but he didn't do this one
Added 11/8/2009
An old felon is taken as the one who robbed the pool hall
for petty cash and beer and wine by breaking and entering.
He is sent to prison for five years after asking the court to appoint a lawyer
and being refused. In current terms he would have been confined for life as it was his
fifth felon conviction since he was 14 and broke into a store to get warm clothes
in winter.
This story is a strange one and it appears some young felons had named him patsy
for this crime. After two years in prison he was lucky enough to be chosen as a constitutional
law test case.
Even more lucky than that, his lawyer won.
In the retrial his conviction was reversed,
because it seems that he sometimes ran the pool hall
and had a set of keys.
This movie was one of Henry Fonda's last roles and it showed his liberal
life's work to a good light.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Outstanding portrail of an imporant piece of history
Added 5/3/2009
Many "jail" movies spend an inordinate amount of time dwelling on prison life. Instead this movie dives right into the legal battle fought to guarantee all men the right to council (regardless of their ability to pay). Henry Fonda does an outstanding job of portraying Clarance Earl Gideon a small time hood and drifter falsely accused of robbing a bar/pool hall. Jose Ferrer plays Abe Fortas who argued the case on behalf of the ACLU and then later became a Supreme Court associate justice himself.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Fonda's Best
Added 4/22/2009
I've seen most of Henry Fonda's films and this ranks among his very best. He has captured the flawed character of Clarence Earl Gideon like no other actor.This seemingly inconsequential individual who changed the course of American jurisprudence through his appeal to the US Supreme Court for legal representation is portrayed by Fonda so convincingly and so assuredly that Fonda and Gideon become indivisible.
One is equally astonished that the High Court gave such consideration to a relatively minor infraction of the law, and in doing so, gave everyone like the obscure,impoverished Gideon the right to council regardless of their station in life.
As has been stated elsewhere, this film is both an entertaining and informative experience. It is a must see for law students and laymen alike.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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A true story the teaches and entertains
Added 10/9/2008
I've been teaching Political Science classes at various schools in the South for 24 years and I always try to show this film during my section on civil liberties. In a little over 90 minutes students learn how the right to a lawyer in all cases was established, how important this right is, and they are entertained at the same time. Wonderful acting from Fonda, Houseman, and Fay Wray also appeal to film buffs. I'm glad to be able to get it on DVD as my VHS copies are starting to show their age.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Gideons Trumpet
Added 3/27/2008
This is an excellent movie for use with case law readings (Gideon v Wainwright.)It is a bit slow. I think a condensed version would be good. The students might lose the significance of this case.
Professor Cavanaugh
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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FOR LEGAL BEAGLES EVERYWHERE...
Added 5/10/2006
This is a movie made great by Henry Fonda's compelling portrayal of an unlikely folk hero, Clarence Earl Gideon, who was the catalyst for one of the most significant changes in our legal system. The seminal case of Gideon v. Wainright ultimately saw the United States Supreme Court establish that anyone who is charged with a crime is entitled to legal representation by an attorney.
Clarence Earl Gideon was no angel. He was a four time loser, who had been arrested for the burglary of a pool room. He did, however, maintain that he was innocent in this instance and demanded a trial, as he had no intention of pleading guilty for a crime that he did not commit. When Gideon, a semi illiterate, poorly educated man, requested an attorney to represent him at the trial, his request was denied, the presiding judge being of the mind that Gideon was able to represent himself. Gideon did not have a clue and, consequently, was convicted and sentenced to a five year prison term.
Gideon wrote an appeal to the United States Supreme Court, which granted his appeal, and its justices set a new precedent with their ruling. His case was remanded to the Florida state court for a retrial. He was appointed an attorney, tried and, ultimately, acquitted of all charges, deservedly so, based upon the evidentiary weakness of the case against him. Justice delayed, however, is, as always, justice denied, as Gideon ended up serving two years in prison for a crime that he did not commit, before he was finally freed.
This is a terrific film with wonderful performances by the entire cast. Henry Fonda is superlative as the stalwart Gideon, whose innate sense of fair play and faith in the United States Constitution helped shape the legal system that we know today. This is a film that is well worth watching, as well as having in one's personal film collection.
3 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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but he didn't do this one
Added 11/8/2009
An old felon is taken as the one who robbed the pool hall
for petty cash and beer and wine by breaking and entering.
He is sent to prison for five years after asking the court to appoint a lawyer
and being refused. In current terms he would have been confined for life as it was his
fifth felon conviction since he was 14 and broke into a store to get warm clothes
in winter.
This story is a strange one and it appears some young felons had named him patsy
for this crime. After two years in prison he was lucky enough to be chosen as a constitutional
law test case.
Even more lucky than that, his lawyer won.
In the retrial his conviction was reversed,
because it seems that he sometimes ran the pool hall
and had a set of keys.
This movie was one of Henry Fonda's last roles and it showed his liberal
life's work to a good light.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Outstanding portrail of an imporant piece of history
Added 5/3/2009
Many "jail" movies spend an inordinate amount of time dwelling on prison life. Instead this movie dives right into the legal battle fought to guarantee all men the right to council (regardless of their ability to pay). Henry Fonda does an outstanding job of portraying Clarance Earl Gideon a small time hood and drifter falsely accused of robbing a bar/pool hall. Jose Ferrer plays Abe Fortas who argued the case on behalf of the ACLU and then later became a Supreme Court associate justice himself.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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