''The Siege at Ruby Ridge'' is a 1996

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

directed by Roger Young and written by

Lionel Chetwynd Lionel Chetwynd (born January 29, 1940) is a British-American screenwriter, director and producer. Life and career Lionel Chetwynd was born to a Jewish family in Hackney, London, the son of Betty (née Dion) and Peter Chetwynd. His family move ...

about the confrontation between the family of Randy Weaver and the US federal government at

Ruby Ridge The Ruby Ridge standoff was the siege of a cabin occupied by the Weaver family in Boundary County, Idaho, in August 1992. On August 21, deputies of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) came to arrest Randy Weaver under a bench warrant fo ...

in 1992. It was based on the book ''Every Knee Shall Bow'' by reporter

Jess Walter Jess Walter (born July 20, 1965) is an American author of seven novels, two collections of short stories, and a non-fiction book. He is the recipient of the Edgar Allan Poe Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2006. Career Wal ...

. It originally aired as a two-part

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

miniseries titled ''Ruby Ridge: An American Tragedy'' on May 19 and May 21, 1996. The miniseries was edited together to become the film ''The Siege at Ruby Ridge''.

Plot summary

Based on the events of the Ruby Ridge standoff, the film follows Randy and Vicki Weaver who begin as stereotypical Iowa citizens, religious, friendly, and with strong family ties, who begin to adopt apocalyptic views. They move to Idaho as they become convince of a "Zionist One World Conspiracy" and become involved with

Aryan Nations Aryan Nations is a North American antisemitic, neo-Nazi and white supremacist hate group that was originally based in Kootenai County, Idaho, about miles (4.4 km) north of the city of Hayden Lake. Richard Girnt Butler founded Aryan N ...

. Randy becomes entangled in gun trafficking which leads to a siege of Weaver's property by overzealous federal agents in which Sammy and Vicki are killed.

Cast

Laura Dern Laura Elizabeth Dern (born February 10, 1967) is an American actress. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and five Golden Globe Awards. Born ...

as Vicki Weaver *

Randy Quaid Randy Randall Rudy Quaid (born October 1, 1950) is an American actor and comedian known for his roles in both serious drama and light comedy. He was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role in '' The ...

as Randy Weaver *

Kirsten Dunst Kirsten Caroline Dunst (; born April 30, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the anthology film ''New York Stories'' (1989) and has since starred in several film and television productions. She has received several awar ...

as Sara Weaver * Darren E. Burrows as Kevin Harris * G. W. Bailey as Ralph Coulter * Bradley Pierce as Sammy Weaver * Gary Graham as Brian Jackson * August Schellenberg as Indian *

Diane Ladd Diane Ladd (born Rose Diane Ladner; November 29, 1935) is an American actress. She has appeared in over 200 films and television shows. She received three Academy Award nominations for her roles in '' Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'' (1974), '' ...

as Irma Coulter * Tracy Griffith as Gwen Coulter * Nicholas Pryor as Bert Yeager * Hal Landon Jr. as George Mill * John Dennis Johnston as Tony Vickers * Robert Harper as Earl Martens * Lyman Ward as Ross Jones * Bob Gunton as Bo Gritz *

Joe Don Baker Joe Don Baker (February 12, 1936 – May 7, 2025) was an American actor, known for playing "tough guy" characters on both sides of the law. He established himself as an action star with supporting roles in the Westerns '' Guns of the Magnificent ...

Gerry Spence Gerald Leonard Spence (born January 8, 1929) is a semi-retired American trial lawyer and author. He is a member of the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame and is the founder of the Trial Lawyers College. Spence has never lost a criminal trial before a jur ...

Awards

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Siege at Ruby Ridge 1996 television films 1996 films CBS films American films based on actual events Films directed by Roger Young Films set in 1992 Films set in Idaho 1990s English-language films Siege films