The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

The story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

Director:

Aaron Sorkin

Writer:

Aaron Sorkin

Stars:

Eddie Redmayne, Alex Sharp, Sacha Baron Cohen

Nominated for 5 Golden Globes. Another 37 wins & 136 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eddie Redmayne	...	Tom Hayden
Alex Sharp	...	Rennie Davis
Sacha Baron Cohen	...	Abbie Hoffman
Jeremy Strong	...	Jerry Rubin
John Carroll Lynch	...	David Dellinger
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II	...	Bobby Seale
Mark Rylance	...	William Kunstler
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Richard Schultz
Ben Shenkman	...	Leonard Weinglass
J.C. MacKenzie	...	Thomas Foran
Frank Langella	...	Judge Julius Hoffman
Danny Flaherty	...	John Froines
Noah Robbins	...	Lee Weiner
John Doman	...	John Mitchell
Michael Keaton	...	Ramsey Clark

Storyline

In Chicago 1968, the Democratic Party Convention was met with protests from activists like the moderate Students for a Democratic Society led by Tom Hayden and the militant Yippies led by Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, which led to violent confrontations with the local authorities. As a result, seven of the accused ringleaders are arraigned on charges like Conspiracy by the hostile Nixon administration, including Bobby Seale of the Black Panthers who was not involved in the incident. What follows is an unfair trial presided by the belligerent Judge Hoffman (No relation) and prosecuted by a reluctant but duty-bound Richard Schultz. As their pro bono lawyers face such odds, Hayden and his fellows are frustrated by the Yippies' outrageous antics undermining their defense in defiance of the system even while Seale is denied a chance to defend himself his way. Along the way, the Chicago 7 clash in their political philosophies even as they learn they need each other in this fight.

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Plot Keywords:

riot | protest march | political protest | protesting vietnam war | 1960s | 

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Taglines:

In 1968, democracy refused to back down.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language throughout, some violence, bloody images and drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the movie, Rennie Davis keeps a notebook with all the names of US soldiers that died in Vietnam during the trial. In real life, Rennie Davis wrote down the names of Vietnamese soldiers as well.

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Goofs

The address of the "conspiracy office" (38:33) is given as "We are in Hyde Park. 28 East Jackson Street, Chicago, IL, 60604." That address is in the Loop (downtown), some 6 miles north of the nearest corner of the Hyde Park neighborhood.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lyndon B. Johnson: I have today ordered to Vietnam the Airmobile Division, and certain other forces which will raise our fighting strength from seventy-five thousand to one hundred twenty-five thousand men almost immediately. This will make it necessary to increase our active fighting forces by raising the monthly draft call from seventeen thousand to thirty-five thousand.

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Connections

Featured in 2021 Golden Globe Awards (2021)

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Soundtracks

Lila
Written by Merrell Fankhauser
Performed by Fapardokly
Under license from HD Music Now Inc.

User Reviews

Unexpectedly Great Movie

I watched this with no real expectation, although the inclusion of Mark Rylance, Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt did intrigue me. That all changed when I watched the movie as I found it terrific. It is a story that shamefully I was unaware of, and which displays yet again what a dysfunctional political and justice system is alive a kicking in the US..... definitely worth a watch.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA UK India

Language:

English Latin French

Release Date:

16 October 2020 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Filming Locations:

Patterson, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dreamworks Pictures, Amblin Partners, Aperture Media Partners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White (archive footage)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1