Review of pictures of poker hands::What Year Was the Film 5 Card Stud Made
Review of pictures of poker hands::What Year Was the Film 5 Card Stud Made
Ten days before trial, and after learning that the client has been neglected, Mickey finds his longtime friend and colleague passed out drunk on the floor in his office. Shaking his head and muttering, "Aw, Frankie," Mickey drags his friend over to his office couch and lectures him at the first sign of consciousness. Fed up after sending some promising business to his struggling friend and carrying the bulk of the casework for a year and a half, he laments to his semi-conscious friend, "I got you a good case. It's a money maker. If you do it right, it will take care of you." As Frank comes around, Mickey pointed out to him, "I got these people to trust you." To which Frank responds, "What are you, my nanny?"[1] Such entertaining banter is characteristic of the relationship dynamic between a lead character and his trusted, longtime friend and colleague--his "sidekick" supporting character. An effective device in many courtroom dramas, the sidekick character can wear many hats, ranging from helping to develop a main character and further a film's storyline, to adding injections of levity in a tense courtroom drama. More specifically, with respect to a courtroom drama's messages about morality,[2] the legal system, legal ethics,[3] and justice,[4] the sidekick can be instrumental in illuminating, articulating and reinforcing the film's message while balancing viewpoints and connecting the audience to the film. At times this character serves as a trusted, streetwise colleague. At other times, the sidekick is a sort of guardian angel to the protagonist. Although it is the main character who must ultimately decide how to tackle the tough ethical[5] issues at hand (or else risk losing credibility and strength with the audience), whether justice is served and the film's moral battle is won can depend on the sidekick character's contribution. The audience usually sees the sidekick depicted as a trusted, longtime friend and colleague of the attorney's. This character relates to the protagonist with a closeness of two people who have been in the legal trenches together and have developed a deep level of respect for one another. The sidekick serves as a reasonable, reliable sounding board. He advises the lead character while he informs the audience, raising issues and anticipating audience questions and viewpoints. He supplies additional points of view, providing a more balanced, well-rounded film message, and anticipating the moral issues that the audience may be considering. The sidekick is a voice of reason. He assists the main character in addressing moral and ethical dilemmas while they philosophize about justice, and he utilizes his sense of ethics and morality and to further the cause at hand. This character is effective when the audience can trust what the sidekick has to say while viewing the interaction between the lead and the sidekick, and can connect with him. The audience can trust the sidekick because he provides a reasonable viewpoint, sometimes echoing the audience's viewpoint. Furthermore, when the audience sees the protagonist relying on his colleague for information, advice, and support, the sidekick gains credibility. Additionally, by aiding and even at times protecting the protagonist, the sidekick also saves the cause the protagonist is fighting for and preventing further injustice. A discussion of the sidekick's role in the following films illustrates how the sidekick can help further the themes of justice and morality in courtroom dramas. Jagged Edge In Jagged Edge,[6] Teddy Barnes is pressured by her firm's partners to take this case in order to retain the special client's business. Because Jack is such a valuable client, Teddy's superiors at the firm insist that she take this criminal defense case and offer her a partnership, even though she quit criminal work after prosecuting and convicting Henry Stiles, an innocent man, who ended up hanging himself in jail and now "go[es] out of her way to not be familiar with criminal cases." Jack Forrester is accused of brutally murdering his heiress wife. It is suggested through comparison with Teddy's past controversial case (where the poor black defendant she prosecuted was wrongfully convicted) that the legal system operates such that the wealthy can afford not only top representation but preferential treatment and maneuverability within it. And while the guilty could go free if they can afford talented representation, the innocent can be wrongly convicted if they cannot. Attorneys in the movie are depicted as personally or politically driven. When Tom Krasny was running for the District Attorney's office during the controversial Stiles trial, his political ambitions caused him to act in his own best interests rather than in the interest of justice. The judge presiding over Jack's trial, who is depicted as very dignified and honorable, suggests that the legal system sleaze stops at the lawyer level and that the judges keep the system from going completely off track by keeping the legal system operating as it was intended, "A man's life is at stake here. Not headlines. Not careers." The judge is tough and goes by the book: "Don't question ethics in my chambers without the evidence to back it up." Teddy is grappling with several ethical issues. She lives with the guilt of being responsible for wrongfully convicting Henry Stiles four years earlier due to evidence concealed by her former colleague Krasny in the DA's office[7], who now has his sights set on the Senate. This is the case that caused her to quit the DA's office and switch to corporate law. Morally, she is having difficulty handling Jack's defense because she does not want to defend a killer but is ethically bound unless he perjures himself.[8] Teddy's moral dilemma is the struggle to represent a client whose innocence she doubts. Her distress speaks to the film's criticism of our adversary system. She also became romantically involved with her client, compromising herself ethically, as well.[9] Before she agrees to defend Jack, Teddy calls upon trusted investigator and longtime friend, Sam, "the best investigator the DA's office ever had." The audience can easily glean from the mutual respect that exists between Teddy and Sam that their familiar and, at times, crass, rapport is that of a genuine, trusting friendship. Sam points out that Teddy's guilt over the Stiles case is her motivation for defending Jack, which proves to be a dead-on observation, since she later admits to Jack after he "played her" that she didn't want to be used anymore and took the case "to clean herself off." Though he is suffering from the same guilt and wants to close the door on the Stiles case rather than seek redemption and make sure justice is served in another criminal case, he agrees to help her on the Forrester case. Sam uncovers evidence for Teddy, while advising her and watching out for her. The colorful and affectionate dynamic between Teddy and Sam demonstrates how Sam is both a protector and a voice of reason for Teddy. During one of Sam's late night drop-ins at Teddy's home to update her on their witnesses, Sam treats Teddy like a daughter and warns her not to fall for Jack: "He wants you to like him because the more you like him, the harder you'll work to beat the rap against him....Just reminding you, Sweetheart." Sam is also Teddy's ethical conscience, seemingly speaking on behalf of the audience's unbiased common sense. Additionally, because he is not one of the lawyers, and is not personally or politically motivated to work on the case, his values remain consistently good throughout the film. While urging Teddy not to allow herself to be romanced and manipulated by her client, he cuts through her romance-addled rationalizations and warns that, after months of surveillance, Sam truly believes that Jack killed his wife. Sam is a soothsayer as well as a moral compass. His warnings raise the audience's suspicion about Jack's guilt and show how big the risks are that Teddy keeps taking. It is to Teddy's detriment that, as her situation with Jack becomes increasingly complicated and dangerous, she repeatedly refuses to heed Sam's insights. But, Sam is still there to console her when his theories prove true. When Teddy discovers in Jack's closet the typewriter used to type the anonymous tips sent to her, she frantically calls Sam instead of the police. Then she realizes that she does not want to implicate him and she chooses to protect herself from Jack, who is on his way to her house. After receiving this fearful phone call, Sam ran to her aid in the dramatic final scene. Not one to mince words, after Teddy shot Jack in self defense, Sam once again consoles her: "Fuck him. He was trash." The Verdict The Verdict centers on Frank Galvin, an ambulance chaser who represents people of limited means suing a hospital for negligence resulting in their sister's coma. The film negatively depicts lawyers as smarmy and money grubbing, with a high-profile law firm fringing on unethical practices because, as defense attorney Concannon concisely put it, "We are paid to win." The film further suggests that the entire legal system corrupt. This is evident through the actions of the trial judge, who inappropriately interferes with Frank's cross-examination and extends favoritism to influential lawyers and wealthy, important clients. Initially, Frank is shown scouring obituaries and cruising funerals for new business, oblivious to ethical concerns.[10] Frank is thoroughly unethical, particularly when soliciting for new clients[11] and in his treatment of his current clients.[12] When he is not completely ignoring them, he rejects the hospital's settlement offer without communicating it to them and obtaining their instructions, and instead exceeds his authority and presses on toward trial.[13] After visiting the comatose victim in the hospital, Frank is affected by the injustice she suffered, and pursuing the hospital responsible for her condition becomes a moral fight for Frank. Although he still uses unethical means to prepare his case, such as fraudulently misrepresenting himself on the phone to potential witnesses and stealing the mail of a hospital nurse, and although may it be argued that he is more personally motivated to regain his lawyerly spark and defeat the slick, large firm representing the hospital as he acts contrary to his clients' wishes,[14] it may also be argued that at least in part, Frank is spurred on morally. Perhaps because he suffered injustice himself when he was accused of jury tampering, he seems to want to do the right thing by way of a legal remedy and make certain the hospital is held responsible for its negligence. It is Mickey who provides Frank's background to the audience, and who, by trying to talk some sense into him, highlights Frank's drive. Mickey reveals the circumstances that befell Frank which caused him to lose faith in the legal system. Mickey describes how Frank used to be a good attorney until he was wrongly accused of jury tampering. Shortly thereafter, he started drinking, and his wife left him. Throughout The Verdict, Mickey reasons with Frank by giving him reality checks laced with tough love. Though he understands what caused Frank's downward spiral, as shown above in the opening scene of The Verdict, Mickey is done enabling Frank's drinking and client neglect, and reminds Frank of the legal talent he possesses. A scene exemplary of how the sidekick embellishes the protagonist's-and the film's-sense of morality is when Frank pulls Mickey out of a lunchtime poker game at the courthouse and, acting on Mickey's earlier pep talk, informs him that he turned down the settlement: Mickey: Are you out of your mind? You need my help?! You need a goddamn keeper! Are you telling me you turned down $210,000.00? Huh? What are you, nuts? What are you going to do, bring her back to life? Frank: I'm going to help her. Mickey: To do what? To do what, for chrissakes? Help her do what? She's dead! Frank: They killed her. They're trying to buy her. Mickey: That's the fucking point, Dummy. You let them buy the case! That's why I took it. Frank: You said if not now, when? Mickey: Not now! Though Mickey implores Frank not to go to court against defense counsel Concannon, "The Prince of Darkness," Frank insists that he wants to try the case, and asks Mickey if he will help him. Mickey grimaces and nods, and soon we see them toiling away in a law library, discussing precedent and studying cases. Loyal despite believing that the case was over, Mickey goes to great lengths to help Frank persevere. In order to immediately notify Frank that his girlfriend is actually a mole for the defense, before he had a chance to confide to her anything else about the case strategy or their new key witness, Frank flies to New York to catch him. By arguing with Frank to give up while reluctantly supporting him in his underdog fight for justice, Mickey's character, much like Jan Schlichtmann's partners in A Civil Action,[15] serves to draw the audience's attention to and emphasize Frank's efforts and moral transformation. Anatomy of a Murder Anatomy of a Murder[16] focuses on attorney Paul Biegler and his approach to the defense of Lieutenant Manion, who murdered a man after he allegedly raped the Lieutenant's wife. The movie suggests through Paul's defense of Lt. Manion that our legal system is perhaps unfair and unjust. Paul's courtroom performance exemplifies how the adversary system allows for "truth" to become obscured, edited and detracted from when being presented to a fact-finding jury. The movie also characterizes attorneys as focused as much or more on winning, than on justice. As Daniel Kaffee said in A Few Good Men,[17] "This is about a sales pitch. It's not going to be won by the law; it's going to be won by the lawyers." The relationship between Paul and his longtime friend and fellow lawyer, Parnell Emmett McCarthy, is established through the opening scene of the movie, when the two meet at Paul's house to have a drink and enjoy an evening of reading Supreme Court opinions. In the opening scene, Parnell relates to Paul's semi-retirement but has no qualms about voicing concern about Paul's drinking and wasted talent. A concerned friend and fellow attorney with a passion for the law, he insinuates that Paul has been drinking too much and licking his wounds, and has not been the same since he lost the office of Public Prosecutor. This conversation not only sheds light on Paul's background, but suggests that Paul's talent is going to waste due to possible political injustice. Right at that moment, the phone rings concerning the challenging defense of Lt. Manion, and Parnell urges Paul to take the case. Much like Mickey in The Verdict, Parnell spurs on Paul, confident that this case will get Paul back in the litigation game. At first, Paul grapples with whether to take the case, and does so following the encouragement of Parnell. Over lunch, when they discuss Paul's initial consultation with the defendant, Parnell asks Paul, "Did you give the Lieutenant the well-known lecture?" Paul responds, "If you mean did I coach him into a phony story, no." After Parnell challenges him by theorizing "Maybe you're too pure Paul, too pure for the natural impurities of the law," the audience learns the appreciative, yet critical, slant of the filmmaker's views toward the legal profession. Parnell reminds Paul of the lawyerly mindset he should have, rather than a personal distaste for the facts surrounding the case: "Could be that you owe the Lieutenant a chance to find a defense. Could also be that you might guide him a little, show him the way and let him decide if he wants to take it." Following that advice, Paul toes the ethical line[18] by essentially coaching his client to create a defense; concerning himself primarily with presenting his client in the best light to the jury. Throughout the trial, both prosecution and defense are shown focused on winning their game, manipulating and distorting the facts within the Rules of Evidence and on the edge of professional responsibility. Thus it is Parnell's influence that sets the tone of the movie and helps convey its message. To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird[19] portrays upstanding, idealistic and unrealistic attorney Atticus Finch defending a black man wrongly accused of rape in a deeply prejudiced, rural southern town in the 1930's. One of the movie's main messages is that people view justice and the power of the legal system differently. Atticus is at odds with the uneducated townsfolk who settle things with their fists and their shotguns rather than intellectually and legally. In other words, there is a disparity between legal justice and vigilante justice. During this era in the Deep South, Atticus is unique. He ignores social politics to his detriment and strictly adheres to the colorblind ideals of justice, placing 100% of his faith in the legal system. He naively believes that the legal system ensures justice. He is so ethically rigid, in fact, that he does not have a separate set of morals when a conflict concerns his own family. Atticus' sense of morality is to lead by example. To some extent, he tries to impose his moral values on those around him. Though aware that many of his neighbors are uneducated and have a different perception of good moral character, he seems to think that they are capable of change. But they have already lived and experienced injustices of their own, they have already been taught to be prejudiced, and they have developed their own sense of justice. In his closing argument during Tom Robinson's trial, Atticus makes every effort to present a well-reasoned argument, but makes no effort to relate to the simple and even ignorant people he is lecturing on how the legal system in this country is "the great leveler" when the people want to punish someone because one of their own claimed she was raped. They are used to taking matters into their own hands. Sheriff Tate, a respected figure Atticus clearly trusts, is the supporting character who advises Atticus on the delicate treatment of each situation as it arises. Understanding the gravity of the racial tension in the community, Sheriff Tate tries to keep Tom safe in the jail from a lynch mob. Responding to rumors, he visits Atticus to warn him that the mob might inflict their own ignorant, vigilante[20] sense of justice, break into the jail and kill Tom. It is through these actions that the audience sees the frightening way in which the community reacts to the alleged crime against a white neighbor by a black man. When Scout and Gem are attacked by Bob Ewell, Gem is knocked unconscious and Scout cannot identify their attacker through her costume. Following the attack, when deciding their course of action, Atticus automatically begins to plan out loud the procedure of going to county court and arguing a clear cut case of self-defense. Sheriff Tate "pulls rank" and implores Atticus to bend his strict adherence to legal procedure and acclimate to their social context. Here, morals dictate justice. Sheriff Tate describes how, in reality, the justice system might just fail, and how the kids' rescuer, Boo Radley, might be punished after acting heroically in the kids' defense. As he put it, "Dragging a man who did you a service into the limelight is a sin." In other words, the sheriff bluntly points out that what should happen is not what will happen. So Sheriff Tate proposes an alternate theory: "Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself." The Sheriff continues to explain to Atticus that he should reconsider strictly adhering to procedure because justice has already been served through an equitable result, "There's a black man dead for no reason. Now the man responsible for it is dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch." Thus, Sheriff Tate's character not only delivers the movie's message, but supplies an additional point of view, by tempering Atticus' idealism with streetwise realism. He accomplishes this by teaching Atticus that exceptions should sometimes be made and that adhering to the letter of the law does not always lead to a just result. This film, like The Verdict and A Few Good Men, is an example of the sidekick/protagonist dynamic influencing the protagonist's change in his perception of the legal system. However, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus' evolution goes in the opposite direction, since he is at the stage where he needs to have less than absolute faith in the legal system, while Frank and Danny reestablish their faith. A Few Good Men Attorney Daniel Kaffee learns in A Few Good Men that there is honor in being an attorney and honor in being a member of the military as he defends two officers who stand accused of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and conduct unbecoming a United States marine. The movie's message concerns the dissonance between what is moral and legal in our society at large, and what is right by the Code the military follows. The Guantanamo Bay Unit lives by the official Code: Unit, Corp., God, Country. Unofficially, there is a tradition of vigilante-style justice that the "Code Red" falls under, used to "train" and to enforce "Unit, Corp., God, Country." A Code Red responsible for the death of the victim was ordered by ambitious Col. Jessep as one of his many corrupt cover-ups in order to keep up the appearance of running a tight ship, so to speak, and to ensure his appointment as Director of Operations of the National Security Council (another example of politics prevailing over the law). The victim merely broke the chain of command and ended up losing his life. Legally, the two defendants committed a crime, while they wholeheartedly believed that they were doing their jobs, following orders passed down through the chain of command and acting in accordance with the Code. Their logic is that, if they were adhering to the Code, they did nothing wrong. The movie also remarks on one's duties as an attorney. Daniel Kaffee treats his military JAG job as though he were a student advocate on a college campus, coaching softball while plea bargaining his clients' petty crimes. As sidekick character Jo suggests, he is just going through the motions, following in his father's footsteps, "treading water until he moves on to a real job." The sidekicks In A Few Good Men are emblematic of the film's two points of view: Lieutenant Sam Weinberg represents morality, and Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway represents the military's code of ethics. Sam is from Kaffee's office and is assigned co-counsel to Kaffee because of his trial experience, though it is implied that he is to baby-sit loose cannon Kaffee and to ensure that the murder case is handled "by the book." In other words, since Danny treats the practice of law and about being a marine in such a devil-may-care manner, Sam is teamed with him to ensure that procedure and legal formalities are followed. Danny relies on Sam to bring him up to speed on everything from Navy procedure to the recent political issues concerning Jessep aiming to be appointed Director of Operations of the National Security Council. Since Sam is also more laid back and civilian and less "fanatical" about being in the military, Sam cuts through the Code and focuses on the morality of the issue. As Sam views the facts, the defendants attacked Private Santiago in his sleep, they should have known better, and they should be punished. Danny seeks Sam's advice because he's unsure of how to proceed since he has noticed some case details that do not add up: "Jack Ross offered me the twelve years. It took 45 seconds. I barely put up a fight." When Kaffee asks Sam whether he believes the defendants' story, or whether they should be found guilty, Sam responds, "I believe every word of their story and I think they ought to go to jail for the rest of their lives." By contrast, Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway ("Jo") describes herself as "possessing not only the legal skill but a familiarity with the inner workings of the military." She is passed over as lead counsel primarily because she is "all passion, and no street smarts." But Jo's passion for justice serves to motivate and inspire Danny. Sam and Jo debate the two sides for the audience: honor and following the Code v. doing what one personally believes is right. Sam argues that the defendants should have known better, "that any decent human being would have refused." But Jo, the would-be military interpreter points out that the two defendants, as officers, were not permitted to question orders. Their job is to follow orders, period. Sam points out that it was an illegal order. And they continue to lock horns over the issue throughout the movie. Jo asks Sam, "Why do you hate them so much?" He angrily replies, "They beat up on a weakling. That's all they did. They tortured a weaker kid. They killed him. And why? Because he couldn't run very fast. Why do you like them so much?" Jo explains, "Because they stand on a wall and they say 'Nothing is going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch.'" Danny's transformation, prompted by Sam and Jo, is from a cocky and dispassionate lawyer who plea bargains on the softball field, to one who does everything possible, working night and day, to ensure that his clients get justice and that the truth is known. The audience notes this transformation in part from the accusations-turned-appraisals from both Sam and Jo, and their effects on Danny. A pivotal scene in the film that asserts the responsibility to be a zealous advocate[21] follows a heated exchange with defendant Dawson, when Danny is tempted to quit the case and have new counsel assigned (though arguably unprofessional[22]). After Danny asks Sam how to withdraw from the case, the two mentor sidekicks team up and trick some confidence into Danny: Jo (to Danny): I want you to stand up and make an argument. Sam: An argument that didn't work for Calley at My Lai; an argument that didn't work for the Nazis at Nuremberg.... Danny: Oh for Christ sake, Sam, do you really think that's the same as two teenage Marines executing a routine order that they never believed would result in harm? These guys aren't the Nazis! Jo: Don't look now Danny, but you're making an argument. Jo, through impassioned speeches, motivates Kaffee by bluntly forcing him to examine his duties as an attorney, including representing his clients to the best of his ability[23], as well as his duties as an officer, including meeting the challenge set before him and not merely taking the easy way out by copping a plea. Jo, in a sense, dares Danny to rise to the occasion by practically shaming him: "You know nothing about the law. You're a used car salesman, Daniel. You're an ambulance chaser with a rank. You're nothing. Live with that." While Jo insults Danny to introspection, Sam offers cool-headed moral support and legal guidance. The result of both sidekicks' efforts is that Danny transforms from someone who just did his job, always plea bargained and never entered a courtroom, to an attorney who vigorously defends his clients. The Firm The Firm[24] provides another example of two influences on the protagonist, but unlike A Few Good Men, the two influential sidekick characters in the Firm resemble the proverbial angel and devil sitting on the shoulders of the lead character. The movie is about an ambitious, young attorney who uncovers corruption and murder in his new firm. Mitch McDeere is an idealistic, talented recent graduate of Harvard Law. He is ethically sound, yet ambitious and motivated by money. In The Firm, the field of law is portrayed as being corrupt, money-motivated and untrustworthy. The partners of the firm are laundering money for the mafia and literally getting away with murder. Mitch's moral conflict is between wanting the perfect job with all the perks and knowing in his gut that there is something wrong behind the impressive façade of the firm. In terms of legal ethics, once the true nature of the firm's business becomes clear, Mitch wrestles with hard choices about unappealing alternatives Mitch lists off what it would mean to cooperate with the FBI: "risking my life stealing files...testifying against my colleagues...being sent to jail...revealing privileged information, breaking the law, getting me disbarred and testifying in open court against the mafia." Mitch is also grappling with the moral issue of protecting his family from both the firm and the FBI. In the movie, the FBI is shown to be almost as dirty as the mob as they follow, blackmail, and attempt to trick Mitch. The firm has threatened that they will get to his wife and his brother. The FBI could indict Mitch as a co-conspirator. Agent Wayne Tarrance toes the ethical line and threatens Mitch just like the partners at the firm do. The audience sees during a conversation between Agent Tarrance and his superior that the FBI plans on reneging on the deal they make with Mitch to release his brother early from prison. Mitch cannot trust the FBI or rely on protection from them. Thankfully, through his two sidekicks, he learned the truth about the firm before he got in too deep. Abby McDeere is the angel on Mitch's shoulder. She acts as his conscience. Though supportive of her husband, she is wary of this seemingly too good to be true opportunity. After going to a firm party, Mitch asks her what she thinks. Abby replies, "Weird that jobs aren't 'forbidden' and children are 'encouraged.'" After she voices her concern, her suspicions are confirmed with the next scene, which shows the partners and head of security Bill Devasher conducting a secretive late-night meaning and having a cryptic conversation about how they have to "do something." When Mitch tries to argue that he is taking the job to provide well for them, she rejects his rationalization: "It's about a mother in a trailer park and a brother you pretend you don't have." Through Abby, the audience learns Mitch came from an impoverished background which spurs his ambition. Abby's voice of reason tempers Mitch's gung-ho excitement as she level-headedly points out red flags concerning the firm, while continuing to support Mitch's decisions and trying to enjoy his success. By doing this, she not only balances the movie's viewpoints but promotes audience confidence in Mitch's character as well. Avery Tolar is assigned to be Mitch's mentor in the firm. Avery Tolar acts as the devil on Mitch's shoulder, encouraging Mitch to fly off to the Cayman Islands and blow off studying for the bar exam. Avery emphasizes billables, padding fees,[25] and helping the rich dodge taxes and launder money through offshore accounts in the Caymans.[26] Over a martini lunch, Avery explains to Mitch that success means to "bend law as far as you can without breaking it." Avery admits, while sipping his midday drink, that because he makes so much money for the firm, he is "allowed a few minor rebellions." His adherence to such questionable values makes Mitch look angelic. Avery's methods are emblematic of the firm and the negative perception of attorneys helping the rich stay rich and helping criminals get off, "The difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion is a game; nothing to do with the law." But Mitch's character cannot have too much help figuring out the truth behind the firm's dealings or he will not seem so quick and talented to the audience. So, Abby's insights provide just subtle hints of the reality of the situation. She is a sounding board. She raises questions on the audience's behalf. When Mitch tells her that he found out the truth about the firm's dealings, she asks "What will you do?" which prompts Mitch to explain his ethical dilemma: that he would be revealing clients' secrets and risking disbarment even though morally it would be right to expose the corruption. When Mitch is sworn in as an attorney, the oath is emphasized "to maintain the confidence and preserve inviolate the secrets of my clients." Trying to remain both alive and legally ethical, Mitch negotiates a deal with the FBI on his own terms and takes control because he senses that the FBI cares more about getting the crooks than protecting Mitch. Then he flies to Chicago and meets with the mafia client, reporting overbilling by the firm and using invoices as proof. He does not waive any of their attorney-client privilege[27] by handing over the documents to the government, because, like it or not, he represents these criminals and is bound by the attorney-client privilege. Mitch is guided by the opposing moral forces of Abby and Avery. Abby keeps Mitch from getting carried away and selling his soul to the firm. On the other hand, unlike Obi Wan as a mentor to both Anakin and Luke Skywalker, teaching them both the ways of The Force[28], Avery underscores Mitch's ethical soundness by being an unethical mentor. When Mitch asks Abby if she is all right following her interlude with Avery, she responds "Avery was decent...and corrupt, and ruined, and so unhappy and it could've happened to you, all of it. You were on your way." In conclusion, by supporting the ethical plight of the protagonist, the sidekick character can help imbue a movie with the filmmaker's ideas of morality, justice and legal system. In Jagged Edge, Sam provides the same wary support that Abby provides in The Firm, and they both provide background information on the lead character. By explaining the protagonist's back story, the sidekick not only explains the protagonist's motivation but convinces the audience that the lead character is a good guy worth rooting for. The audience learns from Parnell in Anatomy of a Murder that Paul Biegler is a talented, well-respected former D.A. In The Verdict, Mickey explains to the audience that Frank was not always a drunk ambulance chaser; that at one time he ethically fought the good fight and could again. The supporting actor gives credibility to the lead, so while he may advise and debate issues with the lead character, the protagonist remains "strong" by ultimately making his own ethical and moral decisions. Furthermore, by pressing on and ultimately not following reasonable advice from a trusted colleague, like Frank did in The Verdict, the importance of the lead's decision is underscored. In Anatomy of a Murder, The Verdict, Jagged Edge and A Few Good Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Firm, the colleague sidekick is the one who explains the issues to the protagonist and the audience, who protects the protagonist, provides a voice of reason for him, and who assists him in his pursuit of justice and/or winning the case. Through explaining the details of the case and providing a trusted sounding board for the lead character, the sidekick illuminates the ethical and moral issues that the lead must face. A Few Good Men and The Verdict are both illustrative of the evolution of the lawyer lead character as he gets back to the heart of what it means to be an attorney and rediscovers the virtues of the legal system. Conversely, overly-idealistic Atticus' lesson in To Kill a Mockingbird is to reconcile his devotion to the law with the realities of society. In Jagged Edge and To Kill a Mockingbird, Sam and Sheriff Tate both articulate the films' messages that the ends justify the means and that justice is not necessarily reached in a court of law. Also, the sidekicks in both movies provide a moral constant to show how personal involvement in the legal issues can shift perception of justice and morality. These films share the message that attorneys should be responsible for ensuring that the legal system functions as it was intended to function, and that it not be thwarted by motivations outside of the pursuit of justice. Many of these films theorize that the real problem is not the legal system itself, but how the interference of political interests is what is responsible for the erosion, warping and corruption of the legal system. In A Few Good Men and Jagged Edge, an impending election drove how the case at hand was dealt with. In To Kill a Mockingbird, racial tensions during a time of great legal and political change affected the community, and, by extension, the jury, affecting the case's outcome despite following the letter of the law. Realistically, attorneys are only human and those who support them help them stay the course. The sidekicks in the foregoing movies help to accomplish this both by assisting in the articulation of the films' messages, and assisting the protagonist attorneys in pursuing justice. [1] THE VERDICT (Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation 1982). [2] "Morality" is defined as "1. Conformity with recognized rules of correct conduct. 2. The character of being virtuous, esp. in sexual matters. 3. A system of duties; ethics." Black's Law Dictionary [456] (2nd Pocket Ed. 2001). [3] "Legal ethics" is defined as "1. The standards of minimally acceptable conduct within the legal profession, involving the duties that its members owe one another, their clients, and the courts. 2. The study or observance of those duties. 3. The written regulations governing those duties. See MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT." Black's Law Dictionary [409] (2nd Pocket Ed. 2001). [4] "Justice" is defined as "The fair and proper administration of laws." Black's Law Dictionary [391] (2nd Pocket Ed. 2001). [5] "Ethical" is defined as "1. Of or relating to moral obligations that one person owes another; esp., in law, of or relating to legal ethics. 2. In conformity with moral norms or standards of professional conduct." Black's Law Dictionary [248] (2nd Pocket Ed. 2001). [6] JAGGED EDGE (Columbia Pictures Corporation 1985). [7] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 3.3 (2007). [8] Id. [9] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 1.8(j) (2007) [10] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 7.3 (2007). [11] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 7.2 and R. 7.3 (2007). [12] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 1.2, R. 1.3 and R. 1.4 (2007). [13] Id. [14] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 1.2 (2007). [15] (Jan Schlictman's morality was underscored when he constantly deviated from the advice and wishes of his team of partners and pursued the case). A CIVIL ACTION (Touchstone Pictures 1998). [16] ANATOMY OF A MURDER (Carlyle Productions 1959). [17] A FEW GOOD MEN (Castle Rock Entertainment 1992). [18] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 1.2 and R. 3.3 (2007). [19]TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (Brentwood Productions 1962). [20] "Vigilante" is defined as "A person who seeks to avenge a crime by taking the law into his or her own hands." Black's Law Dictionary [750] (2nd Pocket Ed. 2001). [21] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT Preamble (2007). [22] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 1.16 (2007). [23] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT Preamble (2007). [24] THE FIRM (Paramount Pictures 1993). [25] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 1.5 (2007). [26] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 3.3 (2007). [27] MODEL RULES OF PROF'L CONDUCT R. 1.6 (2007). [28] STAR WARS (Lucasfilm 1977); STAR WARS: EPISODE V - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (Lucasfilm 1980); STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES (Lucasfilm 2002); STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH (Lucasfilm 2005). |
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