The film mixes documentary conventions with fictional elements. There are talking-head interviews with Carthage townspeople; some of the talking heads are actors, while some are townspeople playing themselves.
The movie was based on the true story of Bernie Tiede, who was accused of killing Marjorie Nugent in 1996. At the time, he confessed to shooting her four times in the back and hiding her body in a freezer chest in her home in the East Texas town of Carthage. She remained there for nine months until she was found.
Bernhardt Tiede II (/ˈtiːd/; born August 2, 1958) is an American mortician who was convicted of the November 19, 1996 murder of his companion, wealthy 81-year-old widow Marjorie "Marge" Nugent, in Carthage, Texas. He was 38 at the time of the murder.
Estranged from her family, she also named Tiede the sole heir to her multimillion-dollar estate. Then, in November 1996, he carried out one of the most bizarre crimes in Texas history. Tiede shot Nugent four times in the back with a . 22 caliber rifle and hid her body in a freezer in her garage.
After being shot, forced to undress and doused with gasoline, 51-year-old Rolf chased Taylor, Deli and his kidnapped daughters on a snowmobile and then by car before the assailants crashed and were captured. Unlike Taylor, Deli pleaded not guilty at trial and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Fearing implication in Bernie's death, and wanting to enjoy the luxurious house for the weekend, Larry proposes he and Richard maintain the illusion that Bernie is still alive, which Richard finds absurd.
Visitors have flocked to destinations featured in iconic locally made films like "Dazed and Confused" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." With over 50 years of production, there are many film tourism locations in the Austin area to experience including those seen in "Bernie."
CBS Twenty-one years after the crime, Linae Tiede, right, and her sister, Tricia, gave "48 Hours" their first extensive interview about how they survived a horrific home invasion. Tricia, left, was 16, and Linae, right, was 20, when two strangers broke into their their cabin.
“Based on a true story” means much of the actual story and events remain intact in the script. The writer may make significant adaptations (creating composite characters, truncating or shifting the timeline, changing names, locations, ages, gender, etc.)
Danny Back Davidson sets his sights on putting Tiede away for life. Davidson's refusal to bend to public pressure results in Tiede's conviction and he was sentenced to life in prison. And that is where the original Hollandsworth story and the movie end.
The Hamptons scenes were filmed at Bald Head Island in North Carolina; an idyllic island getaway with beautiful beaches and stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. Fort Fisher in North Carolina, a historic coastal fort renowned for its pristine beaches and rich history, provided the setting for Bernie's house.
Matthew David McConaughey was born on November 4, 1969 in Uvalde, Texas. He has Irish heritage, particularly from the County Cavan/County Monaghan area.
Terry Kiser stars as the titular character, which means he plays a corpse for most of the film. And almost the entire film uses Kiser playing dead. However, his co-star Andrew McCarthy revealed that there is one scene in which a real body wasn't used.
The two men murdered Beth Potts and Kaye Tiede and also shot Kaye's husband, Rolf, and left him for dead. They then took two hostages: 20-year-old Linae Tiede and her 16-year-old sister Tricia before being apprehended by police.
Bernie's two-story beach house was a set built in Fort Fischer Outdoor Recreation Area state park. Director Ted Kotcheff made a first time cameo appearance in one of his own films playing the father of “Richard Parker,” the character played by Jonathan Silverman. Actor Andrew McCarthy directed this scene.
Tiede is serving a 99-year sentence in the death of Marjorie Nugent, who he shot and whose body he hid in a freezer before it was discovered nine months later.
