A Case of Libel

A fantastic courtroom drama, a tremendous ensemble cast. The only problem is this wasn't made for theatrical release. Shot on video, either made for TV or some masterpiece theater type broadcast, it made up for it's production shortcomings with amazing performances by Asner and Travanti. The story centers around a journalist who has been labeled a Comunist by Boyd Bendix. Bendix, played by Travanti with intelligence and conviction, is scary in his ability to twist the truth for his purposes.

Edward Asner is equally as compelling as Attorney Robert Sloane in his search for the truth and for the exoneration of the "Blacklisted" reporter.

If you enjoy courtroom dramas, if you enjoy seeing a bit of what it was like during the "Red Scare", you will enjoy this work.

Now, would someone either release it on DVD or remake it for the screen?

I have tried several times over the years to get Showtime to release this on DVD. I was able to record it on my Betamax when it aired in 1983. Luckily the VCR and tape still work so far.

That's how much I love this story. Of course it's a remake of the 1968 TV presentation that was based on a Broadway play and book. It highlights the McCarthy era and its numerous anti-Communist libels. But it's just as relevant today with leftist/social-justice liberals bashing anyone who doesn't conform with their views.

The fallback when you're not willing or able to coherently debate an issue is to try to destroy anyone holding an opposing view. The defendant uses cutesy memorable phrases to tell his lies, and the plaintiff and his attorney have the courage to call him out on them, even though his newspaper has the big bucks to pour into their defense.

What are the odds any liberal college professors would dare screen this in their classrooms today?

Despite biased right-wingers like Loretta Yeo almost ruining the prospects of good people wanting to view this drama, it remains so that people in general should do so. But we also need to clear the air first.

Ms. Yeo is obviously a right-winger, and her prejudice shows through in her pseudo-review. She is basically, and ironically (or perhaps fittingly in her case), undoing the nobility of the production's merits, due to her own very Boyd Bendix-like twisting of this production's nature, origin and useful intent. The fact is, this is a true story that came out of the McCarthy period. And Joe McCarthy was a vile republican...right, Loretta? It was a republican mentality that led to the striving to silence Liberals by calling them all terrible socialists.

University Professors would have (or at least should have) no problem whatsoever showing this drama to their classes, because it shows the evils of using bad labeling practices to ruin people, in exactly the way that, for example, right-wingers do when trying to support the reprehensible likes of Regan, Bush Jr., and now, at least as sickeningly, Donald Trump. The person of Boyd Bendix was a symptom of that anti-liberal paranoia, just as other terrible persons, then and now, always seem to continue to be. How hypocritical it must be, then, to see some obvious right-winger like Loretta come along and, in typical right-wing fashion, attempt to twist a story about justice for a libeled liberal into something almost as contrary as it could get; an anti-liberal screed about punishing free speech?! Hunh?!

In a country like the United States wherein about 90% of the media (all forms) is controlled by the far right and their lunacy and greed, it is hardly we leftist liberals that folks need to worry about. It is a corporate owned and therefore conservative press. And it was the life-destroying abuse of exactly that kind of power that created story events like those of this drama. I think that is the mindset and proper understanding we all need to bear clearly in mind, front-and-center, as we see true (or fictional) stories like this one play out.

Having said all that, clearly everyone should have the opportunity to experience this story in some good (and relatively mainstream) venue like you tube or netflix. Let's hope Showtime Productions can be persuaded to make that happen with this and numerous works I and many others enjoyed growing up watching on their channel. There was that gay-teen family drama I can't recall the title of. There was The Paper Chase. There was The Sound of Murder. There was Brothers. There was Robin of Sherwood (then just called Robin Hood). There was the made-for-cablevision recording of the play Picnic. And many other "Broadway On Showtime" productions. I for one hope we eventually get to see them all again...or for the first time.

This was high-octane courtroom drama long before CSI, and much more in your face than perry mason. Brooding Ed Asner and sharp acerbic Travianti play off each other to great effect.

I was a child when I saw this and was riveted to the screen, so I'm guessing there was some melodrama :) but that does not take away from how much fun it is to see Asner growling at someone.

It's clear they have lots of fun with the material, and it's a pity we don't see more of Travianti these days.

If you can get this, go out do so.