Patty’s Picks: ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ film explores 1977 hostage crisis in Indianapolis

The film “Dead Man’s Wire” examines the real-life hostage situation involving Tony Kiritsis in February 1977. Patty Spitler gave the film four out of five stars, highlighting its strong local significance.

The movie focuses on the tense standoff between Kiritsis and his hostage, which lasted several days. It explores Kiritsis’ grievances with a mortgage company he accused of wrongdoing, set against the backdrop of local history.

“Dead Man’s Wire” runs 1 hour and 45 minutes and is rated R for language. Spitler praised the film’s intense character dynamics and the suspense surrounding the true events of the hostage situation.

Bill Fisher, a former WISH-TV photographer, covered the 1977 incident live. While other networks pulled back because of strong language, Fisher called it a unique experience in his career, saying nothing like it has happened since.

Fisher recalled being outside the mortgage company as Kiritsis made headlines and following the unfolding events live. “We hopped in a news unit and followed him out to the apartment,” he said.

Reflecting on the aftermath, Fisher noted that his team had immediate access to key moments, adding depth to their coverage. At the same time, they faced safety challenges as police instructed them to maintain distance during the volatile situation.

While Spitler commended the performances in the film, she questioned its historical accuracy, suggesting the portrayals could have been closer to the real-life individuals. She noted that the filmmakers appeared to favor narrative storytelling over exact visual likenesses.