JAGGED EDGE

US, 1986, 108 minutes, Colour.
Jeff Bridges, Glenn Close, Robert Loggia, Peter Coyote.
Directed by Richard Marquand.

Jagged Edge is an effective character study and murder mystery. It features fine performances by Glenn Close as a lawyer, soured by an experience of dishonesty in the courts, to come back to defend a wealthy man accused of murder. He is played by Jeff Bridges. The film focuses on her work as a lawyer and in her relationship to the accused. There are various ups and downs, dramatic changes in the relationship as the investigation and court case goes on. The audience is left in uncertainty to the very last moment as to whether the accused committed the murder or not.

Set in San Francisco, the film has echoes of Hitchcock thrillers and is a good courtroom drama. There is excellent support from Peter Coyote as the ambitious District Attorney. There is an Oscar-nominated performance by Robert Loggia as an engagingly foul-mouthed private investigator.

While the film works well as a murder mystery, it has something to say about appearances and reality, truth, the law, justice and the relationships between men and women. The film was directed by British director Richard Marquand (The Legacy, The Birth of the Beatles, The Return of the Jedi, The Eye of the Needle).

1. An effective murder mystery? drama?

2. Thriller? Courtroom drama? Human? The title and its focus on the knife? The symbol of justice and the relationship between the characters?

3. San Francisco backgrounds, wealth? The law? Musical score?

4. The echoes of Hitchcock? The opening with the house, the tracking shots for the murderer, the violence of the murder? Audience reaction to the violence? To the masked murderer? The information given In the court about the woman in Santa Cruz? The finale and the repetition of the tracking shots towards Teddy?

5. The work of the police, Krasny and his place in the investigation, information? The introduction to Forrester, in the hospital? His injuries? The discussion about the editorials and Krasny's hostility? Marc, ambitious, wanting to go to the Senate? His assistants? The information about the knife, his establishing his case, the arrest of Forrester, the question of bail? The use of witnesses? The legal process of 'discovery' and his concealing information from Teddy? His using it in the past and the death of the previous accused in prison? His reaction? Telling Teddy?

6. Teddy and her reputation, her work for the lawyers, her retirement from prosecution? The prosecution of the case with Krasny and his telling her about the death of the accused? Her going to the funeral, the encounter With his mother? Her taking on the case? Her experience of the defence, the discussions with the Judge, the discovery, concealment by Krazinsky? Her decision at the end to reveal the truth, her suffering and her conscience? Her background, divorce and her meeting with her husband? The children and her care of them, their feeling neglected at times, homework etc.? Their support of her?

7. Meeting Jack, his reputation, her directness, the questions, his charm? With Jack and the meeting with Krazinsky? Her establishing Jack's innocence? Sam's scepticism? The legal procedure, her stances? Going to the scene of the crime and experiencing Jack's revulsion? Going to his home, riding, sharing experiences with him, the walk along the beach, the discussion about the affair (and vice versa)? Going riding, the growing attachment, the squash game, the kiss, her son seeing this at home and complaining to his father, her staying the night with Jack? Affecting her judgment on the case and his innocence?

8. Her treatment of the case, her skill, the two opening speeches, the judge and his discussion about ethics, the interrogation of the witnesses? Jack's brother-in-law and her using this to advantage? Virginia Howell and the damaging about Jack, her being demolished by Teddy with her information? The caretaker and his assertions about the knife?

9. Krasny's introduction of Lucy, the knowledge of the affair, Jack's defence of his lying? Her humiliation in the court, the reference to horse-riding and foreplay? Her reaction, anger, being alone, going to the judge, the hypothetical case, asking his advice? Her decision to continue with the case? The support of Sam? Slade and the defence, calling Teddy a bitch in the court? The importance of the anonymous notes? Going to the woman in Santa Cruz, the pathos of her testimony and her support by Teddy? The revelation about Krasny's use of the witnesses? The build-up to the verdict?

10. The winning of the case, the family going away, her going with Jack, the sexual liaison? Discovering the typewriter, her dread and running away, the car not starting, her going home and having a shower to cleanse herself, weeping, ringing Sam, Jack's phone call, being ready for his attack, the bedroom, the shooting, looking at the masked man, the experience of seeing Jack? The meaning of what had happened?

11. Jeff Bridges' portrait of Jack: reputation, in the hospital, grief, at the funeral, the newspaper staff and his taking time off, asking for Teddy, meeting her, sharing with her, the questions of fidelity, the beach, horse-riding, the squash game, his gentlemanliness and charm, the sexual liaison? The court case and his behaviour? The revelations by Lucy? His defending himself? His reputation - and the attack by Virginia? An enigma - until the end? The audience sharing in the perception to his charm? Judgment about him - after his verdict? The discovery of the typewriter?

12. Krasny and his ambition, attitudes towards Teddy, the ethics of the discovery procedure, the reaction of the judge, his treatment of the case, the end and his bitterness?

13. Sam, his skills, friendship with Teddy, his language and the humour of this, the search for information and people, his friendship, supporting Teddy at the end?

14. The judge, the question of ethics, the conduct of the case, Teddy's going to see him, privately?

15. The witnesses and their revelation: the caretaker and the question of the knife and the locker, the accuracy of his observations? Lucy and the affair? Bobby Slade and his bitterness, the ladies' man, the affair with Jack's wife, the talk about divorce? His threatening Teddy and frightening her in the garage? Virginia and her friendship with the wife, her allegations, the truth about her note and her bitterness? The raped woman and her telling her story in the court?

16. The interest and effectiveness of court sequences?

17. The dramatic tension - the murder, psychological interaction, court case? The finale?

18. Themes of truth, justice? The irony of Teddy prosecuting and condemning an innocent man and defending a guilty man? Masculine and feminine stereotypes and roles? Mutual exploitation?