Did you grow up watching Perry Mason winning his cases against the hapless district attorney? Were you a fan of “LA Law”? How about the current series “The Good Wife”?
Did you grow up watching Perry Mason winning his cases against the hapless district attorney? Were you a fan of “LA Law”? How about the current series “The Good Wife”?
For those interested in legal issues, a new Friday film series is beginning featuring courtroom cases. A variety of issues are dealt with from the types of legal matters with which many people could have experienced to more esoteric topics.
A call to jury duty is something most adults receive at some point. A look at jury deliberations is the focus of the first film in the series, “Twelve Angry Men,” which stars Henry Fonda and is directed by Sidney Lumet. Jurors bring different points of view to a murder case and are prevented from making a hasty decision by one juror who insists on a painstaking and critical review of the evidence presented.
Another topic that could be familiar to many people is the child custody battle during a divorce proceeding as depicted in “Kramer vs Kramer.” The film stars Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. Of interest is the look at a father as the primary caregiver, which was unusual for the time the film was made in 1986.
Employment discrimination is featured in “Philadelphia.” Tom Hanks won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a gay lawyer with AIDS who sues his former law firm for what he claims is an unlawful termination. The film also stars Denzel Washington as the attorney representing Hanks’ character and who has to examine his own homophobic attitude.
“The Accused” is a film starring Jodie Foster as a rape victim and Kelly McGillis as a prosecuting attorney. Legal topics of interest in the film include plea bargaining as a tool in criminal proceedings as well as the “blame the victim” view that is sometimes shown in sexual assault cases.
Another criminal case in the series is “Compulsion,” a fictionalized version of a famous murder case with rich kid defendants Leopold and Loeb. Another dramatization of a real case is found in “Inherit the Wind,” a look at the Scopes trial in which religion and science are at odds in the courtroom.
A look at the British criminal court system is seen in “Witness for the Prosecution.” The film stars Charles Laughton as the barrister defending Tyrone Power as the accused murderer. This is a film full of twists and turns and great courtroom testimony.
Other legal topics dealt with in the series include medical malpractice (“The Verdict”); condemnation, or the taking of private property by the government for the public good, (“The Castle”); and war crimes (“Judgment at Nuremberg”).
This class is sponsored by the county Department of Parks and Recreation, Elderly Recreation Services. The cost for the 10-week class is $10.
The class begins at 2:15 p.m. today at Kamana Center, 127 Kamana St.
For a complete schedule, email patsy_otoole@hotmail.com, or direct questions to O’Toole at 333-9850. Registration is at the site.