Trial - Glenn Ford

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

directed by Mark Robson
USA 1955

An hour and a quarter into Trial, the jury is finally impanelled. Ostensibly a legal drama, the movie casts wide its net, dragging in multi-hued racism, anti-Communism and fellow-travelers, corruption, vigilantism and media justice.

That venerable academy State University won't renew law prof Glenn Ford's contract because he lacks courtroom experience. He signs up with slick lawyer Arthur Kennedy ("Law's a business like any other"), who promptly makes him point man in a high-visibility trial. A Mexican boy has been charged with murder of an underage Anglo girl in a case of statutory rape. Town racists whip up a lynch mob; meanwhile, Kennedy flits across the country to milk cash from a leftist rally for the boy. But, confident that Ford will blow the defense, he's only interested in providing a profitable martyr for the "cause."

Ford faces a thankless task in the courtroom -- and the movie. Always the strong, stoic sufferer, he here plays a dupe, kept in the background, his face curdled into a mask of disdain. (Helpmate Dorothy McGuire, as Kennedy's maverick Girl Friday, shows more passion and intelligence.)

Excerpt of review from Bill McVicar for imdb.com located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 7 October 1955 (USA)

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DVD Review: Warner Home Video (Warner Archive Collection) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Warner Home Video Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:48:56
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.30 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	Dolby Digital Mono (English)
Subtitles	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Warner Home Video Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical trailer (2:56) DVD Release Date: July 29th, 2014 Keep case Chapters 23

Comments

Mark Robson's Trial, written by Don Mankiewicz from his novel, is a communist paranoia courtroom drama, somewhat dated, but elevated by excellent performances from Glenn Ford, Arthur Kennedy and Dorothy McGuire. Arthur Kennedy won a Golden Globe as best supporting actor and was nominated for Academy Awards in that nomination (Jack Lemmon for Mister Roberts took home the Oscar).

Home Video release was overdue and finally the film was released on made-on-demand disc from Warner Archive in July 2014. The anamorphic transfer in 1.78:1 aspect ratio, has some specs and marks, including cue marks, but with healthy amount of grain and good contrast. A 3-minute trailer is an extra and the film gets 23 chapters. An interesting drama that is a must for all Glenn Ford fans.

- Gregory Meshman

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