Courtroom Drama Movies and maybe TV

[Encia22]

All great films listed so far. 

But, my favourite, because of the darker aspect of it and the twist at the end... no spoilers.

Witness for the Prosecution (1957) - based on Agatha Christie's story of the same title.

Wiki: Witness for the Prosecution is a 1957 American legal mystery melodrama film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, and Charles Laughton, with Elsa Lanchester and John Williams. The film, which has elements of bleak black comedy and film noir, is a courtroom drama set in the Old Bailey in London and is based on the 1953 play of the same title by Agatha Christie. The first film adaptation of Christie's story, Witness for the Prosecution was written for the screen by Wilder and Harry Kurnitz and adapted by Larry Marcus.

Get lots of popcorn and drinks ready; it's the kind of movie that compels you watch till the end.

Found the movie on the Internet Archive: 

https://archive.org/details/witness-for-...idr-pimprg

OR

There's also a 1982 remake that I haven't seen, but from the clips, it looks like it's true to the original.

And found the whole movie of this remake on YouTube...

[quintessentone]

"Madeleine" (1950)

"Madeleine is a 1950 British period film noir directed by David Lean, based on a true story of Madeleine Smith, a young Glasgow woman from a wealthy family who was tried in 1857 for the murder of her lover, Emile L'Angelier. The trial was much publicised in the newspapers of the day and labelled "the trial of the century". Lean's adaptation of the story starred his wife, Ann Todd, with Ivan Desny as her character's French lover. Norman Wooland played the respectable suitor and Leslie Banks the authoritarian father, both of whom are unaware of Madeleine's secret life. Lean made the film primarily as a "wedding present" to Todd, who had previously played the role onstage. He was never satisfied with the film and cited it as his least favourite feature-length movie."

Madeleine (1950 film) - Wikipedia

I've watched it many times so far, it is an interesting time period crime/trial drama.

[Maxmars]

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

I also wanted to suggest this... a beautifully rendered adaptation which actually conveys the "period" without virtue signaling festooned with metaphorical activist flummery. 

But I wasn't sure if the limited courtroom scenes would be desired...

I agree... and like you... that story changed my willingness to simply accept things
"as we are told they are" by clearly biased people in power.

and that on the whole.. people want to agree with each other.

[BeTheGoddess]

From the Hip:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093051/

The Advocate:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107146/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Braker Morant:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080310/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

EDIT:

Not a movie but Ron Jeremy plays the judge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeMeDihw...rt_radio=1

[Karl12]

'12 Angry men' is a cult classic (as is 'My Cousin Vinny' lol).
.
Also thought 'Primal Fear' with Richard Gere and Ed Norton was an excellent movie (great twist at the end).





Cheers.

[Roma]

I don't think this one was mentioned?  

Pacino - And Justice for All
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078718/

[quintessentone]

If anyone is looking for real life courtroom drama, just subscribe to the sites that videotape court proceedings, such as Court TV. Warning: Loud siren sound after Mark 8:00.

JUST IN: Las Vegas Judge Attacked in Court at Sentencing - YouTube




I also enjoy watching Bruce Rivers (Criminal Lawyer, sometimes Civil too).

Here's a weird one with Mike Lindell, The MyPillow Guy's deposition (Dominion defamation law suit)

[Oldcarpy2]

When I was a young Articled Clerk (showing my age here) there was a TV drama about a firm of Solicitors.  They had a Partner's meeting.  

"I am shocked to report that for the first time in our 250 years history we now have an overdraft".

My boss laughed his socks off at that!

There was a seventies TV series, Crown Court, which was great.  Following fictional trials in "Fulchester Crown Court".

Gritty realism.  Made me decide to be a lawyer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Court_(TV_series)

[TheRevenant]

I also wanted to suggest this... a beautifully rendered adaptation which actually conveys the "period" without virtue signaling festooned with metaphorical activist flummery. 

But I wasn't sure if the limited courtroom scenes would be desired...

I agree... and like you... that story changed my willingness to simply accept things
"as we are told they are" by clearly biased people in power.

and that on the whole.. people want to agree with each other.

I appreciate it, yes it's all desired, doesn't matter if the movie isn't solely focused in the courtroom. I like the process. For example, in 'The Night Of' we follow Riz Ahmed from the crime, the investigation process, the arrest, indictment, prison life, behind the court scenes, court scenes until the show ended. The entire process fascinates me.

I've been watching a lot of 1st Amendment Auditors (Respectful ones, not agitators) which has me interested in Law. I'm not a U.S citizen, I'm from the UK and these videos where the Law is brought up, specifically with the U.S Constitution superceding Law, the Law superceding policies and then the policies themselves and how all three are sometimes conflicting with one another. Often times this results in a dispute which is then resolved in a calm (not all times) and legal manner. So this is  what I am interested in most, I suppose ultimately I am interested in justice but the entire process is fascinating and informative so all content is appreciated.

Cheers.

[Maxmars]

I applaud your interest wholeheartedly.

Like you, I am drawn to the way the law is practiced... the logic, the word-crafting, even the courtroom theatrics of both prosecution and defense.

Our two systems are branches of the same tree.

I think, the US constitution represents (in theory) the evolution of the idea, that justice and judgement, in order to be undeniably fair, must be alive and amenable to change, resistant to whimsy, and never EVER written as if in stone.  They were very aware that they were neither Gods nor machines... and neither are we.

The legal minds of the past elaborated and established forms of process and policy that, properly overseen, would guarantee the reversal of the near inescapable trend to reduce rights, and rend some claim to equality between people... (men usually... but we're growing up now, aren't we?)

Art reflects many instances of the dialogue... and great writers bring amazing life to their thought exercises about the presence of a 'legal system' in our lives.

If I might be presumptuous and suggest... debate.

In the right setting... you will find the same exercise...

(Of course we can do that here... for fun... just sayin')