THURSDAY, MAY 1 | 7 P.M. | BLOCK 7 | FEATURE | FREDERICKSBURG THEATER COMPANY | SPECIAL SCREENING
Bernie | USA | Drama | 99 minutes | Special Screening
Directed by Richard Linklater
In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, Texas, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede (Jack Black –
School of Rock) was one of the town's most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine –
The Apartment, Elsa & Fred), an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs. Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands. Bernie continued to handle her affairs, and the townspeople went months without seeing Marjorie.
Then, in August 1997, in a story that made headlines in newspapers around the country, Mrs. Nugent was found dead, shot four times in the back, and buried under some frozen foods in the large, rectangular freezer in her garage.
What made the story of Mrs. Nugent's murder so peculiar was that she had been dead for nine months before people noticed she wasn't around. What made the story truly bizarre, however, was the announcement by police that Bernie not only had murdered Mrs. Nugent but had been using her money to give to people in need throughout Carthage. He even donated $100,000 in Mrs. Nugent's name to build a new Sunday school building at the Methodist church. Almost immediately after his arrest, even after he confessed to killing her, Carthage citizens rallied around Bernie, going so far as to drive around the courthouse blowing their horns, and begging District Attorney Davidson not to prosecute their favorite assistant funeral home director.
HCFF Notes: This Texas-eccentric, small town classic was provided to the Hill Country Film Festival courtesy of Millennium Entertainment.
VIEWER DISCRECTION ADVISD: Block 7 – language and adult themes
