- Film Review
- Reviewed By Sue Heal
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3 out of 5
Walter Matthau casts aside his usual comic persona to remind us of his oft-forgotten straight acting skills in this made-for-TV courtroom drama. We are so used to Matthau as the rubber-faced grumpy comedian that his stirring portrayal of a small-town lawyer defending a German PoW accused of murder is almost shocking in its adroitness and disciplined precision. The finely tuned script by Michael and James Norell is a big help, as is a fine supporting cast that includes Robert Carradine and Peter Firth.
Plot Summary
Courtroom drama set in Colorado during the Second World War, starring Walter Matthau and Susan Blakely. A murder in the local PoW camp results in a German soldier going on trial for his life in an atmosphere of heightened emotions. Local lawyer Harman Cobb reluctantly takes on the job of defending him, despite facing powerful opposition.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Harman Cobb
- Walter Matthau
- Billie
- Susan Blakely
- Prosecutor Domsczek
- Robert Carradine
- Wilhelm Geiger
- Peter Firth
- "Doc" Hansen
- Barnard Hughes
- Judge Bell
- Harry Morgan
Crew
- Director
- Joseph Sargent
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