Gideon's Trumpet (1980) Reviews

Gideon's Trumpet (1980)
Member Rating:  
In the tradition of his earlier work in Grapes of Wrath and Twelve Angry Men, Henry Fonda played another social-protest role in the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV presentation Gideon's Trumpet. Clarence Earl Gideon (Fonda) is a poor, ill-tempered Florida handyman who is arrested for petty larceny in 1961. Unable to afford a lawyer, Gideon is sentenced to five years in prison. His treatment by the Florida judicial system, a clear violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, is brought to the attention of the Supreme Court. As a result, a landmark decision is reached, assuring free legal representation for anyone accused of a crime in the United States. Also appearing are Jose Ferrer as Gideon's attorney Abe Fortas, John Houseman (who also produced) as the Chief Justice, and Fay Wray as the owner of the lodging establishment where Gideon lived. Gideon's Trumpet premiered on April 30, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Henry Fonda, John Houseman, (more)
Director(s):
Robert E. Collins
Format(s):
DVD
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Average Ratings

(9 member reviews)  

Member Reviews

Robert S.

Great movie. True Story. The power of one person to make a difference. Henry Fonda was an amazing actor. He was perfect for the part. John Houseman (Professor Kingsfield in the Paper Chase) plays Chief Justice Earl Warren. I am buying a copy and I never buy videos.

Yes   |   No


Linda H.

Pretty good historical courtroom drama. Fonda does a good job of portraying a crotchety old man.on a mission.

Yes   |   No


Neil G.

Better than you might think for a courtroom drama, especially for the shocking reality of the case.

Yes   |   No


John M.

An interesting, though dated, look at a significant legal case in the U.S. Quite slow.

Yes   |   No


Julio M O.

Exellent Movie.I would like to see more of this type

Yes   |   No


Deborah F.

movie was good, but slow moving, liked that it was true and produced a change in the judicial system

Yes   |   No


K.W. B.

Sirs: This DVD arrived broken. We could not view it at all. We ask for a resdcheduling of this disk, so we can see it. We had waited several weeks to get it, and were most disappointed when it came in damaged condition.

Yes   |   No


Terrance M.

Great flick.

Yes   |   No


Patricia W.

This movie is better as a historical commentary than entertainment. Fonda plays a sour old man who is accused of petty larceny. The story revolves around his efforts to have a lawyer appointed to defend him--why it wasn't done and what was done to rectify the situation. The character is not particularly sympathetic and I found myself not really caring whether his rights were upheld or not. I still wonder, after seeing the movie, if he might not have actually been guilty. That's not what it's about though--not whether he's innocent but if he was given a fair trial. You'll have to decide the innocence or guilt yourself. A pretty good movie about an historical event.

Yes   |   No


 
 
 

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    Member Reviews
    Read all (9)
     
    Robert S.

    Great movie. True Story. The power of one person to make a difference. Henry Fonda was an amazing actor. He was perfect for the part. John Houseman (Professor Kingsfield in the Paper Chase) plays Chief Justice Earl Warren. I am buying a copy and I never buy videos.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Linda H.

    Pretty good historical courtroom drama. Fonda does a good job of portraying a crotchety old man.on a mission.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Neil G.

    Better than you might think for a courtroom drama, especially for the shocking reality of the case.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Read All 9 Reviews
       

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