Fear on Trial (1975) (TV)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Lamont Johnson

Writers:

John Henry Faulk (book)
David W. Rintels (writer)

Release Date:

2 October 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The story of John Henry Faulk, a radio/TV personality of the 1950s, who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era...

Plot Keywords:

Political | Blacklist | Based On True Story | Based On Novel

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 5 nominations

Cast

George C. Scott	...	Louis Nizer
William Devane	...	John Henry Faulk
Dorothy Tristan	...	Laura Faulk
William Redfield	...	Stan Hopp
Milt Kogan	...	Herb Steinmann
Allan Miller	...	Gerry Dickler
John Lehne	...	Thomas Bolan
Ben Piazza	...	Harry
John Harkins	...	Vincent Hartnett
John McMartin	...	Tom Murray
Paul Hecht	...	Paul
Lois Nettleton	...	Nan Claybourne
John Houseman	...	Mike Collins
Judd Hirsch	...	Saul
David Susskind	...	Himself

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Company:

Alan Landsburg Productions

Trivia:

Bruce Geller, better known as the creator of the long-running TV series "Mission: Impossible" (1966) and "Mannix" (1967), appears here as Judge Abraham Geller, the presiding judge at the Faulk trial. Judge Geller was Bruce Geller's father.

A reminder of our past= a solid film=Should be on video !!!!

"Fear on Trial" is the story of John Henry Faulk (William Devane), a rising personality on CBS in the 1950's, who is suddenly deprived of his livelihood after being accused of Communist sympathies and blacklisted.

Unlike others in this situation, he secures the services of a prominent attorney, Louis Nizer (George C. Scott), and sues his accusers for libel, winning a generous settlement in a landmark trial, ending the climate of fear begun under McCarthyism.

A great film that should be on home video, a reminder of how precious and vulnerable our freedoms are.