Copyright 1955 by Loew's Inc. An M-G-M picture. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 13 October 1955. U.S. release: 7 October 1955. U.K. release: January 1956. Australian release: 7 February 1956. Sydney opening at the St James. Running times: 110 minutes (Aust), 108 minutes (UK), 105 minutes (USA).
NOTES: A four-minute scene with Arthur Kennedy in which some mild criticisms are made of the U.S. legal system was deleted from American prints but retained in the U.K. and Australian versions.
Arthur Kennedy was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, losing to Jack Lemmon in Mister Roberts.
Number 7 on the Film Daily's best films of the year list, as voted by over five thousand American film critics.
COMMENT: Tremendously popular in its day, Trial is yet another movie that has disappeared from public view. True, it's a film with a number of major deficiencies, but it also offers Arthur Kennedy in what is undoubtedly the most charismatic performance of his career. As a rabble-rousing fund-raiser he really comes across with a force and vitality that's absolutely rivetting. In fact, the rally scene is the most vividly realised in the film, brilliantly directed on a level of wondrously-sustained hysteria, abetted by exceptionally skilful special effects.
Unfortunately, the other principals don't quite match Kennedy's expertise. Yes, there are some enthralling support portrayals by the likes of John Hodiak and Juano Hernandez, but Glenn Ford and Dorothy McGuire don't enter into their roles with quite the required zest. Their performances could be justly described as little more than routine. Of course they are not helped by the irrelevant, predictable and thoroughly cliched romantic interest that the script so artificially stirs up between them.
Alas, the most damning indictment against this legal drama is the very illegality, naivety and incredibility of some of its legal arguments. The "solution" is a real cop-out. And as for Armstrong's so called "devastating" cross-examination which is actually so weak and unconvincing... True, Trial has something to offer in the way of engrossing entertainment, but, in all, misguided emphases both in script writing and direction, rob it of the power and high-voltage interest it should have generated. Robson's approach is always slick, but often superficial.
NOTES: A four-minute scene with Arthur Kennedy in which some mild criticisms are made of the U.S. legal system was deleted from American prints but retained in the U.K. and Australian versions.
Arthur Kennedy was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, losing to Jack Lemmon in Mister Roberts.
Number 7 on the Film Daily's best films of the year list, as voted by over five thousand American film critics.
COMMENT: Tremendously popular in its day, Trial is yet another movie that has disappeared from public view. True, it's a film with a number of major deficiencies, but it also offers Arthur Kennedy in what is undoubtedly the most charismatic performance of his career. As a rabble-rousing fund-raiser he really comes across with a force and vitality that's absolutely rivetting. In fact, the rally scene is the most vividly realised in the film, brilliantly directed on a level of wondrously-sustained hysteria, abetted by exceptionally skilful special effects.
Unfortunately, the other principals don't quite match Kennedy's expertise. Yes, there are some enthralling support portrayals by the likes of John Hodiak and Juano Hernandez, but Glenn Ford and Dorothy McGuire don't enter into their roles with quite the required zest. Their performances could be justly described as little more than routine. Of course they are not helped by the irrelevant, predictable and thoroughly cliched romantic interest that the script so artificially stirs up between them.
Alas, the most damning indictment against this legal drama is the very illegality, naivety and incredibility of some of its legal arguments. The "solution" is a real cop-out. And as for Armstrong's so called "devastating" cross-examination which is actually so weak and unconvincing... True, Trial has something to offer in the way of engrossing entertainment, but, in all, misguided emphases both in script writing and direction, rob it of the power and high-voltage interest it should have generated. Robson's approach is always slick, but often superficial.