Murder in the First
MURDER IN THE FIRST (15)
D: Marc Rocco
Guild/Canal (Mark Frydman & Mark Wolper)
US 1995
122 mins
Drama
W: Dan Gordon
DP: Fred Murphy
Ed: Russell Livingstone
Mus: Christopher Young
Christian Slater (James Stamphill), Kevin
Bacon (Henri Young), Gary Oldman (Warden Milton Glenn), Embeth Davidtz (Mary McCasslin), Stephen Tobolowsky (Mr. Henkin), Brad Dourif (Byron Stamphill)
Incarcerated in Alcatraz prison, a prisoner is
brutally beaten, mistreated and serves his sentence in solitary confinement, until a young lawyer stands trial on his behalf and uncovers the faults in the system and prison brutality
from the despotic warden.
This courtroom drama does somewhat blur the right
& wrongs of this true account, but is incredibly well acted, especially from Kevin Bacon, with arguably the finest screen performance of his career.
6/10
