Film Review: First Monday in October (1981)

Supreme Court of the United States is among the most important of all US government institutions and some of its verdicts have larger long-term consequences than outcomes of presidential elections. Hollywood, on the other hand, all but ignored its work. One of the rare films that deal with Supreme Court is First Monday in October, 1981 drama directed by Ronald Neame.

The film is based on the stage play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. Protagonist, played by Walther Matthau, is Daniel Snow, the Associate Justice of Supreme Court, staunch liberal and passionate defender of First Amendment. Death of his fellow Associate Justice creates vacancy at the Court, which is filled when President appoints Ruth Loomis (played by Jill Clayburgh) as the first woman at that post. Snow is very unhappy with her arrival at the Court, because she is a staunch conservative. Two of them almost immediately begin to clash, especially on the issues of pornography, which Loomis wants to ban. During their debates two of them maintain their positions but gradually begin to respect each other’s intellect and become good friends.

By happy coincidence, premiere of the film took place just as Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O’Connor as the first female Associate Justice of Supreme Court. Although this event made First Monday in October more relevant and although issues of gender are addressed in the script, the film has a good educational value, giving the viewers (especially those unfamiliar with US Constitution) an insight into the workings of the world’s most powerful court, as well as ideological battles that are constantly fought there. Script very wisely streamlines those conflicts into two strong, intelligent and mutually opposed characters, and the debates Snow and Loomis hold are one of the rare example of serious characters dealing with serious issues in Hollywood films. Film is not confined to the genre parameters of “pure” drama, and it allows few humorous, light-hearted scenes, like the one in which Supreme Court justice watch pornographic film they are about to rule on. First Monday in October has a very good cast, with Matthau and Clayburgh having excellent chemistry together; script, very wisely, refuses to make their relationship romantic. Snow and Loomis are dedicated, experienced professionals who know better, and that is reason why, despite few scenes that look like they were made in romantic comedies, remain colleagues and friends. The only major flaw of this film is the lack of cohesive plot and, in order for film to have dramatic conclusion, a subplot involving Loomis’ old law firm is introduced. First Monday in October is nevertheless a good film that should be recommended even to those viewers who care little about complexities of US Constitution.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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