Class Action Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
For the plaintiff...Jedediah Tucker Ward. For the defense...Margaret Eleanor Ward. Nothing Personal. It's just Father Vs. Daughter in the fight of their lives.
A father and a daughter, divided by a case, endangered by the truth.
Jeb Ward is an attorney who specializes in whistle blower, David vs. Goliath, type cases. He finds a client who is suing an auto company over a safety problem that has had a severe effect on his life after the accident. He must replace the current atorney and be ready for trial quickly, and then he finds that the defense atorney will be his estranged daughter.
| Gene Hackman | Jedediah Tucker Ward |
| Colin Friels | Michael Grazier |
| Laurence Fishburne | Nick Holbrook |
| Donald Moffat | Fred Quinn |
| Jan Rubes | Alexander Pavel |
| Matt Clark | Judge R. Symes |
| Fred Dalton Thompson | Dr. George Getchell |
| Jonathan Silverman | Brian |
| David Byron | Carl |
| Tim Hopper | Howard 'Howie' Crayhill |
| Robert David Hall | Steven Kellen |
| Ren Reynolds | Ray the Bartender at Bix Restaurant |
| Wood Moy | Mr. Minh |
| Victor Talmadge | Bernstein |
| Ken Grantham | Anthony Paticola |
6.20 out of 10 (2191 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Thrilling Courtroom Drama
posted on 01 Mar 2009Best courtroom drama movie I have ever seen. Performances of Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are superb as father and daughter attorneys on opposite sides of an automobile accident case. The story pits big-corporation corporate attorney (Mastrantonio) against small-time scrappy class-action attorney (Hackman). But the highlight is the intra-family dynamics between father, mother, and daughter, which are superbly developed as the tension of the lawsuit case unfolds. The screenwriting is excellent, handling characters from attorneys to family to scientists, plus powerful revelations in the final courtroom scene. You will say, "Wow" at the end.
A Compelling, Unheralded Gem
posted on 25 Sep 2008This subdued courtroom drama starts out like an extended episode of L.A. LAW but quickly reveals itself as the unheralded gem it is. Gene Hackman is as solid as ever as a fervent lawyer battling an auto giant accused of manufacturing a faulty model. The twist is that his rival attorney just happens to be his self-reliant daughter, played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.CLASS ACTION is not a flashy, fill-up-the-screen-every-minute kind of film. But it is a quite compelling effort. The courtroom storyline is captivating, with director Michael Apted expertly showing the case and its various twists and turns from both sides. Anyone who was glued to the set anytime L.A. LAW came on be in heaven.Then there's the family dynamic. Hackman and Mastrantonio are convincing as the father and daughter. He seems to know everything and she wants to prove that he does not. They begin the film miles apart in their relationship and it seems a tense court case will further drive in the wedge between them. It's a plot line that works well and helps elevate the film.
Class dismissed
posted on 23 Aug 2008Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is a striking beauty, high cheekboned, wide mouthed, and with eyes so far apart that if they were any farther apart she'd lose binocular vision. Her features are so chiseled and her performance here so inanimate that with little trouble a ribbon could be draped across her frame and "Buonarroti" carved into it. Gene Hackman turns in his usual sturdy performance. Colin Friels as Mastrantonio's boss projects a certain oiliness and gives the impression that he's giving it everything he's got. There is a long-standing conflict between ex-radical Hackman and his 1980s materialistic yuppie daughter. He represents a number of people injured or killed in collisions involving a defective car. She represents the auto makers. One side is humanistic and aggrieved. The other side is evil, underhanded, unethical, mean, exploitative, and generally smarmy. I leave you to guess which side is represented by Hackman and which by the auto industry in this courtroom flick. Two questions. First, if you're an attorney, right, and your client gives you some damaging information and you squeal on your client and tell the other side, isn't that illegal? I understand that in some states the prosecution must disclose its evidence and witness list, but is it the case the other way around? Is it ethical for the plaintiff to secretly transmit information to the defendant? Question one and a half: Do I have those terms right? Second question, when did "versus" become abbreviated as simply "v" instead of "vs"? Is this a conspiracy designed to make me feel out of date and foolish? (I'm going to call my lawyer; they've been doing this to me all my life. I hardly had time to get used to "estate tax" and now they're trying to change it to "death tax.") There's an interesting trick pulled on the defense at the end of this trial, but man the film takes a long time getting there. I'd like to recommend this film if only because of Hackman's presence in it, but I really can't. That would surely be perjury or misfeasance or first-degree mopery or something. Want to see a good flick about a similar subject? It's inaccurate, so everyone says, but "The Verdict" is as good as they come.The first half of "Class Action" is chiefly concerned with family dynamics -- the conflict between the ambitious corporate daughter and the ex-radical idealist father, with the sensible and loving mother acting as mediator. It's really manipulative. The second half actually deals with the class action suit against the auto makers who produced something like the Ford Pinto that blows up if you look at it cross-eyed. It's informative. The bean counters at the corporation figure it's cheaper to pay off some chump money to complainants than it is to retool the production line and fix the problem. So there are a couple of hundred deaths? What can you say -- it's a human tragedy. But, wow, is it preachy. And the sermons come in rechauffe homilies -- "How much does a man's dignity cost? You take away his wife, his children, his body. I guess a few dollars more for a couple of eight by ten glossies doesn't cost much." The lines could have been written by a Magic 8 Ball.Well, any viewer not given to intense introspection or careful attention to manipulativeness will finish the movie feeling mighty good about himself or herself for having been on the side of the angels all along. If that's the kind of mellow glow you're looking for, you'll find it here. Perversely, sometimes that's EXACTLY what I need, so I enjoy watching it once in a while.
Drama, in and out of the courtroom! Wow.
posted on 18 Jul 2008I still find it kind of a coincidence that this was aired here on the cable the day before Fathers' Day here. Father Jedediah Ward (Gene Hackman) and daughter Maggie (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) are both lawyers and coincidentally, they are on the opposing ends of a major court case.From the start, one can see that Maggie is very driven to be successful in the lawyers' circles given she told her boss she wanted to take on the case because she is very aware of the company the law firm she works for represents. And her colleagues then told her that her father is the plaintiff for the case. Now this drove the daughter to outwin her father in the courtroom even more.All the estrangement actually went back to the time when Maggie realised her father is not faithful to her mother. So whenever they passed by each other, Maggie often never gave her father one look. After Mrs Ward's passing, father and daughter reunite each other for a while...but! The old issues all came back.And when along the way in researching for the case, an obstacle appeared and it almost led Maggie into trouble. Jedediah thought his daughter is almost in trouble and they managed to clear out some things between each other. It even led to surprising events which happened on the day of the big court case.For me who has always been interested how lawyers always go about their work, this is a nice introduction. Father-daughter relationship is also being explored here. That is why I said about the movie on cable the day before it's Fathers' Day today here.
The Verdict is in: A fine film!
posted on 18 Jun 2007Normally I am not a big fan of courtroom drama. Somehow, law & order, crime & punishment make me very uneasy. While visiting my mom, however, Class Action was coming on TV (a Fox station, so I assume it may have been uncut). Since it co-starred Gene Hackman, I decided to watch. I was well-rewarded.Hackman is one of my favorites and never lets me down. He and co-star Mary Elizabeth Mastratonia both turn in riveting performances as a father-daughter attorneys. The film is emotionally-charged throughout, but never boils over into the sappy range. Without any spoilers, the ending is no huge surprise, but is satisfying – as is the movie as a whole.Hackman plays Jedediah Tucker Ward, an aging lawyer who has made a national reputation as a David vs. Goliath foe of major corporations. His semi-estranged daughter, Maggie (Mastratonia) has followed his footsteps-at least into the law profession. There the similarity stops, as she is bucking for a partnership in a prestigious firm that handles some of the nation's largest corporations. Both actors turn in tremendous performances.When the hostile father & daughter find themselves on opposite ends of a huge class action law suit over a car exploding a few years earlier, the already strained relationship is pushed to its limits. Jed's wife (Maggie's mother, of course), Estelle (Joann Merlin) tries to keep them from digging an impenetrable schism between themselves.Some fine courtroom drama and domestic drama ensues and the winner is clearly the audience. The two leads are tremendous-even bearing some facial resemblance-and the rest of the veteran cast is very strong. I had never even heard of this film before today, but it is a definite winner.
Class Action in A Class By Itself ****
posted on 16 May 2007Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio provide a perfect chemistry as a father and daughter, both of whom being attorneys in this excellent 1991 film.The plot is twofold. Not only are the two on opposite sides of a case involving a faulty automobile but they must cope with the death of the mother, a lovely lady who chose to remain with a wandering Hackman.Hackman argues the case for the defense. It is horrifying that a cover-up existed because it would be cheaper to deal with the lawsuits than to make the necessary improvements.A very engrossing film dealing with the human spirit, ethics and indifference. Highly recommended.
Class Action
posted on 11 Apr 2007This is one of the best movies that I have watched. My college instructor compared it to some instruction he was doing in class. Five of 25 students had seen the movie and agreed that it was a perfect example of what we were studying. I was trying to purchase it so that all the class could view it.
The cast makes it
posted on 25 Jan 2007This formulaic court-room drama is saved by stand-out performances by Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio... and others including Laurence Fishburne.The relationship, reaction and interaction between the two leads is believeable and not over-done.Definitely worth a rent...
Great Tort Law Movie!
posted on 08 Aug 2006It was suggested our Tort Law class view this film if we could, and being a Gene Hackman fan, I was very pleased to get this DVD online for such a modest price. Great Father/Daughter drama, where they represent opposing sides in a class action suit against a car manufacturer. For the Tort Law student, all points are clearly shown for a prima facie case: Duty, Breach, Proximate Cause, and Damages. And for the rest of us, it's scary as hell to see how dollars and cents can overrule common decency in the minds of unscrupulous business people. Good flick! I also highly recommend "The Verdict" with Paul Newman.
Hollywood wins again (and we get stiffed!!)
posted on 26 Dec 2005Gene Hackman is Jedidiah Tucker Ward, an aging yet tireless litigant for the public good, enemy of evil corporate type and the bane of overpaid attorneys everywhere. On the other side of this gap of good and evil is Maggie Ward, Jed's headstrong daughter. Between them is a products liability lawsuit involving car lights that kill people. The premise suggests the ending - Jed will win the day, but not before his daughter has been transformed into a noble attorney. Jed will fight the good fight (which will require supreme grandstanding) while Maggie learns just how amoral her side really is.
What robs this courtroom thriller is what's missing in virtually every courtroom thriller - a case that could go either way, an actual case in controversy. Maybe because of the amount of preemptive litigation required just to produce a major motion picture, Hollywood is simply too beholden to lawyers to make a truly biting film about them. Instead of a compelling case, we have one that's ready for our verdict as soon as we've seen the suits worn by either side or their offices. The case in "Class Action" is one you can typify as "David & Goliath", which is to say that the end has been fated to be won by the little guy by a higher power. There's no way that we're going to see a case won (even by dishonest means) by Donald Moffat's hired band of Harvard-trained professional liars, and there's no way anybody in the audience is going to buy their arguments. Maggie's bosses are so transparently bad, that not only do they screw up, but even their explanations are patently evil Even so, the film stacks the deck against them by cynically attributing to them as evil what are basic facts of life for lawsuits of this kind - namely that products liability plaintiffs will make overbroad requests for discovery, and defendants respond in kind by deluging the other side with documents responsive to the request but otherwise valueless. For a thriller about high-paid lawyers, "Class Action" has all the legal acumen of high-school mock-trial, with fewer suprises.
father and daughter, both attorneys, duke it out
posted on 16 Dec 2005Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastroantonio are involved in a "Class Action" in this 1991 film that also stars Laurence Fishburne, Donald Moffatt, Joanna Merlin and Fred Thompson. Hackman and MEM, father and daughter, are both attorneys. "I raised you," Jed (Hackman) yells at Maggie (MEM) during one scene. "Mom raised me," she screams back. "You had a date." Maggie's resentment over her father's infidelity erupts after the death of her mother (Merlin) in a powerful scene. Although Maggie has tried to reconcile with him, she finds there is too much in the way. Maggie is in an ethical quandary when the law firm she works for wants to suppress evidence about an automobile manufacturer's malfeasance; complicating things is that her father heads the team the other side of the case.This is a very good movie that emotionally rings true, thanks to a good script and fine performances by Hackman and Mary Elizabeth. I had the pleasure of working with Mary Elizabeth when she was a Broadway actress - a lovely woman with a great talent, shown here to excellent advantage. Grieving for her mother and unable to accept her father's love, she is blindsided by her boyfriend/boss' ethics violation and has nowhere to turn. The viewer can really feel her pain. Hackman is wonderful as a shark attorney who loved his wife deeply but made some unfortunate choices and alienated his only child. He finds himself now vulnerable and confused; Hackman expresses these emotions beautifully. There is able support from the top-notch cast.Compelling and at times powerful.
Gene Hackman's brilliant performance
posted on 16 Nov 2005Gene Hackman is Jedediah Tucker Ward.Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is his daughter Maggie Ward.They're both lawyers.His client is suing an auto company that risked his life.Maggie defends the auto company.Maggie and her father already fight against each other in real life.Now they fight in a courtroom.Class Action (1991) by Michael Apted is as much a courtroom drama as it is a movie about father daughter relationship.Gene Hackman is really great in the lead.This is a good movie but it's Hackman who makes it better.The man hasn't done any movies since Welcome to Mooseport (2004) and he did say to Larry King that his movie career may be over.I really hope that's not the case.Besides Hackman there are many other great talents.Mastrantonio as the daughter is very good.And so is Joanna Merlin as the mother Estelle.Laurence Fishburne is great as Nick Holbrook.Donald Moffat is Fred Quinn and he's terrific.Jan Rubes is fantastic as Alexander Pavel.Matt Clark is the Judge R. Symes and he's great as always.Jonathan Silverman does the role of Brian and he handles it very well.Fred Dalton Thompson is in the role of the immoral Dr. George Getchell.As we all know he's running now for the next President of United States as a republican candidate.Well he can act which is a quality very much needed when you're the head of state.Even though the plot may not be all that original it doesn't matter.The actors with Hackman in the lead make it worth watching at least once.A good court room drama in movies or on TV can be really intrigueing when done right.We've seen a good lawyer in Matlock, played by Andy Griffith and many others after that.The drama of Class Action really works.In and out of the courtroom.
Class Action Movie
posted on 28 Nov 2004I really liked this movie. Many critics panned it in their reviews, probably because they are somewhat jaded. Gene Hackman always presents a great performance. Remember Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in Abyss? She plays Hackman's daughter beautifully, literally and figuratively. I rate this movie B+ and will watch it again for it's entertainment value.
Class Action Review
posted on 19 Nov 2003Class Action is an absorbing and intelligent film with excellent performances by Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. The tight and intelligent dialog is convincing and there are human emotions throughout the film when required. This is one of the best courtroom dramas ever made, even though one may predict the ending.
Courtroom Drama
posted on 03 Nov 2003Another court room drama - well, in a manner of speaking yes. "Class Action" is more of a family drama that makes use of the court room as an arena where attorney Jedediah Tucker Ward and his daughter Maggie Ward clash.The movie shows flashes of riveting brilliance, but it is mostly inconsistent and ultimately the story is predictable. Direction from veteran Michael Apted is pedestrian, Colin Friels in a supporting role is uninspired and Gene Hackman is well below par. The rest of the cast, which included Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Laurence Fishburne, are there for the ride.Friday, April 26, 1991 - Hoyts Midcity Melbourne
Not Much Action
posted on 10 Oct 2003There are three great actors in this film, Hackman, Mastrantonio and Laurence Fishburne, and they alone make it worth watching. There just isn't enough excitement in the plot, about a father and daughter squaring of as lawyers on opposing sides of a class action lawsuit, and its as if the writer mailed in his contribution along with Michael Apted, the director. Neither of them seemed to be excited to do the work and consequently it's hard to get very excited viewing it. I wouldn't recommend it because there is so much else out there that has more to offer in the way of stakes and excitement. The truth is I can hardly find the motivation to write about it. Not even a rental.
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More Timely than Ever
posted on 29 Jul 2009Read about Firestone Tires and its analysis of risk factors in defective equipment, then see CLASS ACTION and realize that it's the same story! Excellent performances by everyone. If you like courtroom dramas, don't miss this one.