Film Analysis: A Few Good Men

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Introduction During the film, A Few Good Men, it is quite evident that the type of criminal court system portrayed in the movie deals with military court cases, rather than civilian matters. The story is a compelling one that describes how military tribunals are conducted within the United States, and how the legal system deals with affairs when it comes to court martials and criminal cases within the armed forces. The idea that this film is stressing, is that when it comes to following orders, who is responsible for the actions carried out? Is it the soldier, the commander, or both? This is the question that the prosecutors and defense attorneys battle in court in order to see justice done. Throughout this paper, I will go over the legitimization …show more content…

In the film, A Few Good Men, the trial is a military tribunal, and is held without a traditional jury and without a traditional court. In regards to the judgeship in deciding the case, it is a high-ranking military lawyer to be selected for the trial. As for the jury, instead of randomly selected civilians it is instead a panel of several military people. In criminal proceedings, therein beings the bargaining stage between both the defense as well as the prosecution, which becomes an ongoing process that could even continue during the trial. Charges are settled out of court to the best of their cooperative interests, in negotiations between defense and state attorneys. Both sides in the broadest sense, want to win, but agreements and concessions between the two are sought out because they lead to a quicker finish. This is shown once during the film in the early beginnings of the trial when the attorneys try to seek a plea bargain deal as discussed earlier. In addition, the process of appeals usually means a case doesn’t end with an initial verdict, which is seen during the film as well. More often than not, trials can last several years, along with appeals, means that the accused could be delayed with facing judgment several times or the original verdict changes or is tossed entirely. But for the benefit of adding suspense and drama, these “nuances” are either held behind the scenes or quickly glossed

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