COURTROOM DRAMA 3: THE PAPER CHASE (1973)

"This movie analysis contains spoilers"\

This blog is not owned by a professional movie reviewer.

The Paper Chase, an English film directed by James Bridges -in 1973. Story by John Jay Osborn Jr.

My initial thought on this movie after reading the synopsis was that this is not a courtroom drama, but just a plain drama that revolves around a hardworking law student, who struggles between his studies and relationship. I had second thoughts on watching this film, as I was expecting more of hardcore like the previous film, 12 Angry men, or killing a mocking bird. Then I thought why not. 

I was correct of course, this story was plain drama. We still can get the juice of it. 

The lead character, James.T.Hart (Timothy Bottoms) a first-year student join a study group to share outlines of their course. A group consisting of six, each chooses a subject, works on the outline (notes) and shares with the rest of the group for the final exam. However, the group did not stick together till the end, of course. One dropped out of school, two left the group, another was left by others for his egoistic characteristic. Only two was left in the group. The scene where they stayed up in a hotel to revise and threatened to announce in news the hotel manager was involved in drugs if he did not continue with hotel services, was a great scene of visioning how powerful a law student can be, if he/she actually read law. 

The couple from the right. Regina Baff and James Naughton as Asheley Brooks and Kevin Brooks. Kevin was the one who left law school. He was stressed until going to the edge of killing himself on his birthday. I personally know a friend who was in depression where his/her friends were tieing the knot or getting into relationships. I am very glad my friend is now back on foot. I got reminded of this friend in this particular scene. 

Not forgetting the drama in this movie, our hero with his girlfriend. Not gonna blow who's the daughter of. He had some trouble balancing relationships and studies. There is one scene that blows off both. The feel of it can be described like this, as the spirit in your body is vacuumed out of yourself. You're no longer a person. Walking dead is too commercial a word. You have nothing left in your hand. You're just there like a pile of ____ (rock I meant). Of course, the ending is beautiful, so that the audience can clap at the end, and leave the hall saying "such a beautiful film". 

When the character finally realises he has nothing in his hand, that's where he decided to stand up. Usually, in life, a person is not afraid of anything or anyone is one who has nothing behind him. No assets, no regrets. He finally stood up in front of his contracts professor (John Houseman) as Kingsfield. The professor previously has used fear as a tool to exploit the student's work. The professor could not do anything but, agree with him and ask him to sit in class. 

Professor Kingsfield, a previous law student of Harvard, is now the most expensive legal advise in-country pointing on a student in a class. I have analysed some movies and K-Drama and English series which have taken the reference to the Socratic method. (The educators will post the first-hand material where accessible bulletin board to students. The students have to read it before the first day of class. One the very first day of class, the professor comes in randomly chooses a person to answer a case fact). 

Popular English series, 'How to get away with Murder '

K-Drama 'Law School'

In both these series, we can witness the professors, Viola Davis as (Annalise Keating) and Ahn Nae-sang as Seo Byung-ju are two characters performing the meanceful Socratic Method as well. I wonder why Malaysian Law Schools have yet to perform this here. Our lectures are still pro-students. 

Thank you for reading till the end. If you have any courtroom drama suggestions, kindly comment below. 

Love, 

Pari.