In the annals of cinema history, 1979 was a landmark year. Apocalypse Now took us into the heart of darkness, Alien introduced us to our worst nightmare in space, and Kramer vs. Kramer captured the zeitgeist of a changing American family. Yet, nestled between these epics was a smaller, angrier, and surprisingly prophetic film that has only grown in stature with time: …And Justice for All .
For decades, collectors and cinephiles have searched for the definitive chronicle of this film’s tumultuous production and controversial release. That search often leads to one holy grail: the —a legendary, in-depth feature that pulled back the curtain on director Norman Jewison’s courtroom satire starring Al Pacino. and justice for all 1979 exclusive
They were half right. The film was a modest box office performer, but it earned Pacino his third Oscar nomination (and he should have won). Over the years, however, the film became a touchstone. Law students watch it to debate legal ethics. Actors study the monologue. Memes have immortalized Pacino’s shrieking “You’re out of order!” In the annals of cinema history, 1979 was a landmark year
Enter screenwriter Valerie Curtin and her then-husband Barry Levinson (who would later direct Rain Man ). They penned a scathing, absurdist look at a Baltimore judge who routinely falls asleep on the bench, a legal system that punishes the innocent, and a defense attorney (Pacino’s Arthur Kirkland) who is losing his mind trying to do the right thing. Yet, nestled between these epics was a smaller,