People vs. Jean Harris (1981)

Best movie ever!

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Okay, I was expecting a little more from this film. I haven't seen Mrs. Harris with Annette Bening. Of course, I believe Ellen Burstyn gives a brilliant complex performance as Mrs. Jean Harris who shot her lover of 14 years, Dr. Herman Tarmhower nicknamed the Scarsdale Diet Doctor. Ellen brings Jean's character to life making her complex, complicated, strong, vulnerable, weak, emotional, and completely real to the audience. You understand her and you wonder why she went to prison. Of course, Dr. Tarmhower or Hi as he was called by her had another mistress, a divorced Lynn Triforest who never testified at the trial. Mrs. Harris was a beautiful, intelligent woman who wanted Hi's company, companionship, rather than force him to marry her. She made the trips from Virginia and often drove up to see him and not the other way around. Somehow they were together for many years, the thought of a break-up was just unbearable for Jean who loved Hi completely with faults and all. She was his cerebral companion as well as lover but Hi needed more. Maybe she just didn't live up to his expectations in the bedroom, who knows since he has been gone for 27 years? Mrs. Harris was not a stupid woman only when it came to love and the Scarsdale Diet Doctor. There is no man worthy enough to kill yourself for in this world. Mrs. Harris felt insecure, unattractive, and inadequate only because her partner, Hi, made her feel that way. This case raises a lot of points about relationships including selfishness and possessiveness on both sides. I believe Ellen deserved an Emmy. I felt the courtroom version was both too long because it never left the courtroom.

In his opening speech the prosecutor tells the jury that he will not be able to put up a projector and show them what happened on a screen. This interesting movie remains true to that announcement and documents in a chronological order what went on in the courtroom in the trial against Jean Harris, accused of having murdered her long time lover, a well known doctor. The viewers have more or less the viewpoint of a member of the jury.What is being said seems to come straight out of a protocol. The atmosphere in the courtroom is one of tolerance and also patience. Witnesses, not least the prime witness, the accused herself, often start to meander in their statements and it usually takes quite a while for the judge to interrupt them in a civil tone. The patient viewer is rewarded with an insight into the psyche of a strong willed, intelligent career woman to whom fate dealt cruel blows and who could just not take it anymore.The acting is very good, Ellen Burstyn is absolutely convincing as Jean Harris and Martin Balsam gives a beautifully laid back performance as her lawyer. The judge, played by Richard A. Dysart, is one of the most uplifting movie judges I have ever seen. He shows great respect for all the people concerned and really is the conductor of the court proceedings which he has, tolerance non-withstanding, in a firm grip.