MovieChat Forums > ...And Justice for All (1979) Discussion > Helicopter Scene???

Helicopter Scene???

posted 14 years ago by wsitu
6 replies | jump to latest

I know this movie has been described as a dark-comedy/drama, but to me it seemed like a straight drama EXCEPT for the over-the-top helicopter ride scene, which just seemed thrown in from another movie. It seemed like it wasn't even originally part of the screenplay, or maybe just a way for Arthur and the judge to have the cafe discussion. In another movie it would have been fine, but it didn't seem to fit the tone of this one at all, and really kept me from enjoying it as much as I would have. Anyone else feel the scene was misplaced, or did you think it worked? If so, how do you think it worked?

[–] djsnafu23 14 years ago

Completely agree, couldnt be more out of place! It was the second such instance in the film, after the judge firing his pistol in court, but the tone continued uneven after that, veering into too many angles and just being ludicrous. Massive disapointment.

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[–] franzkabuki 14 years ago

I think this scene represents the worst acting I´ve ever seen by Pacino - his hysteria looks positively silly and fake.

On the other hand, the final courtroom grandstanding is simply awesome.

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[–] trob226 14 years ago

Works for me, because I see this film as not so much a dark comedy as dramatic reality turned on its ear. Everything is really close to being straight dramatic, but then it goes strange - like when the judge hauls out a gun to get order in the court, or when the defendant starts eating the evidence. Of course, I may be seeing it through the fact that I worked at that courthouse at the time the film was made, and it really wasn't that far off from some of the reality I saw. Like the time the drunk defendant wouldn't stop babbling at his sentencing so his lawyer starting stuffing paper into his mouth - he kept babbling and the more paper the lawyer stuffed in, the more he babbled it out. Would have been hysterical except the man was going to prison for a very long time and he was scared s***less, so it was just pathetic and strange. Bizarre things happen in the criminal court system. The judge flying his helicopter under the bridge - yeah, it could happen, and it fits the film to me.

[–] insomniac_rod 13 years ago

I think it was only half the place. Those kind of things happen in the laywer's "world". I'm a lawyer and I have those kind of encounters with judges, inspectors, etc. Some of the people who work for the justice system feel lonely most of the time and get stressed because of their difficult job so they try the "wildest" and exotic things to relax. Plus he has suicidal tendencias.

When the judge and Arthur are eathing chicken salad sandwiches, the judge is completey relaxed and tells Arthur about his case.

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[–] Kristeia 7 years ago

When you fly a helicopter you can not at anytime let go of the stick or you'll totally lose your hovering control.
That's totally bad!

[–] ratherbebocce 7 years ago

IMHO, EVERY movie could use a heli scene, but thats just me.

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