ONE MAN JURY
US, 1978, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jack Palance, Chris Mitchum, Joe Spinell.
Directed by Charles Martin.
One Man Jury is a police thriller in the vein of Death Wish, The Star Chamber and other features where justice is not seen to be done by the courts and an individual decides to wreak vengeance on his own authority.
This is a Los Angeles police investigation story with Jack Palance as the detective assisted by Christopher Mitchum. He lectures in law, is on investigations - but is frustrated by judges releasing criminals. When confronted with a serial killer he decides to take vengeance and executes the murderer. He tries to cover his path - but his girlfriend realises what he has done. However, poetic justice is done within the movie (perhaps unrealistically) by the assassin's girlfriend shooting the policeman.
The film raises all kinds of questions about justice, the law and the system and taking responsibility for executing justice. As a thriller it is fast-paced and has a number of veteran stars in supporting roles, led by Cara Williams as Nancy. The film was written and directed by Charles Martin.
1. Entertaining police thriller? Action and pace? Crime in the cities? Police investigations? The law and justice? One-man justice?
2. Los Angeles settings, the city, various locations, sleazy, affluent? Police precincts? Musical score?
3. The title, the role of the policeman, decisions about justice, execution?
4. Jack Palance as the hero - age and experience, his relationship with his girlfriend and her heart-on-sleeve approach to criminals? His lectures? In court and his reaction to criminals going free? Their rights? On the case with the serial killer? The friendship with Nancy? The investigations? His contacts with the Mafia? Discussions, buying information about the car? Setting up the various Mafia opponents and getting them to fight amongst themselves? Making the escaped criminal the scapegoat for his own murder? His skill in tracking down the serial killer, going gambling, getting the lift, going to his house, his rights, confronting him about the truth, getting a confession, killing him? His shrewdness in setting up his gun being taken? His watching as the criminals fought against one another? His girlfriend understanding the truth? The serial killer's girlfriend coming to see him, recognising him, killing him? The role of justice - and justice being seen to be done?
5. The police force and investigations, the assistant and his questioning people, getting evidence from witnesses, the gun? Admiring his partner? Finding out the truth? Involvements in the shoot-out? Doing his job?
6. The girlfriend, phone calls, the lectures, their life together, her life in danger, knowing the truth, confronting the policeman, her firing the final shots to save him?
7. The Mafia and the criminals, their connections, getting information, buying off the police, the car deals? The underlings and their jobs? Hijackings? The police setup - and entrapment? Shoot-outs? The portrait of Los Angeles gangsters?
8. The victim, her coming home from work, changing and talking to her mother, going gambling, the killer in her room, her death?
9. The killer, his sadism and cruelty? His many victims? His killing the girl in her room? His meeting Nancy, hearing her boast? Taking her away and killing her? The gambling, information from the bartender? The policeman meeting him, giving him a lift? The confession and the explanation of his compulsions? His death?
10. Nancy, the ageing prostitute, her client, seeing the killer? Giving evidence to the police, doing a deal about her record? Boasting in the bar? Going off with the murderer, recognising him, her death? Her funeral - and the policeman attending? The criminal bosses attending as well?
11. The atmosphere of Los Angeles? The sleazier side, bars, card-playing, prostitutes? The killer's girlfriend and her confronting the policeman and shooting him?
12. The value of this kind of film - as a thriller, raising questions of responsibility and justice?
