Topic: Legal Drama

Direction Sidney Lumet

Cast Henry Fonda · Lee J. Cobb · Jack Warden · E.G. Marshall

Synopsis 12 Angry Men (1957) follows a tense deliberation process in a jury room where eleven jurors initially believe the defendant is guilty of murder. The lone holdout, Juror #8, is convinced of the defendant's innocence. The narrative unfolds as this...

Direction Billy Wilder

Cast Tyrone Power · Marlene Dietrich · Charles Laughton · Elsa Lanchester

Synopsis Witness for the Prosecution (1957) follows the gripping tale of Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power), a charming and handsome individual who finds himself entangled in a murder investigation. He is suspected of killing Miss French, a wealthy elderly woman. To defend...

Direction John Ford

Cast John Wayne · James Stewart · Vera Miles · Lee Marvin

Synopsis The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) follows the story of Congressman Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart), who journeys back to the small town of Shinbone with his wife Hallie (Vera Miles) to pay respects to an old acquaintance, Tom Doniphon...

Direction Robert Mulligan

Cast Gregory Peck · Mary Badham · Brock Peters · Phillip Alford

Synopsis To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) follows the story of attorney Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), who takes on the defense of Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), a Black man falsely accused of assaulting a white woman. The deeply prejudiced residents of their...

Direction Jim Sheridan

Cast Daniel Day-Lewis · Emma Thompson · Pete Postlethwaite · John Lynch

Synopsis In the Name of the Father (1993) is a gripping drama based on the true story of Gerry Conlon, as detailed in his autobiography, 'Proved Innocent'. Directed by Jim Sheridan, the film delves into the life of Conlon, portrayed by...

Direction Stanley Kramer

Cast Spencer Tracy · Burt Lancaster · Richard Widmark · Marlene Dietrich

Synopsis Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) unfolds three years after the major Nazi leaders faced justice. This legal drama centers around four judges who exploited their positions to enforce Nazi sterilization and cleansing policies. The formidable task of presiding over this trial...

Direction Fritz Lang

Cast Sylvia Sidney · Spencer Tracy · Walter Abel · Bruce Cabot

Synopsis Fury (1936) chronicles the tale of a blameless individual, portrayed by Spencer Tracy, who narrowly evades a vengeful crowd. In a twist of fate, he meticulously stages his own demise at the hands of the mob to exact retribution.

Direction Elia Kazan

Cast Marlon Brando · Eva Marie Saint · Karl Malden · Lee J. Cobb

Synopsis On the Waterfront (1954) follows the journey of Terry Malloy, portrayed by Marlon Brando, a former boxer navigating the treacherous waters of union corruption on the New York docks. Malloy's path to redemption leads him to the witness stand, where...

Direction Andrew Jarecki

Synopsis The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (TV Miniseries) (2015) is a six-part documentary series directed and produced by Andrew Jarecki, along with Marc Smerling, who also served as the producer and cinematographer. This gripping series delves into...

Direction Gustavo Pérez Puig

Cast José María Rodero · José Bódalo · Manuel Alexandre · Sancho Gracia

Synopsis Twelve Angry Men (TV) (1973) presents a gripping courtroom drama where the fate of a young man accused of patricide hangs in the balance. As the jury retires to deliberate, what initially seems like a straightforward guilty verdict transforms into...

Direction Otto Preminger

Cast James Stewart · Lee Remick · Ben Gazzara · Arthur O'Connell

Synopsis Anatomy of a Murder (1959) follows the intricate legal battle surrounding Army Lieutenant Frederick Manion (Ben Gazzara), who stands accused of killing Barney Quill, a man he believed had sexually assaulted his wife, Laura Manion (Lee Remick). Manion's defense is...

Direction Steven Zaillian · Richard Price · James Marsh

Cast Riz Ahmed · John Turturro · Michael Kenneth Williams · Bill Camp

Synopsis The Night Of (TV Miniseries) (2016) is an eight-episode crime drama that follows the gripping story of a young man who finds himself in a nightmare scenario. After an evening of revelry with an unknown woman, he awakens to discover...

Direction Moira Demos · Laura Ricciardi

Cast Steven Avery

Synopsis Making a Murderer (TV Series) (2015) is a gripping documentary series that delves into the complex and controversial case of Steven Avery. The narrative begins with Avery's initial conviction for sexual assault, which was later overturned after 18 years due...

Direction Ava DuVernay

Cast Jharrel Jerome · Aunjanue Ellis · Asante Blackk · Caleel Harris

Synopsis When They See Us (TV Miniseries) (2019) is a gripping 4-episode series that delves into the harrowing true story of five young men of color who were wrongfully accused and convicted of a brutal rape in New York City's Central...

Direction Joe Berlinger · Bruce Sinofsky

Synopsis Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) delves into the chilling case of a triple child homicide that resulted in the arrest and prosecution of three young men, whose unconventional lifestyles and beliefs cast them as prime...

Direction George Cukor

Cast Katharine Hepburn · Spencer Tracy · Judy Holliday · Tom Ewell

Synopsis Adam's Rib (1949) follows the story of a married couple, Adam and Amanda Bonner, who find themselves on opposing sides of a legal battle. As skilled attorneys, they must navigate the complexities of a high-profile case where Amanda represents a...

Direction Abbas Kiarostami

Cast Hossain Sabzian · Mohsen Makhmalbaf

Synopsis Close-up (1990) delves into the intriguing tale of an impassioned cinephile who assumes the identity of renowned filmmaker Mohsen Makmalbaf. This thought-provoking documentary explores the essence of art and the boundaries of reality and fiction, weaving a narrative that challenges...

Direction Scott Alexander · Larry Karaszewski · Ryan Murphy · Anthony Hemingway

Cast Cuba Gooding Jr. · John Travolta · Sarah Paulson · Courtney B. Vance

Synopsis American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (TV Miniseries) (2016) delves into a pivotal moment in American history, exploring the nation's collective memory of O.J. Simpson's infamous low-speed chase in a white Bronco through Los Angeles. This gripping miniseries...

Direction Stanley Kramer

Cast Spencer Tracy · Fredric March · Gene Kelly · Dick York

Synopsis Inherit the Wind (1960) centers around a public school educator, B.T. Cates, who finds himself in legal trouble for presenting Charles Darwin's evolutionary theories to his students. The renowned attorney Henry Drummond steps in to represent Cates, while the zealous...

Direction Peter Ustinov

Cast Robert Ryan · Peter Ustinov · Terence Stamp · Melvyn Douglas

Synopsis Billy Budd (1962) follows the journey of the H.M.S. Avenger as it prepares to face the French fleet during the tumultuous Napoleonic Wars. Captain Vere is deeply troubled by the recent mutinies within the English fleet and places his trust...