Marlyn Robinson asks:

>I'm responding

> to a paper on the image of lawyers in film and I need a quick survey.  The

> writers propose that law is seen "with rose colored glasses" and that

> frequently the lawyer is an heroic figure.  I think the public is more

> likely to view lawyers in a negative light and that film reflects this

> attitude.  I know hundreds of nasty lawyer movies, but that's because it's

> my area.  I would like to know, absolutely off the top of your head(s), what

> movies come to mind when you think of lawyers?  If you had to think

> specifically of corrupt, manipulative, sleazy mouthpieces, what would you

> come up with?

 

I think that there are, of course, lots of movies that depict

individual lawyers as venal or worse, but there are many that

depict them as idealistic (Saul in _Married To It_) or shrewd on

the side of right (Perry Mason). The _practice_ of law seems

generally to be disillusioning and perhaps even corrupting

(backstory in _True Believer_) but the _institution_ of the law

seems generally to grind fine, slow, and redemptively (_A Few

Good Men_).

 

Eric

 

Eric Rabkin                [log in to unmask]

Department of English      [log in to unmask]

University of Michigan     office    : 313-764-2553

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