The Burden of Proof (1992) (TV)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Mike Robe

Writers (WGA):

Scott Turow (book)
John Gay (teleplay)

Release Date:

9 February 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Courtroom | Sexually Transmissible Disease | Insider Trading | Adultery

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Hector Elizondo	...	Alejandro 'Sandy' Stern
Brian Dennehy	...	Dixon Hartnell
Mel Harris	...	Sonia Klonsky
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Silvia Hartnell
Concetta Tomei	...	Clara Stern
Anne Bobby	...	Marta Stern (as Anne Marie Bobby)
Gail Strickland	...	Fiona Cawley
Chelcie Ross	...	Dr. Nate Cawley
Kerri Green	...	Kate Granum
Miko Hughes	...	Sam
Thomas Anthony Quinn	...	Dr. Peter Stern
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Sennett
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nora Denney	...	Waitress
John Durbin	...	Remo
T. Max Graham	...	Lt. Ray Radczyk
John Jessop
William Kuhlke	...	Cal Hopkinson
Leah Maddrie	...	Mrs. Drake
Monica McCarthy	...	Nate's Nurse
Neal McDonough	...	John Granum
Michael T. McGraw	...	FBI Agent #1
John Monroe	...	Police Officer
Charles Oldfather
Stefanie Powers	...	Helen Dudak
Victoria Principal	...	Margy Allison
Grady Smith
Tim Snay	...	FBI Agent #2
Donna Thomason	...	Claudia
Charles Whitman	...	Rabbi

Also Known As:

Scott Turow's The Burden of Proof

Runtime:

USA:184 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Mike Robe Productions

Movie Connections:

Follows Presumed Innocent (1990)

This is a fairly faithful rendering of the novel with underwhelming casting

Unfortunately, the crises that set off the drama in "The Burden of Proof" aren't as compelling as the one in "Presumed Innocent." Still, late middle age should have its own moments of deadly suspense. With better casting, this movie might have had more such moments.

The problem is that Hector Elizondo, a wonderful actor in his own right, has to compete with the memory of Raul Julia who created the role. Guess who wins. And casting Brian Dennehy in the role of Dixon Hartnell was just plain silly. Did the producers think we'd forget his crucial role in "Presumed Innocent."

But taken for what it is, a Scott Turow legal drama masquerading as a prime time soap, you cod do a lot worse than this picture.

The networks certainly have. Many times.