Capturing the Friedmans Literary Elements

Andrew Jarecki

No actors or actresses; this is a documentary film in which the featured characters are themselves. The protagonists are Arnold, and Jesse Friedman

David Friedman, Elaine Friedman

Documentary Film

English

Sundance Jury Award, Academy Award nomination in the Best Documentary Film category

May 2003

Andrew Jarecki, Marc Smerling

Great Neck, New York, in the late 1980s

The point of view seems to be that of both the public looking on at the events, and also that of Jesse Friedman whose guilt or innocence is never really stated from a production standpoint, although it is from a legal one.

Disturbing in tone, the mood is one of argumentativeness and denial.

The boys abused by the Friedmans are the protagonists, Arnold and Jesse the antagonists.

There is conflict between Arnold and his wife Elaine shortly after charges are filed; she wants him to admit to the charges so that their son Jesse will receive a lighter sentence.

Both Arnold and Jesse are found guilty and imprisoned for their crimes.

Arnold's confession that he abused his younger brother when just a teen foreshadows his later child molestation crimes.

Both Arnold and Jesse seem to understate their crimes. Both imply that they admitted to molesting children to help their own case rather than because they were actually guilty.

N/A

The introduction of David Friedman, aka Silly Billy, into the film alludes to John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer who dressed up as a clown in order to lure his child victims to their death.

Jesse claims that any abuse he might have committed is a result of his being abused by his father as a child; however, neither of his brothers committed any pedophilia or molestation

There is a parallel between Arnold's actions and those of his son Jesse.