MISTRIAL

US, 1996, 88 minutes, Colour.
Bill Pullman, Robert Loggia, Blair Underwood, Jon Seda, Roma Maffia, James Rebhorn.
Directed by Heywood Gould.

Mistrial was produced by the team of Geena Davis and Renny Harlin. It is a Home Box Office telemovie. It focuses on American courts and justice.

The focus is on Bill Pullman as a detective of 18 years' standing in the New York Police Force. He is aggressive and has been criticised for using too much violence, having shot somebody accidentally in the line of duty. In the film, he is angry with a suspect who has killed two policemen, one of whom was his former wife. Against advice, he goes to get evidence from the suspect, the suspect draws a gun, in the ensuing struggle he pulls his gun and kills the suspect's common-law wife and his brother. There are demonstrations by civil rights people against him and the police.

In the court case, he is considered as the villain, the presumption being that he is lying, that he has planted evidence, that he is a bad tough cop. Jury sympathy as well as that of the media is with the accused, who has worked for civil rights.

The film shows the politicking of the New York mayor, the dilemmas of the police officials who want to end the situation, especially when the verdict is not guilty for the accused and the detective pulls a gun, empties the court except for the accused, the judge and the jury and a television camera. He replays the trial, criticises the judge and her decisions for being far too much letter of the law and thus preventing important evidence from being presented. The jury considers its verdict again and it is guilty. In the meantime, the police are able to come into the courtroom, the detective has to make a decision whether to kill himself and so destroy his family and reputation, or else go to prison. The accused sits remembering his crime and his killing of his wife.

Some critics considered the film too right-wing in its support of police. Others, however, felt that the film supported the role of the police, the dictates of law and was an attack on too rigid an application of legal niceties.

Bill Pullman is convincing as the policeman, fairly unsympathetic to most audiences, making his case for himself to the jury in the second hearing. This psychological effect is the same for the film's audience, who feel antagonistic towards Pullman but then realise the justice of his case.

1. Interesting telemovie? Audience interest and sympathy, characters, issues of policing, police violence, law and order, the justice of the courts?

2. The New York settings, the crime scene, the drug tenement, the prison centres, the police officers, the court?

3. The crime, audiences seeing it in the dark, the end with the realisation that Eddie had actually committed the crime? The reaction of Steve, the horror of the police at the murders? The discussions at the office, Steve and his going to confront Eddie, the advice against it? His background, tough stances, his being wounded in the past, his shooting and being vindicated?

4. Going to the apartment, the confrontation with Eddie, his common-law wife, his brother, the aggressive attitude, Eddie drawing the gun, the fight, the shots and the deaths?

5. Eddie and his background of campaigning for civil rights, the reaction of his supporters, the demonstrations, the media? The media taking his part at all times? His smooth playing of the media?

6. The authorities in New York City, Lou and his immediate authority over Steve, his orders? The mayor and his adviser, political capital, shrewdness? The police chief and his attitude? The chain of command? The mayor being advised not to intervene when he wanted to?

7. The passing of time, the gathering of evidence? The district attorney and her warning Steve about the realities? The preparation of the defence? The gathering of evidence?

8. The trial, the judge's attitude, the jury and the prosecution? The defence? Steve being seen as the villain? The suppression of necessary evidence? Steve and his interview with the drug dealer, the tenement being considered his home and therefore an invasion of his home? His identifying Eddie in the line-up?

9. The preparation for the verdict, the people, the police, the riots? Steve and his wife, the support of the family? Seeing himself on the news? The bewilderment? The repercussions on his marriage?

10. The verdict, his pulling the gun, ordering people out, getting the proceedings televised? His harsh criticisms of the judge and her response? The jury and their reactions, their reasons? Their blaming each other? His going through the whole proceedings, the interviews with Eddie, the testimony? Its all being televised on national television?

11. The reaction of the authorities, the hardliners wanting to rush the courtroom? The strategies - and Steve knowing them? His pursuit of the case, the confrontations with Eddie, the appeal to the jury, making the judge ask them, the verdict? Not guilty?

12. Lou and his confrontation with Steve, the possibility of his killing himself, giving himself up, prison?

13. The particular perspectives being elaborated, for and against Steve, for and against Eddie? The role of justice, the law, right? What conclusions would audiences draw about this kind of behaviour, trial and Steve's handling of the situation - emotionally and in an American melodramatic fashion?