
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, July 27, 1990                   TAG: 9007270184
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Chris Gladden
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

VERDICT EXPECTED TO BE GOOD IN SUSPENSE THRILLER

The opening of "Presumed Innocent" today marks the return of a movie genre often neglected these days. Basically a suspense story, it fits loosely into the format of the courtroom drama, though much of it, no doubt, takes place out of the courtroom.

Since it is based on lawyer/author Scott Turow's excellent novel, the movie almost certainly will immerse itself in the proceedings of the legal profession. Turow gave his readers a crash course in the workings of the trade that seemed more thorough than a first-year class on criminal law.

If we're fortunate, this movie starring Harrison Ford will do the same. It's directed by Alan J. Pakula, who directed "All the President's Men," a film that gave an accurate and detailed glimpse into the workings of the newspaper business.

The last good courtroom drama that immediately comes to mind is Sidney Lumet's "The Verdict" (1982), which starred Paul Newman as a seedy lawyer who finds the will to redeem himself.

We won't consider "Legal Eagles," the 1986 Robert Redford-Debra Winger disappointment that had almost as many car crashes as "The Blues Brothers."

Courtroom dramas were once a popular form. Their decline possibly could be attributed to the escalating fixation of American audiences on action and special effects.

The emphasis in the courtroom genre is on the drama of scenes in which matters of the human heart unfold as adversaries in the courtroom seek the truth through wit and eloquence.

Seldom are these matters settled with assault rifles.

While compiling a list of some great courtroom dramas, I was astonished to find that five of the best were made within a three-year span.

I'm particularly fond of the movies in this group, possibly because they were released at a time when I was graduating from Saturday matinee shoot-em-ups to movies of more complexity.

More likely, though, is that each is a fine movie with first-rate acting, a literate script and intelligent direction. An added plus is the black and white photography that gives each its captivating look. I'm sure that there's some aesthetic miscreant out there looking to colorize these movies, if that distasteful deed hasn't been accomplished already.

My personal favorite is "To Kill A Mockingbird" (1962), Robert Mulligan's wonderful adaptation of Harper Lee's equally wonderful book. Gregory Peck won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Atticus Finch, a fair-minded southern lawyer who finds his children threatened by local cretins when he defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman.

"Judgment At Nuremberg" (1961) has to be one of the most powerful courtroom dramas on film. Spencer Tracy plays an American judge assigned to pass judgment on German judges who perverted the spirit of the law during the reign of the Nazis. The excellent cast includes Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Maxmillian Schell, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich, William Shatner and Judy Garland. It is a rich, complex and provocative movie from director Stanley Kramer.

A movie that tends to be overlooked in such august company is "Compulsion" (1959). Based on the notorious Leopold-Loeb case, this drama is never less than gripping. The story focuses on two upper-class young men who kill a youth for no other reason than curiosity and thrills. It includes good performances from Bradford Dillman, Dean Stockwell and of course Orson Welles.

Otto Preminger's "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959) was controversial at the time of its release because of frank courtroom language during a murder trial in which a rape becomes an issue. Jimmy Stewart delivers one of his best performances as a wily small-town defense lawyer. This suspenseful movie excels on all levels from the acting to the score by Duke Ellington.

"Inherit the Wind" (1960) elevates courtroom drama to the level of legend. Based on the 1925 Scopes "monkey" trial, it tells the story of the epic legal battle between legendary lawyers Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan when they collided over the issue of the teaching of evolution in public schools. Spencer Tracy and Frederic March are grand as the two aging legal lions, ferociously battling it out.

Will "`Presumed Innocent" take its place in such venerable company? The verdict should be in today.

by CNB