ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 18, 1997 TAG: 9704180024
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DENNIS ANDERSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
While television is tagged as a ``vast wasteland,'' there's an argument TV can improve the national conversation. Such is the case for the cable movie, ``Not in This Town.''
With the horror of the Oklahoma City bombing fresh as this week's headlines, and a huge national TV audience for ``Schindler's List,'' the USA Network is doing good work by offering a modest but effective drama about a modern day mom battling a hate group in Montana.
``These issues never go away,'' said Tammie Schnitzer, the real-life protagonist of ``Not in This Town.'' ``Unfortunately, these issues never die.''
The movie, judged by USA Network to be equivalent to TV-PG for cable systems, premiered Wednesday at 9 p.m. and encores Saturday at 10 p.m., and again on April 26 at 2:30 p.m.
The real-life story of Schnitzer and her family stars Emmy Award-winner Kathy Baker of ``Picket Fences'' and Adam Arkin of ``Chicago Hope.'' They play their roles with a refreshing, low-key authenticity often missing from television movies.
The Schnitzers are a couple from Billings who enjoy living close to nature. Brian Schnitzer is a doctor, an outdoorsman and largely secular Jew. Tammie is a career mom who converted to Judaism from the Lutheran faith when she married.
The Schnitzers' pleasant, ordinary lives as part of Billings' tiny Jewish community is turned upside down by a hatemonger, played by Ed Begley Jr.
Begley's a sophisticated rabble rouser who bankrolls the town thugs - losers who can defile cemeteries and bully a congregation, but can't seem to find a life for themselves by going to school or getting a job.
How Tammie Schnitzer stood up to these low-lifes, inspiring her community, is an inspiring tale. Basically, she countered the hate agenda in much the same way that a dedicated PTA mom would mount a ``Save our Schools'' campaign.
The example of Schnitzer's everyday courage as she gathers petitions and rallies her community to the cause of tolerance is heartening in a time of news stories about cross burnings and church fires.
``I felt I needed to set an example for my children,'' said Schnitzer, who now serves on the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.
The story feels real throughout, thanks to Donald Wrye's direction and Adam Gilad's script. It is clear that taking a stand against hatred is not always popular. Many people won't even sign a petition for fear of calling attention to themselves or becoming targets.
Max Gail, of the much-missed ``Barney Miller,'' plays a sympathetic police chief who has to persuade his force that fighting hate makes good crime fighting.
``The tragedy of the situation is that it divides the community between those who choose not to respond, and those who do,'' Schnitzer said. ``People tend to be very apathetic. ... But this is not just a Billings situation. It's everywhere.''
LENGTH: Medium: 60 linesby CNB