Fear on Trial

October. 02,1975 | 1h 40m | en

George C. Scott William Devane John Houseman

Drama TV Movie

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The story of John Henry Faulk, a radio/TV personality of the 1950s, who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. Faulk sued the organization that was behind the blacklisting, and the resultant trial, and Faulk's victory, helped to put an end to the blacklisting period.

Reviews

Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

SpecialsTarget Disturbing yet enthralling

DubyaHan The movie is wildly uneven but lively and timely - in its own surreal way

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

jeffpk Are doomed to repeat it.This movie should be available right now on DVD and Video as anyone who has heard a sample of the propaganda tactics of Senator Joe McCarthy should feel a fearful chill of recognition when listening the post 911 rhetoric of George W Bush and his cronies, some of which continues to this day.A must-show for any high school civics class, the only thing more powerful then seeing this film is reading the extremely well written biography it was adapted from. It gives a portrait of the uniquely American horror of McCarthyism that will stay in your mind the rest of your life.

JAMES BROOKS "Fear on Trial" is the story of John Henry Faulk (William Devane), a rising personality on CBS in the 1950's, who is suddenly deprived of his livelihood after being accused of Communist sympathies and blacklisted.Unlike others in this situation, he secures the services of a prominent attorney, Louis Nizer (George C. Scott), and sues his accusers for libel, winning a generous settlement in a landmark trial, ending the climate of fear begun under McCarthyism.A great film that should be on home video, a reminder of how precious and vulnerable our freedoms are.