Trial (1955 film)
Encyclopedia
Trial is a 1955 American film directed by Mark Robson
and written by Don Mankiewicz (novel and script). It stars Glenn Ford
, Dorothy McGuire
, Arthur Kennedy
and Juano Hernandez
. It is about a Mexican
boy accused of rape
and murder
; originally victimized by prejudiced accusers, he becomes a pawn of his communist defenders, whose propaganda purposes would be best served by a verdict of guilty.
who lives in the small California
town of San Juno. During an annual event called Bass Night held at the town beach, he has wandered into the beach which is off-limits to Mexican Americans. There he meets up with a non-Hispanic girl from his high school class. She is suddenly struck down by a heart attack and dies. Angel is arrested and charged with murder. The film then cuts to the State University where a law professor, David Blake (Glenn Ford
), is told he can no longer teach because he has never been to court to defend a client. Blake asks if he finds work with a law firm for the summer and gets courtroom experience, would he be able to teach in the fall semester. The dean agrees and Blake goes out to find work. He goes to a small law firm run by Bernard Castle (Arthur Kennedy
). Castle wants to defend Angel Chavez and agrees to hire Blake to handle the case. Castle then leaves on a trip to New York City
to raise money to defend Chavez with Angel's Mother (Katy Jurado
). He leaves behind his law clerk Abbe Nyle (Dorothy McGuire
) to help Blake and they soon fall in love. During the picking of a jury, Blake is called to New York to join Barney at a rally and discovers that Barney is a leader in a Communist group and he is using David as a propaganda tool. David is insulted and betrayed by Barney but he soon returns to San Juno to see the trial to the end.
Mark Robson
Mark Robson was a Canadian-born film editor, film director and producer in Hollywood.-Career:Born in Montreal, Quebec, he moved to the United States at a young age. He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles then found work in the prop department at 20th Century Fox studios...
and written by Don Mankiewicz (novel and script). It stars Glenn Ford
Glenn Ford
Glenn Ford was a Canadian-born American actor from Hollywood's Golden Era with a career that spanned seven decades...
, Dorothy McGuire
Dorothy McGuire
Dorothy Hackett McGuire was an American actress.-Career:Born in Omaha, Nebraska, she began her acting career on the stage at the Omaha Community Playhouse...
, Arthur Kennedy
Arthur Kennedy (actor)
Arthur Kennedy was an American stage and film actor known for his versatility in supporting film roles and his ability to create "an exceptional honesty and naturalness on stage" especially in the original casts of Arthur Miller plays on Broadway.- Early life and education :Kennedy was born John...
and Juano Hernandez
Juano Hernández
Juano Hernández was a Puerto Rican stage and film actor of African descent who was a pioneer in the African-American film industry. He made his debut in an Oscar Micheaux film, "The Girl from Chicago" which was directed at black audiences. Hernández also performed in a serious of dramatic roles in...
. It is about a Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
boy accused of rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
; originally victimized by prejudiced accusers, he becomes a pawn of his communist defenders, whose propaganda purposes would be best served by a verdict of guilty.
Plot
Angel Chavez (Rafael Campos) is a Mexican AmericanMexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
who lives in the small California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
town of San Juno. During an annual event called Bass Night held at the town beach, he has wandered into the beach which is off-limits to Mexican Americans. There he meets up with a non-Hispanic girl from his high school class. She is suddenly struck down by a heart attack and dies. Angel is arrested and charged with murder. The film then cuts to the State University where a law professor, David Blake (Glenn Ford
Glenn Ford
Glenn Ford was a Canadian-born American actor from Hollywood's Golden Era with a career that spanned seven decades...
), is told he can no longer teach because he has never been to court to defend a client. Blake asks if he finds work with a law firm for the summer and gets courtroom experience, would he be able to teach in the fall semester. The dean agrees and Blake goes out to find work. He goes to a small law firm run by Bernard Castle (Arthur Kennedy
Arthur Kennedy (actor)
Arthur Kennedy was an American stage and film actor known for his versatility in supporting film roles and his ability to create "an exceptional honesty and naturalness on stage" especially in the original casts of Arthur Miller plays on Broadway.- Early life and education :Kennedy was born John...
). Castle wants to defend Angel Chavez and agrees to hire Blake to handle the case. Castle then leaves on a trip to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to raise money to defend Chavez with Angel's Mother (Katy Jurado
Katy Jurado
Katy Jurado , born María Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado García in Mexico, D.F., was a Mexican actress who had a successful film career both in Mexico and in Hollywood....
). He leaves behind his law clerk Abbe Nyle (Dorothy McGuire
Dorothy McGuire
Dorothy Hackett McGuire was an American actress.-Career:Born in Omaha, Nebraska, she began her acting career on the stage at the Omaha Community Playhouse...
) to help Blake and they soon fall in love. During the picking of a jury, Blake is called to New York to join Barney at a rally and discovers that Barney is a leader in a Communist group and he is using David as a propaganda tool. David is insulted and betrayed by Barney but he soon returns to San Juno to see the trial to the end.
Awards and nominations
- Academy Award for Best Supporting ActorAcademy Award for Best Supporting ActorPerformance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
(nomination) - Arthur KennedyArthur Kennedy (actor)Arthur Kennedy was an American stage and film actor known for his versatility in supporting film roles and his ability to create "an exceptional honesty and naturalness on stage" especially in the original casts of Arthur Miller plays on Broadway.- Early life and education :Kennedy was born John...