DARROW

US, 1991, 100 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Spacey, Chris Cooper, Rebecca Jenkins, Donal Logue, Paul Guilfoyle.
Directed by John David Coles.

Darrow is an interesting documentary about the famous lawyer, Clarence Darrow, involved in all kinds of cases in the latter part of the 19th century and into the 20s of the 20th century. He was, perhaps, most famous for his participation in the Scopes Trial, confronting William Jennings Bryant. The action of this film proceeds that trial which is mentioned only at the end. (It was covered extensively in the different film versions of Inherit the Wind).

Kevin Spacey was not particularly well known when this film was made. He had a prominent career on the stage but in 1995 he was to win his first Oscar for his famous role in The Usual Suspects, followed four years later with his Oscar for American Beauty. He was to go to England and manage the Old Vic in London for many years, continue making films and television series, most prominently House of Cards.

Chris Cooper was a character actor who was to receive an Oscar in 2002 for his role in Adaptation.

The film creates the atmosphere of the period of the 1890s and on, difficult living in New York City, moves to Chicago and California, the law courts, cases about miners and health issues and getting the companies off on technicalities, railroad court cases. Darrow became involved with union leaders and made his name in defending union issues. This took a toll on his family and his wife left him – with his son doing the narration for the film. Darrow teamed with a reporter, Ruby, who became his support over many years, sometimes attacked for legal corruption, always making a comeback, even to the Scopes Trial.

The most prominent trial in this film is that of the thrill murder committed by Leopold and Loeb – and the dramatics of the film in Darrow’s speech against capital punishment.

An interesting look at aspects of American legal and court history.

1. A television film of the 1990s? Kevin Spacey and Chris Cooper and the beginning of their careers?

2. The structure of the film, the voice-over by Darrow’s son, his perspective? The range of cases, issues, relationships, crisis?

3. Audience knowledge of Clarence Darrow? His history and career? 19th-century and the law, the courts, the cases, public issues, the railroads, the unions? Darrow as a person, his relationship with his wife, his son? Issues of finance? The railways and their power, the executives, the case and his partner, the men suffering in the accident, knowing the risk, not getting any grant, the hard attitude of the law? The bosses? Darrow going to his boss, some secret compensation?

4. His leaving the company, his taking the case of the assassin, the man as mentally impaired, the decision to take his case, losing? Darrow being excited by this issues, sense of destiny, social concern?

5. Going to the meeting of the workers, hearing Debs, Debs and the vigour of his speech, rousing his followers, the effect? Darrow meeting Debs? Debs all wary, the eventual agreement?

6. Darrow and his wife, his being at work, drinking and celebrating cases, the decision to leave? Taking his son?

7. The case and the unions, the detail of the hearings, those present in court, the support for Debs, Darrow and his achievement, the lesser penalty? His reputation?

8. The growing number of clients, the collage of his serving the poor of the city?

9. The effect of the Pullman Railroad case, his taking up other cases?

10. Ruby, coming to interview him, the relationship, marriage, her continued support, the effect on him, her later desperation that continuing to support him?

11. Going to California, the cases, the issue of money from witnesses, payoffs, in the court, the witness and the prosecution, his testimony?

12. Darrow down, Ruby and her support? The need for money, no income? Going to the court – and his powerful speech and its impact on the court?

13. The changes in clients, the cases over this years, the deals, financial difficulties, recovery?

14. Darrow’s career over the decades, his son’s commentary? Going into the 1920s? The visit from his son, wife, grandchildren?

15. His being asked to take upon the Leopold and Loeb case, meeting with the uncle, the discussions, meeting with the accused, their manner, their wealthy background, the decision for the crime, the choice of the cousin, the killing? Darrow questioning them, the different attitudes? His decision that they were not mentally impaired?

16. The issue of capital punishment, Darrow’s stances, the prosecutor and his demands for hanging, the reaction of the public, the media, the protests and placards, vigils outside Darrow’s house, Ruby and her response?

17. The decision for the judge, his listening to the case, Darrow and the impact of his speech on mercy and its consequences? A high point of the film?

18. Darrow some, the comment on the Scope’s case – and assuming that everybody knew about it, the various film and television versions, not present in this film?

19. A portrait of a significant American, warts and all?