GIDEON’S TRUMPET (Robert E. Collins, 1980)

The jewel of the Hallmark Hall of Fame series, Gideon’s Trumpet is not to be missed no matter how televisiony it is.
     Henry Fonda is deeply affecting as Clarence Earl Gideon, a drifter being tried for a crime he did not commit, who asks the Florida judge at his 1961 trial for a court-appointed attorney since he lacks the means to hire on his own one to represent him. This request is denied. On self-serving eyewitness testimony, Gideon is convicted of breaking into a pool hall at 5:30 in the morning and stealing wine, beer and an unspecified amount of cash. He is sentenced to five years in prison—the maximum, perhaps because he had the audacity to ask the court to provide him with legal representation. He also had prior arrests and convictions.
     All this, of course, is based on fact. The U.S. Supreme Court hears his own appeal of his sentence based on the lack of legal representation; Abe Fortas, no less (José Ferrer, no less), represents Gideon before the Court. Chief Justice Earl Warren is played by John Houseman (as John Houseman, of course), and Houseman’s additional outbursts of offscreen narration underscores that we’re listening to no less than the voice of God! One long, detailed scene of discussion among Warren and his associate justices is alone worth the cost of the DVD rental. The Court, in effect reversing a 1942 decision establishing court-appointed representation for defendants based on a set of specified needs, now ruled that such representation should be provided for any defendant otherwise lacking legal representation.
     The real coup of this terrific piece of popular entertainment—besides a performance for the ages by the brilliant actor who had played Abe Lincoln, Tom Joad, Wyatt Earp and Clarence Darrow—is that we get to see and compare condensed versions of Gideon’s two trials, the first where he represents himself, and the second, two years later, where he is represented by counsel (Lane Smith, excellent). This is fascinating stuff! That we already know the outcome of the second trial doesn’t reduce the interest of this aspect in the slightest degree.
     This being Hallmark, not everything is perfect. (Dig that comfy, friendly Florida prison!) The film ends somewhat predictably with Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy’s famous remarks about Gideon’s contribution to the U.S. justice system. Clichéd, to be sure; but just try holding back your tears.