The Real Christine Collins
A while I did some research on the serial killer from Changeling. At that point, I didn’t know how they story was being crafted for film. Now we know that this film focusing on the police department coruption that was revealed a result of the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders. The next part is a bit spoilerish. Click if you want to find out more.
Christine Collins(pictured above), played by Angelina, reported her son Walter Collins missing on March 10, 1928. Months later a child was returned that she knew was not her son. Ensuing incidents revealed corruption in the Los Angeles Police Department. That’s the focus of this film.
The body of Walter Collins(pictured above) was never found. Gordon Stewart Northcott was eventually convicted of killing three other boys. His mother, Sarah Louise “Louisa” Northcott, said she killed Walter but later retracted that statement.
In October of 1930, Northcott sent a telegram to Ms. Collins, saying that he had lied when he said that Walter was not one of his victims. He said that he would tell her the truth if she came to visit him, but when Ms. Collins arrived and confronted him, he claimed that he did not know anything about it and was innocent.
Five years after Northcott’s execution, one of the boys that Northcott allegedly killed was found alive and well. As Walter Collins’ body had not been found, Christine Collins still hoped that Walter had survived. She continued to search for him, unsuccessfully, until she faded into obscurity without ever knowing her son’s fate. The last public record of Christine Collins is from 1941, when she attempted to collect a $15,562 judgment against Capt. J. J. Jones, retired police officer, in Superior Court.
If you got back to my post on Northcott, you’ll see many of comments are from writers and possible the current resident of the farm where the murders took place.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
[...] they have the inside, historical scoop to the character she plays in the movie - read all about it here. Did You Enjoy this Post? Subscribe to Bargain Styling. It’s Free! « Back Home Posted in [...]
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
[...] a tribute to the women nominated in the Best Actress category Nicole Kidman commended Angelina for portraying Christine Collins with “heart breaking anguish and steadfast determination” while demonstrating the [...]