Added to this deeply unsettling archive footage, are interviews conducted in the present-day, with, among others, Elaine, Arnold's wife, David himself, Jesse, Arnold's brother and a plethora of professional types involved in either the legal aspects of the case, or the relating of such via the media.
But despite this embarrassment of riches as far as footage and sources is concerned, the truth is that the audience is left none the wiser about how much of the evidence presented against the two defendants was actually accurate.
That Arnold obtained child pornography is undisputed. He admits it, and John McDermott, the postal inspector, delivered it himself to the household. What isn't so clear is how much further Friedman took his obsession. Whether or not he actually abused any children named in the case is never fully revealed. In the courts opinion, it's undisputed, and yet here, before our very eyes and ears, witnesses claim to have been hassled and pressurised into distorting the truth, and others admit that their stories were entirely false. One alleged victim, interviewed as he lies back on his bed or couch, his face silhouetted, claims that he never remembered any of the events until after hypnosis. He now adamantly insists that the abuse took place. He also sports what appears to be a fairly prevalent trouser-growth as he repeats the accusations.
What Jarecki does, which makes Capturing The Friedmans so remarkable, is that he never at any time tells us what we are hearing or seeing is truth. He presents testimonies which appear unshakable, and then just fifteen minutes later reveals something which forces us to question everything claimed hitherto.
The humanity utilised in the telling of this tale is truly unprecedented. In this era of Tonight With This Here News Reader - Shock Evil Satanic Bastard! and such like, it is wonderfully refreshing to have a non-finger-pointin' approach to such material.
And yet, questions do linger long after the credits roll.
For example, Arnold seemingly confesses, in a letter written to a journalist, that he did indeed act in a somewhat inappropriate manner with regards a few young boys, but not in the area named in the case, and certainly not any of those mentioned in court. Thing is, though, Arnold was apparently less than forthcoming with regards his confessions to the police. Despite the claims by some that Freidman desperately wanted to confess and do jail for his crimes, it's hard to know whether or not he would ever have confessed to anything, had that magazine not be intercepted on its way from the Netherlands.
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