And Justice For All

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...And Justice for All is a 1979 American legal comedy-drama film directed by Norman Jewison and starring Al Pacino , Jack Warden and John Forsythe . Lee Strasberg , Jeffrey Tambor , Christine Lahti , Craig T. Nelson , Thomas Waites and Sam Levene (in his final screen performance) appear in supporting roles. The Oscar -nominated screenplay was written by Valerie Curtin and Barry Levinson . It was filmed in Baltimore , including the courthouse area. It received two Academy Award nominations: Best Actor (Pacino) and Best Original Screenplay (Curtin and Levinson). Plot Arthur Kirkland, a Baltimore defense attorney, is in jail on a contempt-of-court charge after punching Judge Henry T. Fleming while arguing the case of Jeff McCullaugh. McCullaugh was stopped for a minor traffic offense, then mistaken for a killer of the same name, and has already spent a year and a half in jail without being convicted of a crime. Although there is strong new evidence that McCullaugh is innocent, Fleming refuses to consider his appeal due to its late submission, so he remains in prison. Kirkland starts a new case defending Ralph Agee, a young black cross-dresser arrested for a robbery who is terrified of being sent to prison. Kirkland regularly visits his grandfather Sam, who is becoming increasingly senile, in a nursing home. It is revealed that Sam put Kirkland through law school. Kirkland also begins a romance with legal ethics committee member Gail Packer. Kirkland has a friendly relationship with Judge Francis Rayford, who takes him on a ride in his personal helicopter, in which Rayford flies recklessly. Rayford, a Korean War veteran, is borderline suicidal; at all times, he keeps a rifle in his chambers at the courthouse and an M1911 pistol in his shoulder holster. He even eats his lunch on a ledge outside his office window, four stories up. One day, Kirkland is unexpectedly requested to defend Judge Fleming, who has been accused of brutally assaulting and raping a young woman, Leah Shepard. Although the two loathe each other, Fleming feels that having the person who publicly hates him argue his innocence will be to his advantage. Fleming blackmails Kirkland with an old violation of attorney-client confidentiality, for which Kirkland will likely be disbarred if it were to come to light. Kirkland's friend and partner Jay Porter is also unstable. He feels guilt for gaining acquittals for defendants who were truly guilty of violent crimes. Porter soon shaves his head, claiming that it will make his hair grow back thicker, but he keeps shaving it. After a violent breakdown inside the courthouse, wherein he ends up throwing dinner plates at everybody in the hallway, Porter is taken to a hospital. Before leaving in the ambulance, Kirkland asks another partner, Warren Fresnell, to handle Agee's court hearing in his absence. Kirkland gives Fresnell a corrected version of Agee's probation report and stresses that it must be shown to the judge, so that Agee will receive probation rather than serve jail time. Fresnell arrives at the courthouse late and forgets to give the judge the corrected version, causing Agee to be sentenced to jail time. Kirkland is livid and attacks Fresnell's car, revealing that thirty minutes after he was sentenced, Agee killed himself. Later, McCullaugh, who has been sexually and physically assaulted by other inmates, finally snaps and takes two hostages after stealing a gun. Kirkland pleads with him to surrender, promising to get him out, but a police sniper shoots and kills McCullaugh when he moves in front of a window. A clearly disturbed Kirkland takes on Judge Fleming's case. Prosecuting attorney Frank Bowers hopes to make his reputation by convicting a judge. Kirkland's client Carl Travers hopes to receive free legal services by offering photos of Judge Fleming engaged in BDSM with Shepard the night of her beating. Gail reminds Kirkland of his professional obligations to defend the judge. Kirkland shows the pictures to Fleming, who admits that he is guilty. At the trial, Fleming jokes that he would like to see Shepard sometime. In his opening statement, Kirkland sarcastically muses about the legal system and Bowers's ambition. He surprises the court by revealing to the court that Fleming is guilty and that he should go to jail. Kirkland is dragged out of the courtroom, venting his rage the whole way, saying that the Judge hurts people. Gail leads the spectators in cheering for Kirkland, as Fleming sits down in defeat and a fed-up Rayford storms out. As an exhausted Kirkland sits on the courthouse steps, Jay Porter passes on his way back to work, tipping his wig to Kirkland. Cast Al Pacino as Arthur Kirkland Jack Warden as Judge Francis Rayford John Forsythe as Judge Henry T. Fleming Lee Strasberg as Sam Kirkland Jeffrey Tambor as Jay Porter Christine Lahti as Gail Packer Sam Levene as Arnie Robert Christian as Ralph Agee Thomas Waites as Jeff McCullaugh Larry Bryggman as Warren Fresnell Craig T. Nelson