THE PEOPLE VERSUS JEAN HARRIS

US, 1981, 147 minutes, Colour.
Ellen Burstyn, Martin Balsam, Richard Dysart, Peter Coyote.
Directed by George Schaefer.

The People Versus Jean Harris was completed very quickly after the trial of Jean Harris for the murder of Scarsdale Diet expert Herman Tarnower. The telemovie uses the transcripts of the court case with some reliance on the flashback technique. While the film seems to be an objective kind of presentation of the material, it is an emotional involvement for the audience in the feelings and passion of Jean Harris, her liaison with Herman Tarnower and her jealousy. The film indicates some doubt as to her guilt in relationship of the famous doctor.

Ellen Burstyn, Oscar winner for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, gives an excellent performance as Jean Harris and carries the film. Martin Balsam appears as A lawyer and Richard Dysart as the judge. While the famous story is intriguing in itself, the film is a useful look at the processes of American justice (despite the fact that the many-paged report of the trial had to be so drastically abridged for the film). The film takes the audience behind the headlined and shows how complex people and issues are ? and that they can often by misrepresented by the media. An interesting piece of 1980s Americana.

1. The impact of the telemovie, its topical theme, American justice, court cases? The celebrated expert with the Scarsdale Diet? Jean Harris and her reputation as an educationalist? The sordid atmosphere of the liaison and the murder trial?

2. The quality of the telemovie: the focus on the courtroom, yet the fluidity of the camera work, reliance on close-ups? The using of the text of the court proceedings? The quality of the editing of the transcripts? The role of the commentator and the voiceover? The invitation to objectivity as well as audience understanding of the characters involved, motivation? The film not using flashbacks in the visual sense ? the verbal flashbacks? The cumulative effect of the long film? Audience concentration, the home audience?

3. The quality of the acting, especially that of Ellen Burstyn, its persuasiveness in helping audiences to understand the human motivation?

4. Worldwide interest in the murder case and the trial? The reputation of the participants? Topical in the early '80s? Audiences' knowledge of the data and facts? Judgments on the characters? Media reporting? Audience expectations of guilt and punishment? The complexity of observing a person in a trial, the uncovering of character and motivation? Changing audience attitudes?

5. The information given about Jean Harris? The descriptions of her? Audience judgment on her at the end of Part One? Facts, events, her experience, her emotionality, suicide attempts? Her interpretation of her own life? The prosecutor's interpretation? The strength of Ellen Burstyn's presence, character sketching? Jean Harris as a woman, her career, relationships? Ability or inability to cope on the personal level? Professional level? A credible woman?

6. The contribution of the witnesses: Suzanne and her information, her work? The police and their testimony? The autopsy? Mrs. Edwards? The information. the attitudes (the medallion), the interpretation and treatment?

7. The careful presentation of the evidence: the phone calls, the witnesses to the phone calls and the reported conversations (and personal bias)? The importance of the letter, the time that it was mailed, its being received? The link with the financial situation of the doctor? Jean Harris' financial needs?

8. The defence and the explanation? With sufficient skill or not? Sympathy, objections? The style of the defence? Building up Jean Harris' life and reputation? Children, career, meetings, the attitude of parents in her treatment of children taking drugs? Her trauma? Lynn?

9. The skill of the prosecutor, his character, method? His explanations? Treatment of the evidence, of Jean Harris? The interpretation of her behaviour? His being a dominant character in the screenplay? A credible character and prosecutor?

10. The judge and his background, his hearing of the evidence, of objections, allowing and disallowing? His stance at the end?

11. The growing importance of the letter and its role in the climax?

12. The sketch of the jurors, their place in the court? The atmosphere of the courtroom and the audience being immersed in it? Audiences sharing the task of the jurors?

13. The importance of American justice and its administration, responsibility and guilt, the styles of proceedings? Instructions to the jury? The possibility of doubts that justice could be done?

14. The build-up to the verdict, its being given ? and its justice?