Courtroom Drama Movies and maybe TV

[TheRevenant]

I'm currently watching 'The Night Of' feat. Riz Ahmed. I've seen it before but only once and I'm on a bit of a legal binge at the minute so I'm looking for excellent courtroom dramas you can recommend. I've seen a LOT of movies, more than the average person so it would be impossible for me to list what I have seen.

What I have not seen, which are next on my list are: 12 Angry Men (1957) and The Verdict (1982). 12 Angry Men is one that comes up a lot and highly recommended by anyone that has seen it but what was off putting to me is it's age. That's not to say I'm ageist regarding films, I'm not young and disillusioned with modern movies, I just find the older the movie, the worse the acting, or rather, obvious acting, take me out of the movie.

With that said, Alien (1979) is probably my most favorite movie and maybe one of the oldest movies I've watched including Forbidden Planet (1956) so I'm trying to get over that aspect so I can enjoy older movies (mainly because I have seen nearly every film worth seeing and then some).

So hit me with some of your favourites, the more obscure the better.

Cheers.

[Maxmars]

I know this is way out there... probably not anyone's idea of 'courtroom' drama...

It's old alright... black and white old... not in English, but Japanese (with English subtitles commonly already applied.)

Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon...

Crime exposed through a very different kind of trial....

https://archive.org/details/rashomon-1950_202408

Can't embed.... "Commerce" hates it if no one gets paid when you watch...
Internet Archive is not a profit affair, it's an archive ...

[Oldcarpy2]

Jagged Edge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagged_Edge_(film)

[argentus]

The Rainmaker  Danny DeVito, Matt Damon, John Voit, Clare Danes

A Few Good Men Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon, Keifer Sutherland

Runaway Jury  John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman

Yep, you guessed it, 12 Angry Men. one of my all-time favorite movies, with Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam, John Fielder, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Jack Warden.   Classic.   Crisp dialogue.  

and finally, My Cousin Vinny.   Yes, it's a comedy, but it's also a really, really good movie, with Joe Pesci, the delicious Marisa Tomei, Ralph Macchio, and Fred Gwynne.   

what, are you still here? 


okay, okay, one more, but that's it.  

JFK  An excellent dramatization of Jim Garrison's prosecution of the dirtbags that were involved in the Kennedy assassination conspiracy, with Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, directed by Oliver Stone.    Remember Jim Marrs?   This screenplay was written by Jim Garrison, Jim Marrs and Oliver Stone.   I looks right to me.   I think this is the way the assassination went down, and who the players were.   Jim Garrison's book "On the Trail of the Assassins" goes into even more depth.

OMG!!!   How could I forget what is likely my favorite movie EVER!  Inherit the Wind, with Spencer Tracy, Frederick March, Gene Kelly, Dick York  ..........  it's a dramatization of the Scopes Monkey Trial, and it's electric.   EXcellent movie.   Watch this, if you watch none of the others.   It was the last performance for some of these movie greats.

[argentus]

Okay.   I just can't help myself, apparently.   It's YOUR fault, planting this mindworm.  

North Country  Charlize Theron, Jeremy Renner, Frances McDormand (who I absolutely love), Woody Harrelson, Sissy Spacek.   I just got iptv and watching this right now.   It is "inspired by a true story".  Yes, Charlize is a cutie pie, but there's just something about Frances's dimples and chin cleft that just light me up, along with her incredible acting.

[TheRevenant]

Some excellent suggestions in here. I'm going to let this thread marinate a while more, just thought I'd pop my head in to acknowledge the responses so far. I'm halfway through 12 Angry Men right now (just making a brew so thought I'd comment) and it's really good, I should have watched it sooner.

[angelchemuel]

The court scene from To Kill a Mockingbird. I watched the film when I was just a 'young 'un' and had such an impact I wanted to be a lawyer when I 'grew up'. The book remains my favourite to this day.
Rainbows
Jane

[Shoshanna]

I'm currently watching 'The Night Of' feat. Riz Ahmed. I've seen it before but only once and I'm on a bit of a legal binge at the minute so I'm looking for excellent courtroom dramas you can recommend. I've seen a LOT of movies, more than the average person so it would be impossible for me to list what I have seen.

What I have not seen, which are next on my list are: 12 Angry Men (1957) and The Verdict (1982). 12 Angry Men is one that comes up a lot and highly recommended by anyone that has seen it but what was off putting to me is it's age. That's not to say I'm ageist regarding films, I'm not young and disillusioned with modern movies, I just find the older the movie, the worse the acting, or rather, obvious acting, take me out of the movie.

With that said, Alien (1979) is probably my most favorite movie and maybe one of the oldest movies I've watched including Forbidden Planet (1956) so I'm trying to get over that aspect so I can enjoy older movies (mainly because I have seen nearly every film worth seeing and then some).

So hit me with some of your favourites, the more obscure the better.

Cheers.

I love old black and white films! I've noticed that if it is a lower budget movie the acting is actually better than some of the higher budget films. In the 40s and 50s at least. I mean. Some are pretty ridiculous. But that can be fun too! 

I haven't really seen a lot of "courtroom drama" movies. In fact only one comes to mind and I don't necessarily know if it is a "courtroom drama" per se. It is titled "The Indictment" and is about the McMartin Preschool thing. It is a fictional movie but based on that true story. It stars two of my personal favorite actors James Woods and Mercedes Ruhl. I think it came out in the early 90s.

[quintessentone]

"The Accused", starring Jodi Foster.

"The Accused was released in limited theatres in North America on October 14, 1988, and premiered the following year at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Bear. The film was highly controversial upon release due to its graphic portrayal of gang rape. Despite this, it received widespread acclaim from critics, with many praising the performances of the cast and authentic portrayal of its subject matter. It was chosen by the National Board of Review as the 3rd-best film of the year. The film was credited for being one of the first mainstream films to deal with the horrors of rape and its aftermath on a victim's life. Foster's performance marked her breakthrough into adult roles, earning numerous accolades including the Academy Award for Best Actress at the 61st ceremony.[sup][2][/sup][sup][3]"[/sup]

The Accused (1988 film) - Wikipedia

Taking into account the decade and some people's views of 'she asked for it', I expected all the men to get off, and they didn't.

[TheRevenant]

I've finished watching 12 Angry Men and thoroughly enjoyed it. I noted in the IMDB trivia for the movie that for the first half or third of the movie the camera is above eye level with a wide lens and as the film progresses, the camera becomes closer, lower. Toward the end, it feels much more claustrophobic as tensions rise.

So now I'm salivating at the thought of all those movies I've missed.

Some notable mentions in this thread that I've added to my 'To Watch Immediately' list are:

North Country

Inherit The Wind

To Kill A Mockingbird (I had to read this as a kid but didn't understand it, so I will watch it, I was more interested in flicking elastic bands at Jason at opposite end of class back then)

JFK (I have seen this, but it's good so will watch again)

The Rainmaker

Everything else I've seen. Solid suggestions. I'll be keeping an eye here to see if any more gems are added.