Summer 2007
POLS 414: Special Topics – Law, Politics & Film
This course explores
whether there is a tension between actual legal practices in the “real world”
and their portrayal in popular culture—specifically motion pictures. We will ask
whether cinematic practices and imperatives give rise to a “reel-world” view of
the law. We will focus on a number of related themes which may include: the
concept of justice, the relationship between economic status and the law,
official v. unofficial law enforcement including the quasi-law enforcement of
private detectives, legal education, the practice of law, legal ethics, women
in law and politics, discrimination and the law, the role of both civil and
criminal courts in a political system, the role of the mass media in relation
to law and politics, and law and social change. Students should expect to
develop a more in-depth understanding of the issues covered as well as a better
appreciation of the cultural and political significance of the way that law and
legal actors are depicted in the movies. Each class meeting we will watch a
full-length, feature-film ranging from classics such as The Big Sleep (1946) and Adam’s
Rib (1949) to more recent pictures like Thelma
& Louise (1991) and Intolerable
Cruelty (2003). Outside of class you are required to watch other
representative movies of your choosing and draw on them to enhance your
understanding of law and politics and its portrayal in film.
NIU
Instructor: Artemus Ward
E-mail: aeward@niu.edu Website:
http://polisci.niu.edu/polisci/faculty/ward/index.shtml
Office Hours: I will be available both before and after class and/or you
can send me an e-mail and we’ll set something up.
Note: A
scheduled Blackboard outage is being planned during the Memorial Day holiday
weekend, May 26 through May 28, 2007, in order to upgrade to Blackboard version
7.1. Plan accordingly. The syllabus is also available on my website.
Required Texts:
·
Bergman, Paul
and Michael Asimow, Reel Justice
(Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel, 1996).
·
Denvir, John,
ed., Legal Reelism: Movies as Legal Texts
(Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1996).
Suggested Texts:
·
Black, David
A., Law in Film: Resonance and
Representation (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1999).
·
Bonsignore,
John J., et.al., Before the Law: An
Introduction to the Legal Process, 8th edition (
·
Burnett, D.
Graham, A Trial by Jury (
·
Case,
Anthony, Movies on Trial (
·
Ehrlich,
Matthew C., Journalism in the Movies (
·
Lucia,
Cynthia, Framing Female Lawyers: Women on
Trial in Film (
·
Palmer, R.
Barton, Joel and Ethan Coen (
Web Resources:
·
Picturing Justice: The On-Line
Journal of Law and Popular Culture. University of
·
Law in Popular Culture
Collection.
·
The Best Films of All Time – A Primer of
Cinematic History. filmiste.org
·
The Internet Movie Database (IMDb).
Film List Chronology:
·
The
Divorcee (1930). Pre-Code
portrayal of divorce, infidelity, promiscuity… did they have that back then?
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard (Academy Award Nomination—Best Director; Best
Picture). Starring Norma Shearer (Academy Award Winner—Best Actress),
·
Platinum
Blonde (1931). Divorce leads
to happy endings… well, at least in pre-Code filmmaking. Directed by Frank
Capra. Starring Loretta Young, Jean Harlow, and Robert Williams. 90 minutes.
·
Born
to Love (1931). Another pre-Code
portrayal of divorce… shocking! Directed by Paul L. Stein. Starring Constance
Bennett and Joel McCrea. 81 minutes.
·
The
Gay Divorcee (1934). When is
a film not really about divorce… when it’s about dancing. Directed by Mark
Sandrich (Academy Award Nomination—Best Picture). Starring Fred Astaire and
Ginger Rogers. 107 minutes.\
·
It
Happened One Night (1934).
When is a film not really about divorce… when it’s about annulment. Directed by
Frank Capra (Academy Award Winner—Best Director; Best Picture). Starring Clark
Gable (Academy Award Winner—Best Actor) and Claudette Colbert (Academy Award
Winner—Best Actress). 105 minutes.
·
One
More River (1934). The film
that put an end to portrayal of divorce on film. Directed by James Whale.
Starring Jane Wyatt and Reginald Denny. 85 minutes.
·
The
Awful Truth (1937). Post-Code
divorce portrayal—bet you can’t guess how it ends. Directed by Leo McCarey
(Academy Award Winner—Best Director; Academy Award Nomination—Best Picture).
Starring
·
Gone
with the Wind (1939). Is it
rape if it’s your husband… and you like it? Directed by Victor Fleming (Academy Award Winner—Best
Director; Picture). Starring Clark
Gable (Academy
Award Nomination—Best Actor), Vivien
Leigh (Academy
Award Winner—Best Actress), Leslie
Howard, Olivia de Havilland (Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actress), Hattie McDaniel (Academy Award Winner—Best Supporting Actress), and Butterfly McQueen. 222 minutes.
·
Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington (1939).
Why every Senator needs a press secretary. Directed by Frank Capra (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Director; Picture).
Starring James Stewart (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actor), Jean Arthur, Claude Rains (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Supporting Actor),
Harry Carey (Academy
Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actor). 129
minutes.
·
His
Girl Friday (1940). How many
words can you say in 92 minutes? Directed by Howard Hawks. Starring
·
The
Letter (1940). Oops there
goes another rubber tree plant. Directed by William Wyler (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Director; Best Picture). Starring Bette Davis (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Actress), Herbert Marshall, and James Stephenson (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Supporting Actor). 96 minutes.
·
My
Favorite Wife (1940).
Annulment makes everything better. Directed by Garson Kanin. Starring
·
Rebecca
(1940). Take the room facing the
sea. It’s always good to have options. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock (Academy
Award Nomination—Best Director; Academy Award Winner—Best Picture). Starring
Laurence Olivier (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actor), Joan Fontaine (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actress), Judith Anderson (Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actress), Nigel Bruce, Reginald Denny, and George Sanders.
130 minutes.
·
Citizen
Kane (1941). Rosebud.
Directed by Orson Welles (Academy Award Nomination—Best Director; Picture). Starring Orson Welles (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Actor), Joseph Cotton
and Agnes Moorehead. 119 minutes.
·
The
Maltese Falcon (1941). It’s
the stuff that dreams are made of. Directed by John Huston (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Picture). Starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre,
and Sydney Greenstreet (Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actor). 101
minutes.
·
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943). If you were just
passing through town and heard some sad story that a local farmer had been
murdered and his cattle stolen would you stick around or move onto the next
one? Directed by William Wellman (Academy Award Nomination—Best Picture).
Starring Henry Fonda. 75 minutes.
·
The Big Sleep (1946). What is the
difference between a detective and a private detective? Maybe it’s that private
detectives get all the girls. Directed by Howard Hawks. Starring Humphrey
Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and Martha Vickers. 116 minutes.
·
Rope (1948). Guess who’s not
coming to dinner? Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring James Stewart, Farley
Granger, and John Dall. 80 minutes.
·
Adam’s Rib (1949). When is a
courtroom not a courtroom? When it’s really foreplay. Directed by George Cukor.
Starring Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn. 101 minutes.
·
Roshomon (1950). The bad news is
that a crime is committed in ancient
·
A Place in the Sun (1951). George Eastman
has a future in the family business—unless of course he can’t keep his hands
off the hired help! Directed by George Stevens (Academy Award Winner—Best
Director). Starring
·
I Confess (1953). Forgive me,
Father, for I have sinned . . . oh, and by the way, don’t tell anyone! Directed
by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring
·
Rear Window (1954). They say that
people aren’t very neighborly anymore. I say if you really want to get to know
your neighbors . . . break a leg! Directed by Alfred Hitchcock (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Director). Starring James Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Raymond
Burr. 112 minutes.
·
Dial M for Murder (1954). What would you
do if you found out that your spouse was having an affair? Call an old college
buddy for help, of course. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Ray Milland,
Grace Kelly, and Robert Cummings. 105 minutes.
·
To Catch a Thief (1955). Can you ever
really retire from the jewel thief business? Especially when your nickname is
“The Cat” and women are throwing themselves (and their jewels) at you? Directed
by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring
·
The Wrong Man (1956). Never borrow on
your wife’s insurance policy. I don’t care how bad her teeth are! Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Henry Fonda and Vera Miles. 105 minutes.
·
Twelve Angry Men (1957). Why no juror
should ever have tickets to the ballgame in his pocket. Directed by
Sidney Lumet (Academy Award Nominations—Best Director; Best Picture). Starring
Henry Fonda. 96 minutes.
·
Vertigo
(1958). Lesson: never be so
sentimental as to keep souvenirs of a killing. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. 128 minutes.
·
Anatomy of a Murder (1959). If you’re
spending more time fishing than keeping up your law practice, why would you
take a hard case that’s going to involve a lot of work? Directed by Otto
Preminger (Academy Award Nominations—Best Director; Best Picture). Starring
James Stewart (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actor) and George C. Scott
(Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actor). 160 minutes.
·
North by Northwest (1959). Kaplan has
dandruff! Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring
·
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Is it important
to bring people to justice even when it is not in your interest for political
reasons? Directed by
·
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Do you really
want to be a defense attorney? Do you really want to defend an accused rapist?
Do you really want to stand against an entire community that is certain your
client did it? Based on Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning book of 1960.
Directed by Robert Mulligan (Academy Award Nominations—Best Director; Best
Picture). Starring Gregory Peck (Academy Award Winner—Best Actor), Mary Badham
(Academy Award Nomination—Best Actress), and Robert Duvall. 129 minutes.
·
A Man for All Seasons (1966). You’re Sir
Thomas More. King Henry VIII wants to divorce his wife, and seeks your
approval. While you’re a man of principle, you remember that the King is fond
of executing people for treason. Directed by Fred Zinneman (Academy Award
Winner—Best Director, Best Picture). Starring Paul Scofield (Academy Award
Winner—Best Actor), Wendy Hiller (Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting
Actress), Robert Shaw (Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actor), and
Orson Welles. 120 minutes.
·
The Godfather (1972). You're telling me that the Tattaglia's guarantee
our investment? Directed
by Francis Ford Coppola (Academy Award Winner—Best Picture; Nomination Best
Director). Starring Marlon Brando (Academy Award Winner—Best Actor), James Caan
(Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actor), Al Pacino (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Supporting Actor), Robert Duvall (Academy Award Nomination—Best
Supporting Actor), Talia Shire, and Diane Keaton. 175 minutes.
·
Play It Again, Sam (1972). How do you meet
women after a divorce? Enlist Bogey for help. Directed by Herbert Ross.
Starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, and Tony Roberts. 85 minutes.
·
The Paper
Chase
(1973). You have to choose between the girl you love and the diploma you’ve
worked for all your life. You have 30 seconds. Directed by James L. Bridges.
Starring Timothy Bottoms, Lindsay Wagner, and John Houseman (Academy Award
Winner—Best Supporting Actor). 111 minutes.
·
Chinatown (1974). Isn’t that
sweet? The kindly old grandfather just wants to see his granddaughter. Awwww.
Directed by Roman Polanski (Academy Award Nomination—Best Director; Academy
Award Nomination—Best Picture). Starring Jack Nicholson (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Actor), Faye Dunaway (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actress),
John Huston, and Burt Young. 131 minutes.
·
The Godfather: Part II (1974). I can handle things! I'm smart! Directed by Francis Ford
Coppola (Academy Award Winner—Best Director; Picture). Starring Al Pacino
(Academy Award Nomination—Best Actor), Robert DeNiro (Academy Award Winner—Best
Supporting Actor); Robert Duvall, John Cazale, Talia Shire (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Supporting Actress), Diane Keaton, Lee Strasberg (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Supporting Actor), and Michael V. Gazzo (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Supporting Actor). 200 minutes.
·
All the President’s Men (1976). In the run-up to
the 1972 elections, new Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward covers what seems
to be a minor break-in at the Democratic Party national headquarters. He is
surprised to find top lawyers at the arraignment and even more puzzled by an
entry in the address book of one of the burglars: “Howard Hunt @ W House.”
Trying to make sense of it all back at the newsroom Woodward asks “Can you call
the White House direct?” Directed by Alan J. Pakula (Academy Award
Nominations—Best Director; Academy Award Nomination—Best Picture). Starring
Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards (Academy Award Winner—Best
Supporting Actor), and Jane Alexander (Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting
Actress). 138 minutes.
·
Kramer
v. Kramer (1979). When a confused wife and mother
walks out on her self-centered, career-focused husband, little Billy is caught
in between. Who will grow up first? 3-1 odds on Billy. Directed by Robert
Benton (Academy
Award Winner—Best Director; Academy Award Winner—Best Picture). Starring Dustin Hoffman (Academy
Award Winner—Best Actor), Meryl Streep
(Academy Award Winner—Best Supporting Actress), and Jane Alexander (Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting
Actress). 105 minutes.
·
Manhattan
(1979). Life imitates art. Directed by Woody Allen.
Starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemmingway (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Supporting Actress), and
Meryl Streep. 96 minutes.
·
Breaker Morant (1980). What’s so bad
about shooting prisoners during
·
Gideon’s Trumpet (1980). “You have the
right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney…” Wait a minute, why
do you need an attorney? Starring Henry Fonda, Jose Ferrer, and John Houseman.
104 minutes.
·
Absence of Malice (1981). If it’s in the
newspaper, it must be true, right? Directed by Sydney Pollack. Starring Paul
Newman (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actor), Sally Field, and Melinda Dillon
(Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actress). 116 minutes.
·
Gandhi (1982). Can a small-time
lawyer make it big? Directed by Richard Attenborough (Academy Award Winner—Best
Director; Best Picture). Starring Ben Kingsley (Academy Award Winner—Best
Actor), Candice Bergen, and Martin Sheen. 188 minutes.
·
Blade Runner (1982). You know the
score, pal… if you’re not a cop, you’re little people. Directed by Ridley
Scott. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah, and
Edward James Olmos. 117 minutes.
·
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
(1982). This is what happens when Dad’s not around. Directed by Steven Spielberg
(Academy Award Nomination—Best Director; Picture). Starring Henry Thomas, Drew
Barrymore, and Dee Wallace. 115 minutes.
·
The Verdict (1982). What happens when
a down-on-his luck lawyer, reduced to drinking and ambulance chasing, suddenly
gets a conscience? Medical insurance rates are bound to go up. Directed by
Sidney Lumet (Academy Award Nomination—Best Director; Best Picture). Starring
Paul Newman (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actor) and James Mason (Academy
Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actor). 129 minutes.
·
Beverly Hills Cop (1984). Is this the man
who wrecked the buffet at the Harrow Club? Directed by Martin Brest. Starring
Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold. 105 minutes.
·
The Killing Fields (1984). How to win a
Pulitzer Prize. Directed by Roland Joffe (Academy Award Nomination—Best
Director; Best Picture). Starring Sam Waterston (Academy Award Nomination—Best
Actor), Haing S. Ngor (Academy Award Winner—Best Supporting Actor), and John
Malkovich. 141 minutes.
·
Fletch (1985). Apparently,
bigamy is illegal—even in
·
Broadcast News (1987). Does it matter
if you don’t “get” the news that you’re reading? Directed by James L. Brooks
(Academy Award Nomination—Best Picture). Starring William Hurt (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Actor), Holly Hunter (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actress),
Albert Brooks (Academy Award Nomination—Best Supporting Actor), Jack Nicholson,
and Joan Cusack. 133 minutes.
·
RoboCop (1987). In the future,
is there really only one, unisex locker room for both male and female police
officers? Directed by Paul Verhoeven. Starring Peter Weller and Nancy Allen.
102 minutes.
·
A Cry in the Dark (1988). My baby ate my
dingo! Directed by Fred Schepisis. Starring Meryl Streep (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Actress) and Sam Neil. 120 minutes.
·
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). Is God a luxury
you can’t afford? Directed by Woody Allen (Academy Award Nomination—Best
Director). Starring Martin Landau (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actor),
Angelica Huston, Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, and Sam Waterston. 104
minutes.
·
Presumed Innocent (1990). What happens
when a successful prosecutor has an affair with another successful prosecutor?
The usual: murder, charges, and a trial. Directed by Alan J. Pakula. Starring
Harrison Ford and Raul Julia. 127 minutes.
·
Regarding Henry (1991). Money, greed,
arrogance, guns, violence, affairs, cigarettes . . . another typical family
film from Diane Sawyer’s husband. Directed by Mike Nichols. Starring Harrison
Ford and Annette Bening. 108 minutes.
·
Thelma & Louise (1991). Directed by
Ridley Scott (Academy Award Nomination—Best Director). Starring Geena Davis
(Academy Award Nomination—Best Actress), Susan Sarandon (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Actress), Harvey Keitel, and Brad Pitt. 129 minutes.
·
Class Action (1991). Remember when
your daughter was 12? Maybe “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” was a bad idea.
Directed by Michael Apted. Starring Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth
Mastrantonio. 110 minutes.
·
Husbands and Wives (1992). Should your best
friends be shocked when you tell them you’re getting a divorce? Directed by
Woody Allen. Starring Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Sydney Pollack, Juliette Lewis,
Liam Neeson, and Judy Davis (Academy Award Nomination—Best Actress). 108 minutes.
·
The Firm (1993). A young lawyer
joins a prestigious law firm. Was the signing bonus worth it? Directed by
Sydney Pollack. Starring Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman, and Holly Hunter. 154
minutes.
·
The Pelican Brief (1993). If you’ve seen
one movie about assassinating Supreme Court justices, you’ve seen ‘em all.
Directed by Alan J. Pakula. Starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. 141
minutes.
·
Pulp Fiction (1994). How do you lose
your LA privileges? Directed by Quentin Tarantino (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Director; Picture). Starring John Travolta (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Actor), Samuel L. Jackson (Academy Award Nomination—Best
Supporting Actor), Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman (Academy Award Nomination—Best
Supporting Actress), and Ving Rhames. 154 minutes.
·
Judge Dredd (1995). One way to lower
taxes. Directed by Danny Cannon. Starring Sylvester Stallone and
·
One Fine Day (1996). Proving once
again that hot-shot reporters get all the girls. Directed by Michael Hoffman. Starring
George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer.
·
Primal Fear (1996). Sure, being a
defense attorney can lead to fame and fortune, but it can also lead to failed
relationships and a nagging conscience. Caveat Emptor. Directed by Gregory
Hoblit. Starring Richard Gere, Edward Norton (Academy Award Nomination—Best
Supporting Actor), Laura Linney, and Frances McDormand. 129 minutes.
·
L.A. Confidential (1997) The call
·
Gattaca (1997). You’re an able-bodied, white male . . . do
you really think discrimination can’t happen to you? Directed by Andrew Niccol.
Starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law. 101 minutes.
·
The Big Lebowski (1998). The rug really
tied the room together. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring Jeff Bridges,
John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John
Turturro, Tara Reid, Flea, and Aimee Man. 117 minutes.
·
A Civil
Action (1998).
Always drive at or under the speed limit, especially in
·
The Siege (1998). No way
·
Wild Things (1998). There is a lot
of peer pressure in High School. Directed by John McNaughton. Starring Matt
Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, and Bill Murray. 108
minutes.
·
The Insider (1999). Smoking is good
for you… well, at least it looks cool. Directed by Michael Mann (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Director; Picture). Starring Russell Crowe (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Actor) and Al Pacino. 157 minutes.
·
Erin Brockovich (2000). Who says you
need a law degree to practice law? Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Academy Award
Nomination—Best Director; Best Picture). Starring Julia Roberts (Academy Award
Winner—Best Actress) and Albert Finney (Academy Award Nomination—Best
Supporting Actor). 130 minutes.
·
Legally Blonde (2001). It’s true. Law
schools seek a diverse incoming class. Directed by Robert Luketic. Starring
Reese Witherspoon,
·
Minority Report (2002). If only law
enforcement had better tools and advanced technology, then we could eliminate
crime, right? Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Tom Cruise. 145 minutes.
·
Shattered Glass (2003). Is there a place
for fiction at the intersection of journalism and politics? Directed by Billy
Ray. Starring Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny, and Hank
Azaria. 95 minutes.
·
Intolerable Cruelty (2003). When the Massey
is signed, only love is in mind. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring
George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Billy Bob Thornton. 100 minutes.
Course Requirements:
|
Attendance All students are required to attend each class and
legibly sign the attendance sheet that will passed around each day. It is your
responsibility to sign this sheet. Your attendance grade will be based on the
percentage of classes you attend. Therefore attending each class will earn
you 100%. Attending half the classes will result in a score of 50%. |
|
On-Line
Participation Each student
is required to go on-line each week through Blackboard, read the messages
posted to the discussion board, and post at least one (and not more than two)
messages of your own about that week’s course material and/or current events
that relate to the course. Another helpful topic will be films that you watch
on your own that you think relate to the concepts we are reading about in the
texts and discussing in class. If you do at least one weekly post and read
all the other posts you will score a perfect 100% on this section of the
course. |
|
Paper You are required to
write a 7-10 page term paper which is due at the beginning of the final day
of class. In this paper I expect you to go beyond the course material and
examine themes in films that we screen and discuss in class and/or that you
track down on your own. The paper must include an appropriate discussion of: 1.
Each of the
relevant films that we screen in class, 2.
At least
three films that we have not screened in class but that you will see on your
own, 3.
At least
four sources such as books or articles that relate to the films you are
discussing. Some possible topics:
How Official Public Authorities v. Private Resourceful Heroes Resolve Legal
Problems, How Film Depicts the Effects of Divorce on Adults and Children;
Male and Female Lawyers in the Movies, How Women are Depicted and Treated in
the Legal World, Gender (or Race) Relations in Courtroom Films, Hollywood
Depictions of the Death Penalty, Juries in Films, When Little Guys Sue Big
Companies in the Movies, Police and Prosecutors in Recent Films, Law as Power
v. Law and Justice, When Bad Cops Are Treated as Good Cops, Depictions of
Sexual Harassment (or Rape) in the Movies, Military Justice in Hollywood
Movies, Organized Crime v. the Law, “States of Emergency” in Film,
Vigilantism in Film, Judges in Film, Hollywood and the First Amendment,
Hollywood Spoofs the Criminal Trial, Law and Lawyers in Grisham Movies...or
you could do in-depth comparisons of particular movies. For other ideas
explore the course textbooks and on-line resources. As with all papers, the
paper for this class must be type-written or word-processed, double-spaced,
with normal fonts (usually 12 pt.) and margins (at least an inch all around,
although the left margin is usually 1.25 inches) and no fancy folders (a
solid staple in the corner will do just fine). </ |