Trial (film)

1955 film by Mark Robson

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Trial

Directed by| Mark Robson
Written by| Don Mankiewicz
Based on| Trial
1955 novel
by Don Mankiewicz
Produced by| Charles Schnee
Starring| Glenn Ford
Dorothy McGuire
Arthur Kennedy
Juano Hernandez
Cinematography| Robert L. Surtees
Edited by| Albert Akst
Music by| Daniele Amfitheatrof
Distributed by| Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Release date

* October 7, 1955 (1955-10-07)

Running time

| 105 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English
Budget| $1,341,000[1]
Box office| $3,305,000[1]

Trial is a 1955 American drama film starring Glenn Ford, Dorothy McGuire, Arthur Kennedy and Juano Hernandez, and directed by Mark Robson. Based on the novel written by Don Mankiewicz, it is about a Mexican boy accused of rape and murder; originally victimized by prejudiced accusers, he becomes a pawn of his communist defender, whose propaganda purposes would be best served by a verdict of guilty.

## Plot[edit]

Angel Chavez (Rafael Campos) is a Mexican-American teenager who lives in the small California town of San Juno. During an annual event called Bass Night held at the town beach, he wanders onto the beach, which is off-limits to Mexican Americans. There he meets a non-Hispanic girl he knows from high school, but she has a weak heart due to rheumatic fever and dies suddenly, and Chavez is arrested.

On the grounds that her heart attack was caused by Chavez's attempt to seduce her--which, as they were minors, would have been statutory rape even if consensual--he is charged with felony murder. A racist mob attempts to break Chavez out of jail and lynch him, but the warden persuades them to stop by promising that the youth will be executed after a fair trial.

David Blake (Glenn Ford) is a law professor at the state university. He is told he must stop teaching until he has had some courtroom experience. Rejected by many law firms, he finds work at a small one run by Barney Castle (Arthur Kennedy). Castle wants to defend Chavez and agrees to hire Blake to handle the case. Castle and Chavez's mother (Katy Jurado) travel to New York City to raise money to defend Chavez. Castle leaves his law clerk Abbe Nyle (Dorothy McGuire) to help Blake, and they fall in love.

Detectives working for Castle's firm uncover an attempt to tamper with the jury on behalf of the prosecution, resulting in a new jury being empaneled. Over a weekend break during jury selection, Castle calls Blake to New York to join him at a fundraising rally. Blake quickly realizes that Castle is primarily using the case as a propaganda and fundraising tool for an American Communist group. Insulted at being used, Blake returns to San Juno to see the trial through to the end and represent Chavez's interests.

Blake's trial strategy is to rebut the prosecution's case sufficiently that he does not need to present a defense. However, at the last moment, Castle returns and, using his influence on Chavez's mother, threatens Blake with removal unless Chavez testifies. Blake realizes that Castle wants the teen subjected to a harsh cross-examination that will ensure his conviction and execution; he then will be a martyr, and Castle will be able to use the case as a fundraising tool as intended.

Blake remains on the case, but the cross-examination goes as poorly as feared. Chavez is found guilty, and as the jury did not suggest leniency, the death penalty will be automatic. Castle then does have Blake fired to keep him from speaking during sentencing, but he arrives anyway and requests and receives amicus status, allowing him to address the court.

Blake argues that Chavez is a minor, and instead of being hanged he can simply be sent to reform school. When the prosecutor agrees that this would be fair, the African-American judge (Juano Hernandez) accepts the suggestion. He then sentences Castle, who has tried to race-bait him during Blake's argument, to 30 days in jail for contempt.

Blake and Abbe Nyle leave the court together.

## Cast[edit]

* Glenn Ford as David Blake
* Dorothy McGuire as Abbe Nyle
* Arthur Kennedy as Barney Castle
* John Hodiak as District Attorney Armstrong
* Katy Jurado as Mrs. Chavez
* Rafael Campos as Angel Chavez
* Juano Hernandez as Judge Theodore Motley
* Robert Middleton as A.A. 'Fats' Sanders
* John Hoyt as Ralph Castillo
* Paul Guilfoyle as Cap Grant
* Elisha Cook Jr. as Finn
* Ann Lee as Gail Wiltse
* Whit Bissell as Sam Wiltse
* Richard Gaines as Dr. Johannes Albert Schacter
* Barry Kelley as Jim Brackett

## Reception[edit]

According to MGM records, the film earned $2,312,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $993,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $518,000.[1]

## Awards and nominations[edit]

Award  | Category  | Nominee(s)  | Result

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Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Arthur Kennedy | Nominated
Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Won

## See also[edit]

* List of American films of 1955

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.

## External links[edit]

* Trial at IMDb
* Trial at AllMovie
* Trial at the TCM Movie Database
* Trial at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Mark Robson

* The Seventh Victim (1943)
* The Ghost Ship (1943)
* Youth Runs Wild (1944)
* Isle of the Dead (1944)
* Bedlam (1946)
* Champion (1949)
* Roughshod (1949)
* Home of the Brave (1949)
* My Foolish Heart (1949)
* Edge of Doom (1950)
* Bright Victory (1951)
* I Want You (1951)
* Return to Paradise (1953)
* Hell Below Zero (1954)
* Phffft (1954)
* The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954)
* A Prize of Gold (1955)
* Trial (1955)
* The Harder They Fall (1956)
* The Little Hut (1957)
* Peyton Place (1957)
* The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)
* From the Terrace (1960)
* Nine Hours to Rama (1963)
* The Prize (1963)
* Von Ryan's Express (1965)
* Lost Command (1966)
* Valley of the Dolls (1967)
* Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969)
* Happy Birthday, Wanda June (1971)
* Limbo (1972)
* Earthquake (1974)
* Avalanche Express (1979)

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