Throughout history, some of the most compelling dramas have unfolded not on the stage, but rather in the courtroom. Every generation has had its “Trial (or trials) of the Century", captivating public attention for weeks or even months. Since the advent of film about 125 years ago, many of these trials have been adapted into movies, often shaping public perception more than the actual courtroom proceedings themselves. One week, we’ll study a famous crime, the individual (or individuals) involved and the actual trial. A week later, equipped with historical context, we’ll screen a film adaptation of the case we learned about the week before. By moving “from courtroom to celluloid,” we’ll explore not only these landmark trials, but also the nature of dramatic license and what historical truths have been altered or omitted in the pursuit of making a compelling film the public wants to see . . . again and again.
1. The Scopes “Monkey” Trial (1925): Tennessee high school teacher John Thomas Scopes is arrested and tried for the crime of teaching evolution.
2. Inherit the Wind (1960) Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, Gene Kelly; an acting tour-de-force. Directed by Stanley Kramer. Running time: 127 min.
3. The Trial of Adolf Eichmann (1961): Nearly 15 years after the conclusion of WWII, the Israeli government located the man who ran the Nazi extermination machine – Adolf Eichmann – living in Argentina. Spirited back to Israel, he was put on trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
4. The Man in the Glass Booth (1975) Starring Maximilian Schell, Luther Adler and Lois Nettleton; directed by Arthur Hiller, from a novel by Robert Shaw. Running time: 117 min.
Dr. Kurt F. Stone, known as FAU's "Hollywood Brat," is in his 27th year with Lifelong Learning and is a medical ethicist, best-selling author, historian, and ordained rabbi. In 2023, he received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award from Who’s Who in America for his multifaceted contributions and lifelong passion for film.
Live In-Person with Video Catch-up. Available 2-3 business days after the live lecture.
