Is the movie Changeling (2008) based on a true story?

Yes, the movie Changeling (2008) is based on a true story. It is inspired by the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders, which took place in California in the late 1920s. However, the movie takes some artistic liberties and dramatizes certain events to create a powerful narrative.

What is the true story behind the movie Changeling (2008)?

The movie Changeling (2008) is based on the true story of Christine Collins, a single mother in 1920s Los Angeles whose son Walter was kidnapped.

In March 1928, Walter disappeared while Christine was at work. Five months later, the police claimed to have found Walter and reunited him with his mother, but Christine immediately knew that the boy was not her son. Despite her protests, the police and city officials continued to insist that the boy was Walter, and Christine was even institutionalized for a time when she refused to accept him as her son.

Christine eventually contacted the media and enlisted the help of a private investigator, who discovered that the LAPD had been involved in a larger corruption scandal and had been using the case to cover up their own misdeeds. The real Walter was never found, and the imposter boy was eventually identified as Arthur Hutchins Jr., a runaway from Iowa. The case led to reforms in the LAPD and the passage of the California Public Safety Bill, which made it illegal to falsely imprison people in asylums.

The movie Changeling, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins, is a dramatization of these events. While the film takes some liberties with the facts and invents some fictional characters and narrative arcs, it remains largely faithful to the real story of Christine Collins and her fight for justice.

Are there any books about the true story behind the movie Changeling (2008)?

Yes, there is a book about the true story behind the movie Changeling (2008). The book is called “The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders” by Anthony Flacco. The book tells the story of the infamous Wineville Chicken Coop Murders, which were the basis for the movie Changeling.

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