LEGALESE
US, 1998, 105 minutes, Colour.
James Garner, Gina Gershon, Mary- Louise Parker, Edward Kerr, Brian Doyle- Murray, Kathleen Turner.
Directed by Glenn Jordan.
Legalese was written by Billy Ray, prolific writer and director of Shattered Glass, the expose of the writer who faked his articles for the New Republic. It was directed by Glenn Jordan, a director of many television movies during the 70s, 80s and 90s.
The film focuses on the law, on the lawyers who exploit the law and exploit the media for their own success. James Garner seems very much at home as the public-eye lawyer who manipulated people and succeeds in manipulating the law. Gina Gershon is the actress who commits murder but who finishes up as a celebrity with her own talk show. Mary- Louise Parker is Garner’s assistant. The leading man is Edward Kerr who plays a naïve young man who is also ambitious and admires James Garner. He is manipulated by Garner and has to make a final moral choice.
The film is satirical, pokes fun at law and its amoral practitioners as well as the media and its exploiters (especially Kathleen Turner as the anchor for a television channel called Scandal Centre).
1. The impact of this kind of American satire? Hard-hitting? Funny? Cynical?
2. The Los Angeles settings, affluence, media, show business? The courts?
3. The title and is jargon tone, irony?
4. The opening, Angela and her performance in the corridor, the revelation of the killing? Her going to hospital? Her composure, injuries? Going to Norman Keane? His putting her on to Roy Guyton? Her demure style, her plea for her sister, the discussions with her sister? The audience knowing that she was guilty?
5. Norman Keane, in the public eye, success, presumption? No holds barred? His relationship with Rica, her admiration for him? The encounter in the parking area with Roy, his reading into Roy’s ambitions, deciding that he would help him? Going to his office, bringing Angela to him? The earpiece, the press conference, his guidance, especially about the accident when he was young? His continued use of Roy? His motivation? The expose of Roy and Rica, on television? The revelation that he had organised Brenda to expose Roy? His stepping in when the work was done? His going on the television show? The final confrontation with Roy, the discussion of morals – and lack of morals? Of knowing that this was what the law was about? The irony of Ted Koppel ringing Roy – when he was about to go on show with Angela?
6. Angela, her sister, the relationship, the witness in the corridor, his asking Roy to picture what happened, the flashbacks and Roy picturing it? The truth about the killing? The offer of the TV show? Her going on, standing up for women, not being anti-men, her emotional appeal – especially after the interview with Brenda and the discussion about her being raped? The cynicism in the presentation of her character?
7. Rica, ambitious, admiring Norman, working for him, initiating the affair with Roy, their time together, meeting Roy’s father? The expose, the repercussions for her career? Standing by Norman, Roy’s appeal to her, her finally making a decision to go with him?
8. Roy’s father, the back-story, his drinking, his hearing about Roy, driving to meet him, the confrontation, the talk about lies and truth? His return, admiration for his son’s decisions?
9. Brenda, interviews, muckraking, Scandal Centre? The deal with Norman? His going on her show as legal adviser? The filming of Roy and Rica? The discovery of the truth – and her exposing Norman?
10. The law, the judges, the prosecutor, the spies, taping of stealing documents?
11. Roy, as a character, his studies, lying about his father, admiring Norman? His getting the case? The accent, the earpiece? His succumbing to Rica’s advances? His being publicity-shy, being sick after the press came with Angela? The press conference, the facing of the press? With
