Wolves at the Door

Although there are various misperceptions of the Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle scandal, what did happen led to one of the most incredible public spectacles of the 20th Century. Roscoe was a gentle soul caught in the middle of a political and media hurricane led by Matthew Brady, the district attorney who would stop at nothing to convict him with or without real evidence.The attorneys on both sides introduced techniques now routinely employed every day in the profession. The witnesses were a mixture of Agatha Christie characters and the courtroom confrontations were at times, hostile and humourous. In the background, beating the drums of morality for a prohibition era public, was Randolph Hearst, who never printed a paper he didn't intend to sell.Interwoven with the story are the remarkable movements and achievements occurring simultaneously in the world of exploration, sports and religion as America raced into the 'Roaring Twenties.' The verdict is unforgettable and the aftermath for everyone involved changed their lives - in ways none of them could have ever imagined.