Gideon's Trumpet

Gideon's Trumpet is a 1980 American made-for-television historical drama film based on the biographical book of the same name written by Anthony Lewis. The film depicts the historical events before and during the 1963 United States Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright that brought the right of an attorney to criminal defendants who could not afford it and did not meet special requirements to get one for free. After the ruling, implements of the case were enacted publicly, nationally, and even globally. The film, distributed by Worldvision Enterprises, premiered on April 30, 1980, on CBS-TV as a Hallmark Hall of Fame film. The feature stars Henry Fonda as the titular Clarence Earl Gideon, José Ferrer as Abe Fortas, and John Houseman as the Chief Justice of the United States. Other notable actors in the film included Fay Wray, Sam Jaffe and Dean Jagger. Robert L. Collins directed the film. It was produced and written under the direction of John Houseman and David W. Rintels. The film was recognized and nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards the same year it premiered on television on September 7, 1980. Plot The story starts with the title character Clarence Earl Gideon looking into the camera and remarking how he would try to give a full account of his situation, even though he may not remember everything. The film shifts to a bar in Panama City, Florida, in summer 1961, where several people notice the pool room was broken into and money stolen from the register. This leads to the arrest of Gideon, who was seen using a nearby payphone the same night the pool room was broken into. On the day of his trial, he asks for a defense attorney to be assigned to represent him because he cannot afford to pay one himself, but Judge Robert McCrary refuses his request even though Gideon claims it is his right to have an attorney in his trial. After the cross-examinations of witnesses against and for Gideon, and much deliberation from the jury based on how Gideon represented himself in the trial, Gideon is convicted and sentenced to five years in state prison. While there, Gideon often visits the prison's library researching how the law of the United States plays out, gaining support and reverence from his fellow inmates.