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When I was scannning the reviews of this excellent movie, I found one comment that really flipped me out... REMAKE A JOHN FORD CLASSIC like Sergeant Rutledge????? Good Lord, what are you thinking. I am basically opposed to most remakes anyway,but this film in particular has stood the test of time just fine.... As another reviewer said,it is NOT a typical John Ford film,but it has to be one of his best. Woody Strode,one of the most under rated black actors of his generation is superb as in the title role. I would have to do some research to see how many films he did for Ford..in this film he is amazing. Jeffrey Hunter as defense attorney Tom Cantrell also turns in an excellent performance,caught between the proverbial rock and hard place when he is 'forced' to defend Rutledge. Constance Towers as Hunter's conscience, the school teacher, Mary is also quite good. Comic relief is provided by Billie Burke(Glinda the good) as the commanding general's wife,who cannot understand why she cant sit in the front row.

I have drawn a complete blank as to the actor who plays the prosecutor at Rutledge's courtmartial, but he is also very good... shades of Hamilton Burger. As much as I respect Denzel Washington as an actor ,I can't imagine him agreeing to remake this excellent film.... as for Ben Affleck as Cantrell, NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS. As I said in a previous review, if it ain't broke,don't fix it.....Bearing in mind that Ford, Hunter and Strode are all gone, it just wouldnt be right.

Excellent and landmark Western with a complex structure by means of flashback , being one of the best Ford films . It deals with a respected black cavalry Sergeant Brax Rutledge (Woody Strode) who saves a damsel in distress (Constance Towers) who is besieged by Indians . Later on , he stands court-martial for raping and killing a white woman and murdering her father , his superior commanding officer . As Rutledge on trial for rape and murder , as a tribunal presided by a good judge (Willis Bouchey) , there he is defended by a lieutenant lawyer (Jeffrey Hunter as defense attorney) and accused by a stiff prosecutor (Carleton Young) .

The tale of a court-martial told in flash-back , about a black cavalry officer on trail , well handled by master filmmaker Ford . Interesting and thought-provoking screenplay written by Willis Goldbeck , being based on James Warner Bellah novel , titled ¨Captain Buffalo¨ . This was a true landmark cavalry western , as it marked a strange occasion when a film from a major studio , Warner Brothers , depicted an African-American player as the central heroic figure . While the movie's stance on tackling racism is laudable , here there are lots of courtroom settings that proved to be claustrophobic . The courtroom is deliberately oppressed but does make the picture somewhat static ; however it includes an intriguing and twisted result to the end . Top-notch acting by Woody Strode , giving a moving performance as a heroic , yet human figure who refuses to be beaten by circumstances . Here Strode has his first main role , being usually a nice secondary actor . Support cast is frankly awesome , such as : Juano Hernandez , Willis Bouchey , Carleton Young , Rafer Johnson , final film of Billie Burke and Mae Marsh ; many of them are Ford's ordinaries .

Colorful and evocative cinematography by Bert Glennon filmed in Monument Valley , Arizona , of course . Stirring and thrilling musical score by Howard Jackson , including wonderful songs by Jay Livingstone . The motion picture was well directed by the master of the unspoken emotion , John Ford , who carries out a detailed look at covert and over racism ; however , John has to rely on long speeches to get his points across . Ford puts on the highest pedestal of human honor to an African-American , which by that time when the film was made , it resulted to be a heroism . It proved the false accusations against John Ford as a racist director . Along with his cavalry trilogy : ¨They wore yellow ribbons¨, ¨Rio Grande¨ , ¨Fort Apache¨ , and ¨Stagecoach¨, ¨Searchers¨, ¨The man who shot Liberty Valance¨, this ¨Sergeant Rutledge¨ turned to to be one of the best Westerns .

One of two late career atonement projects, the other being "Cheyenne Autumn", from John Ford to make up for racism toward African and Native Americans in his earlier films. Of the two this is clearly the superior. It is crisply paced, as opposed to the too rambling and drawn out "Autumn", and darker as well since it introduces, on top of racial prejudice, the evil of sexual perversion, definitely uncharted territory for a film maker whose attitude toward women was protective and gallant to a fault. So it's interesting to see how Ford deals with this uncomfortable material which he does, in my opinion, fairly forthrightly, and without too much histrionics.

My criticism of this film is, like its pace, crisp: Too little Woody Strode, too much Jeffrey Hunter, and WAY too much Billie Burke (as in "go back to that Victor Fleming movie you wandered in from"). Give it a B.

John Ford, ever the director of the under dog creates another masterpiece of forgotten American history.

Ford, who called himself a social democrat creates another film of nobility and personal convictions, both his and his characters. It is Fords great humanity and sense of justice which makes this film so appealing.

Some of the narrative is forced and the resolution is pat. What we do have is Fords beautiful colour camera in Monument Valley, ala "The Searchers ( 1956 )", broad humour, defined characterizations and attention to detail both individual and historical.

Jeffrey Hunter, always an underrated actor, is fine as the lead, but it is Woody Strode as the title character that is a stand out. His courtroom scene defending his beliefs and humanity is truly moving as is his scene as he rides back to save his troop. A " man mountain" he is ! Through his physical presence Ford coaxes out subtle nuances of character which give the role a ring of truth. Supporting him we have Fords usual wonderful stock players. Although not as poetic or thought out as some of Fords other films this is still miles ahead of other peoples efforts.

I first caught the tail end of this John Ford masterpiece on AMC during Black History month, and couldn't wait for it to pop up on the schedule again so I could see the whole thing. I couldn't believe I had never heard of this film before, and after I did some research and discovered how reviewers in 1960 had dismissed it, I understood why. They went expecting To Kill A Mockingbird and got Breaker Morant instead. Ford was WAY ahead of his time with this one. Woody Strode, who plays the title character, helped break the color barrier in professional football years before Jackie Robinson did so in baseball. And he broke some huge barriers in this film, too. Every young black man -- heck, every young American male today -- should be required to watch this film. As Strode later said, Ford and script writers "put classic words in my mouth." Words that would be echoed three years later by Dr. Martin Luther King in his immortal "I Have A Dream" speech at the Lincoln memorial.

Unlike most of Director John Ford's Westerns that feature much action, "Sergeant Rutledge" is mainly a courtroom drama told mainly in flashback. The time is 1881. The gist of the story is a black Ninth US Cavalry sergeant accused in the rape and murder of a teen-aged white girl Lucy Dabney (Toby Michaels) and also the murder of her father. Woody Strode ably plays the role of the sergeant, Braxton Rutledge. When he tells his enlisted men about "white woman's business" we know he is talking about serious trouble. Rutledge's capable courtroom defender is Lt. Tom Cantrell (Jeffrey Hunter), whose job is to piece together the facts, despite constant badgering by the prosecutor, Captain Shattuck. In a highly emotional setting, Shattuck likes to make racial innuendos although he is dealing with a military court of savvy men. Complicating matters is an Apache Mescalero outbreak of hostilities. Later in the film there are two interesting engagements between the Buffalo soldiers and the Apaches.

The movie is fine enough despite two drawbacks: (1) It is too long and (2) the weak trial resolution. The confession by the real murderer is over-dramatic and contrived. It is doubtful that anyone in US court has made such a strange confession, especially when the evidence was hardly circumstantial ("I had to have her!"). Perhaps the real killer had a change of conscience. But, despite its drawbacks, the film was groundbreaking in its day and still is enjoyable today. On-location shooting in Monument Valley (and Mexican Hat: note the hat rock formation in the background shots) is always spectacular. A nice shot is that of the troopers standing firm in line of battle with the Indians. "Captain Buffalo" is a moving western song about the soldiers. Lt. Cantrell explains to Mary Beecher (Constance Towers) the origin of the name "Buffalo soldiers." To stay warm in winter the black troops wore coats and hats made of Buffalo hides. As they thus appeared like buffaloes the Indians dubbed them "Buffalo soldiers." There is another origin (not mentioned in the movie): The name relates to African hair that looked to the Indians like the shaggy buffalo coat in winter. In the feature, quite a few Buffalo soldiers have speaking parts, and future Olympic gold medal winner Rafer Johnson plays an army corporal. Sgt. Skidmore (Juano Hernandez) has a funny line, "Trouble come double, sir." Rutledge has the best line in the movie when he tells Mary Beecher: "Lady, you don't know how hard I'm trying to stay alive."

Billie Burke (Glenda the good witch, 1939) was at 76 years, as usual too old for her part as Cornelia, the wife of Col. Otis Wingate (53 year-old Willis Bouchey). Here she shows her real age as she is fluttered and genuinely shocked when a teen-aged girl rides her horse astride and not side-saddle (with legs close together), as some ladies did back in olden times. She is also none too pleased when white women speak to black men. She certainly played the giddy one.

Postscript: Obviously after the period of the movie 65 years had to pass before four major events of the civil rights movement occurred: (1) integration of interstate commerce in 1946, (2) desegregation of the armed forces by Pres. Truman, 1948, (3) Brown vs. Topeka Board of education in 1954, and (4) the Montgomery bus strike (1955).

With most of America enthralled with Raymond Burr as "Perry Mason" on TV and Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" about to be released, director John Ford was at least ahead of the curve, even this late in his career. "Sergeant Rutledge" places the now-familiar trial of the noble Black man accused of raping a White woman in Mr. Ford's western setting. And, set in Monument Valley, to boot. The timely story has some problems, but should be appreciated for its effort.

First of all, the title presumes the picture to be about "Sergeant Rutledge" (Woody Strode), who couldn't have been familiar to the vast majority of filmgoers - so, the more symbolically representative "Captain Buffalo" would have been a preferable title. And, it often seems like the title character is more like a prop, with romantic defenders Jeffrey Hunter (as Tom Cantrell) and Constance Towers (as Mary Beecher) taking center stage. Finally, the courtroom and location flashbacks aren't juxtaposed well, until the exciting climaxes. Watch for fluttering Billie Burke (as Cordelia) in her last featured role.

Also, Ford "extra" Mae Marsh (as Nellie) gets a relatively good amount of screen time playing (obviously) a fluttery friend of Billie Burke. Ford, and many members of his troupe, absolutely recalled Ms. Marsh's courtroom appearance in D.W. Griffith's "Intolerance" (1916) - once upon a time, it was considered one of the most memorable moments in film. So, to have Marsh bracketing two great directors' attempts to redress past racist images is grand ironic counterpoint.

****** Sergeant Rutledge (5/18/60) John Ford ~ Woody Strode, Jeffrey Hunter, Constance Towers, Billie Burke

John Ford openly displays his poetry in this magnificent film "Sergeant Rutledge". Maybe the great director and artist was annoyed that many did not get the anti-racist messages that permeate all his works (starting with "The Searchers": ever noted it?) and decided to make a definite, open statement.

To be as clear as possible, Ford willingly shows his art, poetry and trade-mark techniques in the most evident way. He masterly uses images and camera-work to convey emotion. We see Woody Strode (Sergeant Rutledge) constrained in a small chair, his never-ending shoulders covering half of the screen. And we feel uneasy. We feel that something evil is going on, that it's deeply wrong to keep such a man in chains, let alone to hang him. And then we see Woody Strode standing out, the Monument Valley on the background, like John Wayne in many other Ford's movies. I'm sure that such parallel Wayne-Strode was Ford's deliberate choice.

Ford uses his skills of epic poet to describe characters. Rutledge is arrested and searched. They find no money or other goods, just his emancipation papers. So, here we have a Man with all his richness: his honor, his courage, his strength and an emancipation paper. Great stuff! And then Rutledge says to a wounded mate "We don't fight the whites' war. We fight for our honor". Only Ford always manages to turn military rhetoric into poetry, mainly thanks to the visual beauty of the scene.

Woody Strode makes an outstanding, deeply touching job as the black cavalry sergeant. His acting is sober, poised but intense, with no melodramatic sides, and he physically dominates the screen (by the way: what an amazing athlete Strode was, at age forty-six!).

Rutledge is the Hero, the Legend of the movie. Yet Lt. Cantrell (Jeffrey Hunter) is as interesting a character as Rutledge is. Cantrell is a man of the 19th century. Unavoidably, he does have racial prejudices, but he nobly endeavors to overcome them, and certainly at the end of the story is a better person than at the beginning.

I guess that the two female characters represent Ford's dream. Indeed, they both do not even understand racism. The poor murdered girl loved his friend "uncle" Rutledge, and that's all. She doesn't even get the hints of the old ladies, who disapprove this friendship. And the same can be said of Cantrell's fiancée Mary Beecher, very well played by Constance Towers. She nurses the wounded black horse-soldiers with no attitude of doing something special. And some lines of Mary's show Ford's wonderful subtlety. She has been over-night with Rutledge in a deserted hut. Mary says to a concerned Cantrell "I wasn't alone. Sergeant Rutledge was with me and he protected me as well as any officer could do". That's a lesson for Cantrell: the fact that Mary pretends to think her boy-friend just concerned about military ranks, implies that she does not even notice the color of the skin and requires Cantrell to be the same way. Well, probably the two women are not fully realistic characters, especially for the 19th century. They are idealized by Ford, as a poet has the right to dream.

A small remark. Most Ford's films (not this one, actually) raise some controversy. Many heartily love them and many strongly dislike them. I think it rather expectable. Ford is a poet, and a poet cannot please everyone. Personally, I was indifferent if not displeased by the works of some much celebrated poets. Thanks God, poets follow their own way, not caring people's taste.

"Sergeant Rutledge" is not perfectly constructed and chiseled like other Ford's masterpieces. Small defects may be found in some court-room scenes and flash-backs. However, this splendid movie deserves top grades, due to the importance of its message and Ford's sincerity in displaying his art. "Sergeant Rutledge" is another top work by the Master.

This was a disappointing film. The acting is up to par for a DeMille film, but not so for a Ford western. There are times when I was tempted to laugh at some of the performances. Ford's attempts at "comic relief", such as the personalities on the court martial board fall flat and certainly don't fit with what was supposed to be serious subject matter. The plot was also too contrived to be believable. But Ford does deserve credit for making an African American the star of a western in the America of 1960.

Western is not my favorite genre, but good character studies are, and Ford specialized in these in the 50's and 60's to a greater extent that most moviegoers realize. The boundaries of what Strode is willing to share with Hunter and what cannot be broached are fascinating enough, but Ford takes us deeper into all the characters and their motivations. I agree with an earlier observation comparing it with Breaker Morant and saying it was more than 20 years ahead of its time; I would say a mix between some of the most compelling aspects of Breaker Morant and A Soldier's Story. Watch this film.

Simply put , I liked it. Former decathlete athlete and football star Woody Strode plays Sergeant Rutledge accused of raping and murdering a young girl. The film is mostly shot inside what appears to be a kangaroo court, but as in any true hero's story the truth must prevail. Woody who plays a black Sergeant in the U.S. infantry, sits strong and proud of his military career and although there are many doubters in the courtroom as to his innocence of the crimes of rape and murder, the film's illustrious director, John Ford, provides Woody Strode with a terrific movie vehicle to shine in. And shine Woody Strode does.

I wouldn't dare to compare Sergeant Rutledge to the better known classic 1962 three time Academy award winner "To Kill A Mockingbird" starring Gregory Peck as the defense lawyer of the accused black man of rape played by Brock Peters. I do feel though that Sergeant Rutledge stands up well some 58 years later as a decent court room western, which utilizes flashbacks by the various court witnesses to explain why Sergeant Rutledge is either guilty or innocent.

We the audience can play judge and jury in this decent western, and I judge Woody Strode's and actress Constance Towers who plays Mary Beecher the love interest of Lt. Tom Cantrell (played by Jeffrey Hunter) performances as more than passing the smell test. I enjoyed Sergeant Rutledge as a full drama and action filled western.

I give the film a 6 out of 10 rating

I wonder which movie the other reviewers saw because the "Seargeant Rutledge" I watched was so bad it was good. Everyone involved with this waste of film should be embarrassed red. Talk about a clinic on weak writing and bad acting. My family was rolling around the floor laughing at the clumsy attempts at drama that came off cornier than anything ol' frozen Walt Disney ever dreamed up. I liked Woody Strode in "Spartacus" and was intrigued by his background as an athlete, so that's why I gave "Seargeant Rutledge" a shot. What a mistake. Where to start? The writing was laughably pathetic and trite, the actors artlessly overdo the cliché drama, and the songs ("Captain Buffalo," for example) are something my kids will be laughing about for years. I can't believe John Ford directed this wreck. I hope he was really off drinking with Sam Peckinpah and maybe this mess was actually an Ed Wood project. Living up to his first name, Strode appears wooden throughout but what a physique! Woody's pecs and biceps and the beautiful shots of Monument Valley all make for nice scenery. But that was it as far as this movie's assets. As for the bad acting, it was close but I'll have to go with Willis Bouchey as the worst of the bunch for his completely amateurish and inept mishandling of the role of Otis Fosgate, who presides over Rutledge's trial. Honorable mention to Jeffrey Hunter, Constance Towers, Billie Burke and Judson Pratt for mangling their parts. Carleton Young actually isn't too bad as the prosecutor, but he, like the rest, has to read and deliver his lines off a script that stinks to high heaven. The sexist scenes of the treatment of the women at the trial is beneath contempt but the confession scene at the end of the trial as well as the very final closing scene with Hunter,Towers and the black soldiers are really the twin icings on this mudcake. Just terrible. An accidental comedy.

This movie was a wonderful piece of social history. It was filmed during a turbulent time in the United States when Civil Rights marches were really making headlines. It was a well crafted and movingly brave attempt to address in celluloid what the Civil Rights movement was addressing on placards.

Throughout the trial, colour isn't mentioned at all until near the end, but the underlying issue is one of race and how easy it would have been to jump to the wrong conclusion and ‘Hang ourselves a nigger'. It was also incredibly brave to show how the protagonist, Sergeant Rutledge, (beautifully played by Woody Strode) was helped by a white woman; again very rare at that time.

This is a hidden gem of a movie, and although the dialogue gets a little stilted at times, it doesn't detract from the central issue. Judging by his performance when under oath, Woody Strode is up there with the best of the marvellous Black actors that have changed the face of social America.

I rate this 10 out of ten.

It was alright for Mr. Lincoln to say we was free. But that ain't so! Not yet! Maybe some day, but not yet!

John Ford's Sergeant Rutledge tells the story of a black man, 1st Sgt. Braxton Rutledge, a Buffalo Soldier of the 9th U.S. Cavalry who was up before a court-martial for the rape and murder of a white girl, Major Dabney's daughter, Lucy.

Taking place in the court room the story is told in flashback as Rutledge's (Woody Strode) troop officer, and defence council, Lt. Tom Cantrell (Jeffrey Hunter) attempts to piece together the evidence. From the outset Ford is on biting form as the case is being tried in a biased and corruptible court, we as the viewers are left in no doubt that Rutledge could be at the mercy of obnoxious white racists. It's one of the many things that makes the film a bold and at times angry picture. This was after all two years before the critically acclaimed To Kill A Mockingbird, thus making it one of the flag bearers for early acknowledgement of race relations in America.

As the sharp narrative moves forward, cloaked in visual excellence with Bert Glennon this time being Ford's cinematographer of choice, the film always keeps us guessing as to the outcome. We really can never be sure, such is the stench of racism that hangs heavy, a stench that is counter pointed by Woody Strode's wonderful and powerful performance as the on trial man. Also in fine physical shape at 46, Strode serves notice to just what a fine and important actor he was in relation to Black Americans in Hollywood. Hunter is handsome and strong in vocal delivery as the council in the middle of a real tricky trial, and Constance Towers as Mary Beecher is the glue binding them, and the story, all together.

It's a first rate picture from Ford, one that is largely (and wrongly) forgotten when talk of his oeuvre comes around. Still awaiting a DVD release in the UK, it's evident that it still remains hidden from many a prospective new viewer. This needs correcting because it's bold, beautiful and important cinema from a master director, who, as always, had much to say. 9/10

Up to now I have considered "The Searchers" the Best of Ford Westerns. It has better picture (VistaVision), and the legend of John Wayne to back it. Some of the secondary roles are better portrayed by more expert actors such as Ward Bond, just to mention one. Production is more lavish..

But the plot in "The Searchers" is unidirectional. It's just a story of white settlers against Indians.

Sergeant Rutledge goes much deeper, into the social "fabric" of America,

To avoid fastidious repetition, let me just point that the story goes into "American Problems" that endure 100 years after. Racism, young female behavior, that affects men of power, and old rich females who own perhaps more than 50% of the total assets (the wealth of the Nation) of the USA, and last but not least, the excessive power and "tricks" of legal professionals that always leads to corruption.

It is all there. If the actors were a bit upper-crust it would be the best, but Jack Warner did no provide the cash.

A must see...

This film essentially revolves around the trial of a cavalry soldier by the name of "First Sergeant Braxton Rutledge" (Woody Strode) who stands accused of raping and killing a young woman named "Lucy Dabney" (Toby Michaels) and then deserting his post out of fear from being caught. Although everyone who knows him are stunned by this development, the case itself is overwhelmingly against him. Complicating matters is the fact that the victim was white--while Sergeant Rutledge is black. It also doesn't help that the prosecutor "Captain Shattuck" (Carleton Young) is quite skilled at manipulating the testimony of the witnesses in an effort to acquire a verdict against the defendant. Offsetting that to some degree is the knowledge that his defense counsel "Lieutenant Tom Cantrell" (Jeffrey Hunter) is a man he not only respects but happens to be someone who will leave no stone unturned in his effort to win his acquittal-but even then the odds are clearly not in his favor. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a pretty good film which clearly aimed at showcasing racial injustice within American society that continues to play out even today. Be that as it may, although there were some scenes that were somewhat overplayed, I thought that Woody Strode put on an outstanding performance and even though this was not a great Western by any means, I enjoyed it for the most part and I have rated it accordingly.

This movie is not a Western but it does have Indians and it is set in the west. It's not a romance although there are some romantic moments. It's not a "black" movie although most of the actors are black. It's not an army movie although many of the folks are in the film are in the army. So what is it?

The movie is a murder mystery worthy of anything Alfred Hitchcock ever directed. There red herrings. There is confusion. There is evidence. There are cross examinations. There are flashback scenes. And best of all there is an absolutely stunning twist at the end that may make your head explode! This is a movie that is not to be missed.

When this movie was made, its argument against racism was timely and still enough of a novelty to be interesting. The idea of a troop of black soldiers fighting as well as white ones would no doubt have been satisfying to many well-intentioned people, as would Woody Strode's portrayal of a noble warrior with a strong sense of integrity. It was a far cry from the demeaning stereotypes of black people that one found in the movies only a few years earlier--including Ford's own "The Sun Shines Bright."

Today it's a different story. The movie seems obsessed with miscegenation--the sheer horror of a black man having intimate contact with a white woman! Good thing Sergeant Rutledge was an honorable man who would never do such a thing.

Then there is the portrayal of Sergeant Rutledge as something larger than life. Instead of Stepin Fetchit, we have The Noble Black Hero. We see Woody Strode in several poses designed to portray him as an almost mythic character.

The movie alternates between courtroom scenes that are not very exciting and outdoor sequences that, in true John Ford fashion, are beautiful. The early sequence in the railroad station is dreamlike and scary. The views of Monument Valley are majestic.

Having checked this DVD out of the library several weeks ago, I finally decided to watch it on Memorial Day since it has soldiers as depicted during the post-Civil War era. The title character is played by Woody Strode who is African-American and as such is on trial for the actions involving a dead white girl and her father. Jeffrey Hunter is his lieutenant who's defending him and Constance Towers is his lady friend who also says Strode's innocent. There's also Willis Bouchey as the presiding court-martial president and Carleton Young as the prosecutor. And two more players worth mentioning are Billie Burke-in her last film role-as Bouchey's wife who provides some comic relief and Juano Hernandez-perhaps best known as the lead in Intruder in the Dust-as another ranking officer. All of them are fine under the direction of the great John Ford. Sure, some romantic scenes between Hunter and Towers might not be completely necessary and some sequences lean toward the sentimental side but that's Ford for you. Otherwise, he gets fine atmospheric drama and action and brings a good social message without heavy-handing it making Sergeant Rutledge one of his more underrated works. So on that note, I highly recommend it.

Sergeant Braxton Rutledge (Woody Strode) is a black cavalry soldier on trial for unknown charges which has the town up in arms. Lieutenant Tom Cantrell (Jeffrey Hunter) is his defense attorney. Mary Beecher (Constance Towers) is called as the first witness. She recalls when she was talking with Cantrell on a train as it arrives in Spindle. There has been an Apache breakout from the nearby reservation.

This is a John Ford western in Monument Valley. The premise is that each witness in the trial leads to a flashback to the events. It starts poorly with the prosecutor doing some over-the-top sleaziness followed by an over-the-top grand standing by Cantrell. I don't know how the judge can stay in the case when his wife is put on the witness stand. The movie is generally pushing too hard but that era does push on the melodramatic button. It doesn't make it good especially considering the subject matter. Gregory Peck's reserved acting really helps to sell To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). There is a significant difference between the two. This movie has the broad comedy and broad melodrama which really takes it in a wrong direction. On the other hand, I am enthralled with the story and the great attempt at racial politics in the trial. There is also a final problem with the twist. There is no reason for that person to interrupt and then testify. That person would not do it that way. He would go right to the reveal if he feels a certain way. He would not do a detour like that. He would just stand up and say the whole thing. I hope I didn't do a spoiler. This movie has a great filmmaker doing great filmmaking making at stab at the great subject matter of racial justice. I don't always like the comedic tones and some of the broad acting. Full marks for the attempt.