the landing to discover her friend. Much
of that information had been known and reported before – although, as is often
the case, when refutation of a myth is published, it doesn’t get the same
attention as the myth in the first place.
The
film accompanies Kitty’s brother Bill, as he investigates the murder – mainly
for the first time. He was 16 when it happened, and no one in his family went
to the original trial – it was too painful for them. Nor have they talked about
the murder – or Kitty – very much in the years since – Bill’s own children
cannot recall a single story anyone in their family told them about their aunt.
Bill seems to be the only family member interested in looking into the case now
– everyone else is satisfied to let it live in the past. They caught the
murderer, he’s been in jail ever since (he died in March of 2016 – after the
documentary was complete). At one point, Bill meets with the murderers son – a
Minister – who, like Bill, doesn’t have all the fact, and has held onto some
prejudices (like he believed the Genovese’ were part of a Mafia family – or
that the attack was predicated by Kitty calling his father a racial slur –
something that, oddly, is never explored in the film – not that calling someone
a name gives you them an excuse to murder someone).
The
Witness is a fascinating documentary that is at its best when it is exploring
the crime itself, and dispelling the myths around that crime. I think in many
ways, the film may have been better served by a little less focus on Bill – and
little more on the implications of the case. The film is on firmer ground
exploring the case, and its aftereffects, both positive and negative, and is
interesting in the way it explores the media – and how this case still
resonates. By concentrating so much on Bill though, the film seems to feel the
need to give him some sort of emotional closure – closure he cannot really get,
especially once the murderer himself refuses to see Bill, and then sends him a
letter where he claims to be innocent. The film then ends with a “re-creation”
of the murder itself – although not really even that. The filmmakers hire an
actress to scream much the same way Kitty must have screamed that night. It’s
haunting to be sure – but I’m not sure what purpose it serves.
Overall
though, I do think The Witness is a strong documentary – a doc about an
infamous case, and its lasting legacy all these decades later. Whether it
happened the way the media at the time said it did (and it most likely didn’t)
– both the myth, and the truth, never have to be reckoned with.
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