Top Ten Law Movies & What They Can Teach Us Common Folk

The courtroom has long been a favorite setting for movies. If the script and acting are solid, a trial can provide a suspenseful and compelling plot. Let's look at ten of the all time best law movies ever created and what they have to teach us.

1. 1. 12 Angry Men

This 1957 movie, directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Henry Fonda, is one of the classics when it comes to law movies. Taking place in a jury room, it reveals how peoples' prejudices and backgrounds can cause them to have a biased view of an event.

2. 2. A Few Good Men

Directed by Rob Reiner and starring Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson, A Few Good Men is a look at the justice system in the military. This compelling film teaches viewers that honor and patriotism are not always identical with blindly obeying orders.

3. 3. To Kill a Mockingbird

Based on the novel by Harper Lee, this 1962 film is often considered the greatest legal movie of all time. Directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Gregory Peck and Mary Badham, To Kill a Mockingbird portrays the consequences of racial inequality and prejudice in the American South of the mid-twentieth century. Criminal defense lawyer David E. Cook say this is a great classic for anyone.

4. 4. The Paper Chase

This 1973 film, directed by Jame Bridges and starring Timothy Bottoms and Lindsay Wagner, was later made into a TV series. It reveals, like few other movies, how difficult and stressful it is to successfully make it through law school.

5. 5. …And Justice For All

This 1979 film, directed by Norman Jewison and starring Al Pacino and Jack Warden, portrays a justice system that is extremely imperfect and even corrupt. More than anything else, it teaches viewers that the truth is often far more complex than it appears.

6. 6. Presumed Innocent

This 1990 film, based on a novel by Scott Turow, stars Harrison Ford as a prosecutor who is charged with murder. Presumed Innocent is about the revelations of someone who is forced to see the legal system from a different point of view -as defendant rather than prosecutor.

7. 7. In Cold Blood

Based on the novel by Truman Capote, this film was directed by Richard Brooks and stars Robert Blake and Scott Wilson as two killers who commit a brutal murder of an innocent family. Most of the movie is told in flashback form after the pair have been arrested. The trial reveals the terrible consequences of violent crime, both on the victims and perpetrators.

8. 8. Kramer vs. Kramer

This 1979 film, directed by Robert Benton and starring Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It shows how a custody battle can devastate a family and turn people who once loved each other into bitter enemies.

9. 9. The Verdict

This 1982 film, directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Paul Newman as an alcoholic Boston attorney trying to get his career back on track with a complicated medical malpractice case. This movie shows how thin the line that divides personal interest from doing the right thing can be, as Newman's character starts out by only caring about his own career but ends up truly caring about his client.

10. 10. The Crucible

This 1996 film, directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder, is based on a play by Author Miller, who wrote the script. It examines the infamous Salem witch trials of the 17th century and how public hysteria can cause people to develop a mob mentality.

These are some of the most exciting law and courtroom dramas ever made into movies. There are quite a few other worthwhile legal films as well. No doubt, Hollywood will continue to produce movies that deal with the law, as this is a naturally fascinating topic for many viewers.