Ten Great Lawyer Movies
American Film Institute's Picks ... and mine
The American Film Institute's recent television special listed it's Top Ten Courtroom Drama movies. Nine of their ten made perfect sense for the category, but one of their choices for top "Courtroom Drama" was Kramer vs. Kramer. Now, KvK is a great film, and one I've already covered in another column (click here to see more on KvK). But categorized as a "courtroom drama"? That AFI decision sparked my interest to highlight a selection of lawyer plots, characters, etc.
Movies about lawyers, about lawsuits, the good and the bad...which is which, sitting at tables parallel and equal before a judge, a jury ... is there anything more patriotic, more totally USA, than getting all engrossed in a lawyer flick? Our court system, the concepts of justice, due process, protecting-the-rights-of-society prosecutors, the filled-with-hope valor parallel to the creeps-slipping -through-loopholes of USA's innocent-until-proven-guilty code, a viable defense, the most ethical and upright of judges, indisputable evidence, reliable witnesses -- or not ... corruption within any of these elements brings down the delicate system and makes for great plots, great characters, great suspense, great faith in our system! Hope all movie buffs enjoy!
First, here are AFI's selected Top Ten Courtroom Dramas. Just a list here, as you can get all the details you want at http://www.afi.com/10top10/.
10. Judgement at Nuremberg, 1961
9. A Cry in the Dark, 1988
8. In Cold Blood, 1967
7. Anatomy of a Murder, 1959
6. Witness for the Prosecution, 1957
5. A Few Good Men, 1992
4. The Verdict, 1992
3. Kramer vs. Kramer, 1979
2. 12 Angry Men, 1957
1. To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962
Military Lawyer, Tom Cruise, grilling a witness in 'A Few Good Men' from 1992
Great films about lawyers, lawsuits, the whole legal side of life
Now, AFI has had it's say...but I say...if Kramer vs. Kramer is one of their picks..then that opens up the doors to a whole lot of movies where court decisions are crucial, but truly account for minimal moments on film. For that case, The Verdict starring Paul Newman would also fall into this category, oh, yeah....so would To Kill a Mockingbird, so would A Few Good Men, ...so, what gives?...how many minutes of a two hour film need to be literally in the courtroom to qualify as a "courtroom drama"? Maybe AFI's label of "courtroom drama" is where they went wrong...that's why this hub is titled "legal movies."
"A Few Good Men" airs on TBS on Friday, Oct. 1, 2010, at 9PM and again at Midnight.
Paul Newman stars in The 'Verdict'
Vulnerable victims, passionate prosecutors, determined defenders
So, in no order of great, good, mediocre...all ten have wonderful legal moments, most are dramas...but there is one romantic/comedy legal movie included. Two are based on true events. All are 'legal' films that shouldn't go forgotten:
10. The Rain Maker. 1997 (Same year as Damon's Good Will Hunting).Based on a John Grisham novel, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and a stunning achievement for Matt Damon. According to imdb.com, the movie's tag line was "They were totally unqualified to try the case of a lifetime... but every underdog has his day." Imagine every family's worst financial/emotional nightmare when a huge health insurance company decides your son's life is not worth the expense. Claire Dane's and (Oklahoma's own) Mary Kay Place were great female additions to this strong male cast.
Matt Damon as determined but doubting young attorney
A look at 'The Rainmaker'
Oil profits, corrupt corporations ... and Julia Roberts
9. The Pelican Brief. 1993. Another gripping legal movie based on a John Grisham novel. Great roles for Denzel Washington (as journalist) and Julia Roberts (as law student). No courtroom scenes but centers around truly evil capitalists (oil gazillionaires) who believe they can manipulate the President (Robert Culp) and the appointment of Supreme Court justices. Anyone that gets in their way... Trivia: Small role for Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon.
8. Erin Brokovich. 2000. Another vehicle for Julia Roberts. Seven years after "Pelican Brief" she's playing a single mom with three kids. Lots of reasons to be on a great lawyer movie list. Julia Roberts as a diligent but somewhat renegade-tactics legal researcher, Albert Finney as the stressed out, by-the-book litigator. One reason this movie intrigues is that it's based on the true events when a small town (Hinkley, CA) took on a huge utility corporation. Roberts earned Best Actress Academy Award for this one.
Julia Roberts and Albert Finney in 'Erin Brokovich'
7. Legal Eagles. 1986. Romantic-comedy legal movie. With cute casting of Robert Redford and Debra Winger, a sensual doe-eyed blond-to-the-max Darryl Hannah, barrel-chested Brian Dennehy, great location shots of New York City, fun flashbacks to the late 60s plus the glittery milieu of art galleries, and you've got a pretty decent suspense-comedy legal movie. Worth remembering if only because not that many legal flicks qualify as romantic-comedy...and, hello? ...it stars Robert Redford!
Irons as suave but suspicious husband
'Suspect'...Cher and Quaid
Attorneys for the defense, quite an assortment
6. Reversal of Fortune. 1990. Another true story and one that had made lots of society headlines. Sunny Von Bulow (Glenn Close), a hugely wealthy heiress, winds up in a coma and her husband, Claus Von Bulow (Jeremy Irons) winds up looking very suspicious. So suspicious that he's convicted of attempted murder and tracks down the best attorney he can find for his appeal. Cue Ron Silver as Alan Dershowitz, playing the polar opposite of the full-out WASP, Hamptons mansions, international jet-set kavorting, Upper East Side Manhattan Von Bulows. Great look at the massive preparation involved to research "the law" and fascinating portrayal of a defensive attorneys' focus on "the law" rather than on his client's guilt or innocence. Based on Dershowitz's own book about this case. Trivia: Christine Baranski in full-out 80s attire in small role. And Felicity Huffman as law student clerking for Dershowitz.
(Trivia. Irons was approached to star as Hannibal Lector in "Silence of the Lambs" but chose not to because he didn't want two bad-guy roles back to back. Who knows? Maybe he'd have Anthony Hopkins' Oscar? Or have the career that Hopkins has had since 'Lambs')
5. Suspect. 1987. Cher as a over-worked federal employee. Is there such a thing? But she pulls it off looking stressed, and worn out, but dedicated to yet another "gotta be guilty" indigent client. Trivia: Liam Neeson like you've never seen him...the client. Dennis Quaid plays a juror who's far too curious and starts investigating the case on his own after hours. Great Washington DC shots and lots of insider tidbits about senators, lobbyists, the halls of power. More Trivia: John Mahoney (the dad on 'Fraser') as the judge.
Four more selections...
Be watching for part two of this hub....with four more selections and lots of trivia and runners-up for 'lawyer movies.' Teasers: Steve Martin, Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas, George Clooney and John Travolta will be included.
It's here!... Part Two....follow link at bottom of this hub to check out the rest of my Top Legal Movies.
And more courtroom selections and upcoming TV showings
Wanted to acknowledge fellow-hubber, JamesRay, who has written a courtroom hub he calls "Top 5 Courtroom Dramas"...his selections are Anatomy of a Murder, The Verdict, 12 Angry Men, Primal Fear, and And Justice For All. His runners-up include My Cousin Vinny, A Few Good Men, Philadelphia, Witness for the Prosecution and Judgement at Nuremberg.
Join in and vote for your favorite
Which is your favorite legal movie here?
Comments
Objection Your Honour - Did we miss 'Inherit the Wind' ?...a rendition of 1925 'Scopes Monkey Trial'. A fitting response to the threat to intellectual freedom starring my all time favorite Spencer Tracy. Surely you would like to re-consider Your Honour ?
There was this movie 'Music Box' with Jessica Lange and 'High Crimes' with Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman. Another highly under rated movie 'Breaker Morant' with Edward Woodward; a court martial movie. Ranks a notch above A Few Good Men
hey...sorry can i ask a question? there is a movie wih two lawyers...a man and a woman...the were always arguing and in the end they fell in love etc...what was the name of this movie:(? please remind me...
How about Tele serials Boston Legal, Practice ? They really outshine many of the acclaimed law movies
Very interesting hub. A thumb up from me. Few Good Men was a simply awesome lawyer movie. I also liked Sleepers and wondering if it would secure a place among the rest of your four picks.
That is really the nice movie.........i liked that on too
The Rain Maker was a very real portrayal of what happens when big business loses touch with humanity and the defense a financially crushed family has is a determined and compassionate lawyer.
one of my favorites!!! excellent choice
Jim Carey was great in Liar Liar movie.
The Anatomy of a Murder is my fav movie.
The Firm was a great movie!
To Kill A Mockingbird is definitely before our times, hardly anyone will list it as one of the legal movies
A movie fan.. Nice.. Did anyone enjoy "The Client" or perhaps "Runaway Jury" . Grisham has had some nice courtroom dramas. There was another movie with Gene Hackman that was pretty fair "Class Action". Good hub
deset blondie,
I didn't see "Intolerable Cruelty" but IMDB voters gave it a 6.4 out of 10 and this was by over 30,000 voters.
"Michael Clayton" received a 7.5 with 46,000 votes. I saw this one and I didn't think it was bad and I am not a real fan of George Clooney.
The common denominator of popularity must be George Clooney.
My mother used to get a bit irritated when she came home from choir every THursday to find my Dad shouting at "Judge John Deeds" on the telly. She reckoned if it annoyed him that much, he could try not watching it....
desert blondie,
Thanks for the clarification.
The search for bad lawyer movies continues.
I feel ashamed - I am a lawyer, and I've not seen a single one of these!
desert blondie,
To answer your question, I would have to understand the definition of lawyer movies. Not so deep, but only to know the limitations of the lawyer involvement.
For example, I just re-watched "Laws of Attraction" and I liked it once again. The movie was about two lawyers and their involvement in case against each other. It is certainly on the light side of the law.
Or can the definition go to any movie where the law is important to the plot?
Then that would bring in "body Heat" and "War of the Roses" both with Kathleen Turner.
I can't think of a bad film because I tend to make the decision to go or not to go to see a movie usually based on very little information. So that pre-filters the movies, mind you the process is spotty and not very accurate.
I did remember a good one though, "Adams Rib" with Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn 1949.
I can think of a bad one right now, they say you can block out bad memories that are too painful. They could be right.
desert blondie --
If these were the best, what would be the worse?
Great hub desert blondie, im a big fan of lawerr movies, and they are one of my fav genres of film....I have to add Liar, Liar to the list!:)
I loved a few good men it was a great movie . great hub
I cannot believe that AFI left off the most amazing lawyer movie I have ever seen- and also my teenaged kid's favorite, "Runaway Jury!" This movie depicts the best and the worst about lawyers and stars my two all time favorite actors, Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman, as well as John Cusack. Please add this one to the list!!!!!!!!! Great hub, as usual, desert blondie!
Desert blondie ...this is a great hub. I will keep it on my list of sites to read again. I have not seen all of the movies. I really like Cher ....I did not see that one. But "A Few Good Men" ...is one of the greats.
I do like court room movies. But like to laugh more ...then sometimes I just have to settle down and get serious.
My best to you!
Excellent choices Desert
To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite films of all time!!
It's Gregory Peck at his best
Good reviews. I don't really like Tom Cruise, but I've got to admit he was pretty good in "A Few Good Men." :-)
Great reviews...siskel and eibert eat yo' heart out! I'm a courtroom movie buff from way back...but it seems I've missed a few. I better head to the movie store... good thing to do this weekend, I already purchase 4 good dvd's at a local garage sale...now I've got more to add to the list of must sees' for Saturday night! thanks db!! I like that "db" too cute.
Awww, poor Liar, Liar :)
Great Hub1 Challenging Topic. And we won't even get into the great lawyer TV series that do the rounds.
Look forward to part 2
I'm delighted to hear there's a theater in Palo Alto that features the old movies, desert blondie, even though I may never be able to get there. I haven't heard such great news since December when the "Bing Crosby Theatre" opened in downtown Spokane, Wash., at a landmark previously known as the Met, and where Bing performed in the 1920's when it was called the Clemmer Theater.
What? No mention of Legally Blonde? I'm shocked you wouldn't at least try to slip that one in!
Fascinating topic, desert blondie. There were so many great lawyer movies that it's almost impossible to pick just 10, but they don't come much better than "12 Angry Men" with Henry Fonda and a fantastic cast. I only wish there were movie theaters around that would play the great old movies.
I always look to see if Murder in the First ever makes it to any list. I enjoyed the movie and I must have been the only one ever to do so....Thanks for the hub
Very interesting hub. A thumb up from me. Few Good Men was a simply awesome lawyer movie. I also liked Sleepers and wondering if it would secure a place among the rest of your four picks.
Great hub..can't wait to read about the rest of these movies. I loved the courtroom scenes in "A Few Good Men" and think Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise performed their roles so well, I lost the actors and saw the characters...a trait too often missed in "big name" movies.
Good work, Desert Blondie.
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