A good trial-by-jury film that drags it's feet a little in the set up.
First up, I am no fan of Jimmy Stewert. I'd have thrown his "aw shucks" country poke out of my courtroom!
The trial is a face off between Stewert and George C Scott who plays a big wig from the city, brought in to assist with the prosecution. I'm siding with George!
The great thing about this film is the way the trial is told. The audience is also the jury, as we hear all the facts without any flashback scenes of the crime or over exposition. We see the testimonies of the witnesses and it's up to us to decide whether Lieutenant Frederick Manion was or was not subject to an 'irresistable impulse' when he gunned down a bar owner, alleged to have raped his slutty wife.
So overlong and at times lacking in pace(I was sympathising with the judge who kept focussing on his watch), this is still an interesting story and the placing of the audience in situ in the courtroom is quite genius. I'm just not fond of Jimmy Stewert. Sue me!
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