Beyond Reasonable Doubt

Beyond Reasonable Doubt reconstructs the events surrounding a notorious miscarriage of justice. Farmer Arthur Allan Thomas was jailed in 1971 for the murder of Harvey and Jeanette Crewe. Starring Australian John Hargreaves (as Thomas) and Brit David Hemmings (Blowup) as controversial lead detective Bruce Hutton, the movie benefitted from immense public interest in the case. Thomas was pardoned while the film was in pre-production; he saw some scenes being made. John Laing's film became the second most successful local release until Goodbye Pork Pie the next year. Read about the case, and the film here. 

...the film becomes both a police procedural story and the study of a small rural community, which reveals itself in tiny telling details . . . There have never been better courtroom scenes in New Zealand cinema. Ian Watkin (Wild Man, Braindead) plays barrister Kevin Ryan with stentorian bluster. . .

– Writer Hamish McDouall, in his 2009 book 100 Essential New Zealand Films, page 19

Key Cast & Crew

Tony Barry

As: Detective John Hughes

Ian Watkin

As: Kevin Ryan (Arthur's second lawyer)

John Hargreaves

As: Arthur Allan Thomas

Martyn Sanderson

As: Len Demler

John Laing

Director

John Barnett

Producer