Film Series at University of Richmond School of Law Will Feature "Gideon's Trumpet"

February 18, 2005

A special screening of “Gideon’s Trumpet,” the film that chronicles the 1963 Supreme Court case that guaranteed criminal defendants the right to an attorney, will be shown Feb. 24 at the University of Richmond School of Law.

The film, which will be shown at 6:30 p.m. in the Moot Court Room, is the second in the University of Richmond School of Law Film Series. A reception before the showing will take place in the law school atrium at 5:30 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.

Before the screening, the audience will hear comments from Anthony Lewis, the author of “Gideon’s Trumpet,” the book on which the movie was based, and David W. Rintels, who wrote the screenplay and produced the film. Lewis and Rintels also will answer questions after the screening.

Lewis, a former New York Times columnist, has won two Pulitzer prizes for national reporting and is the author of several books. Rintels has won two Emmys for outstanding writing. “Gideon’s Trumpet,” which originally aired in 1980 for the Hallmark Hall of Fame series, stars Henry Fonda as Clarence Gideon, who took his case for right to legal counsel to the Supreme Court and won.

The series, which focuses on films about the law and the filmmakers who worked on them, is made possible through the generous support of Park and Company, P.C.