GIDEON'S TRUMPET

US, 1980, 103 minutes, Colour.
Henry Fonda, Jose Ferrer, John Houseman, Fay Wray, Dean Jagger, Sam Jaffe, William Prince.
Directed by Robert Collins.

Gideon's Trumpet is a well-made and interesting telemovie. It is one of Henry Fonda's last films, coming just prior to his Oscar-winning On Golden Pond. At the end of his career, Fonda was playing American men of integrity - as he had done at the beginning (one thinks of his Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath) and throughout his career). He is supported by a strong cast, especially Jose Ferrer as lawyer Abe Fortas. John Houseman leads an interesting supporting cast of veterans as the American judiciary. The film is set in the '60s and shows one ordinary, semi-literate man challenging the American justice system and prevailing. Fonda is excellent as an old man and as the ordinary American hero.

1. An enjoyable and interesting telemovie? Piece of Americana?

2. The impact of the film on television: portrait of human beings, human values? A portrait of courage and character? Authentic? The background of Florida, the small town? Prison? Legal and justice issues? The judiciary and their meetings, consultations, knowledge of the law, application? The hearings? The impact of this for a home audience? Americans? universal audience?

3. Production values, the re-creation of the '60s? Florida, the detail of the town, prison? The importance of the star cast? The strength of the film and its feeling?

4. The focus on the film as a true story: authentic, an individual and his rights? The American system? The constitution and its protection? The repercussions of questions about the constitution, criticism of precedents? American freedom?

5. Henry Fonda in the central role? The impact of his total career and what he brought to this character? Clarence Gideon as an American symbol - personified by the American symbol Henry Fonda? The focus on Gideon as an old man, his place in the town, arrest, being victimised, his place in the court, request for legal aid, his cross-questioning, the attitude of the judge? The heavy sentence because of previous convictions? The support of his landlady? Jail - and the familiar sequences of fingerprinting, photographs, clothes, showers etc.? The humiliation for the old man? The build-up of information about his life - strengths, weaknesses? Gambling? Not drinking? Friendships in the jail, black and white? The detail of prison life? Work in the library? Reading, study, writing letters? His growing knowledge? The answers from the Justices? The results and the acclaim? The new trial? The lawyer and the strong stance to the judge? The cross-examination and the revelation of the truth? The verdict? The achievement? The possibility for retrials of so many prisoners?

6. The dramatising of the first trial: the arrest, the evidence, the lies, attitude of the judge, prejudice, the denial of legal aid and the consequences?

7. The incidental characters: the landlady, the young man and his lies, the owner, the taxi-driver - and their answers at the second trial? The lawyer and his friendship with Gideon, his skill in eliciting the truth and asking the right questions? Indicating the processes of legal procedures?

8. The Justices: the President and his receiving of the letter, considerations, the board meeting, the precedent with names and dates, pros and cons? The meeting of the judiciary and the consideration of the case?

9. Abe Fortas and his staff, the investigation, legal knowledge, precedents, his behaviour during the hearing and his presentation of his points? The contrast with the Florida lawyer foundering? The letters from Fortas to Gideon?

10. Audience interest in and fascination by legal procedures, dramatising of court cases? The importance of this court case for American justice? The principle of the individual and his freedom to standby the constitution and for it to support him?