...And Justice for All. (1979)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Valerie Curtin (written by) &
Barry Levinson (written by)

Release Date:

25 December 1979 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

This man needs the best lawyer in town. But the problem is... he is the best lawyer in town.

Plot:

An ethical Baltimore defense lawyer disgusted with rampant legal corruption is asked to defend a judge he despises in a rape trial. But if he doesn't do it, the judge will have him disbarred.

Plot Keywords:

Judge | Rape | Attorney | Lawyer | Assault

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Arthur Kirkland
Jack Warden	...	Judge Francis Rayford
John Forsythe	...	Judge Henry T. Fleming
Lee Strasberg	...	Sam Kirkland
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Jay Porter
Christine Lahti	...	Gail Packer
Sam Levene	...	Arnie
Robert Christian	...	Ralph Agee
Thomas G. Waites	...	Jeff McCullaugh (as Thomas Waites)
Larry Bryggman	...	Warren Fresnell
Dominic Chianese	...	Carl Travers
Craig T. Nelson	...	Frank Bowers
Victor Arnold	...	Leo Fasci
Vincent Beck	...	Officer Leary
Michael Gorrin	...	Elderly Man

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | France:Unrated | Brazil:16 | Argentina:16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Iceland:L | Norway:16 | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

This was 75-year old character actor Sam Levene's final film. It culminated a 40+ year acting career.

Goofs:

Continuity: The number of plates that Jay has changes.

Quotes:

Sam Kirkland: Are you a good lawyer? Honest?
Arthur Kirkland: Being honest doesn't have much to do with being a lawyer.
Sam Kirkland: If you're not honest, you've got nothing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Friends: The One with the Butt (#1.6)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Something Funny Goin' On

Get with the program

C'mon, people. Are you really having trouble determining whether this is a comedy or not? From beginning to end, it's filled with hysterical and whimsical (if sometimes troubling) situations, wickedly funny bits of dialogue, and sight gags. There are way too many to mention here, but the highlights would include the trial of the foul-mouthed gentleman, the helicopter ride, the defendant eating the lottery tickets, Arthur and Gail's Chinese dinner, the ethics committee hearing, Carl and the prostitute and, of course, the "opening statement" in the courtroom. An important subplot runs through all this -- Arthur trying to hold his sanity and legal practice together, while sparking up his love live -- along with some of the tragedy he witnesses. He is, after all, a budget-priced criminal defense lawyer in a large Eastern city, so I wouldn't expect everything to be pretty and tidy, even in a comedy. Contrary to some of the comments below, this movie is highly pedigreed. Thought the script was weak? Barry Levinson co-wrote it. And what's all this bellyaching about the music? This movie was released during the disco craze and the score was performed by a jailhouse ensemble. What did you expect the music to sound like, Tangerine Dream? Porter Wagoner? Beethoven? It was written by Dave Grusin, who has been nominated for seven Oscars (he won in 1988 for "The Milagro Beanfield War") and also has collected seven Grammys over the years. Of course, it was directed by Norman Jewison, who has shown good, if occasional, aptitude for comedy ("The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming," "Moonstruck," "Other People's Money"). Also, if you look at Pacino's performance with a critical eye, you may decide it was one of the best of his career -- especially compared with some of the more contrived (if popular) portrayals subsequent to this movie ("Scarface," "Scent of a Woman"). Try to remember the context in which a movie was released while watching with that critical eye and it's generally apparent if it stands the test of time. I'd say this one does -- beautifully.