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Class Action Details

1990 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 464 members

A father and daughter, both attorneys, are on opposite sides in the courtroom. He's on the prosecuting side and she's for the defence. As father and daughter they become divided, and as attorneys, endangered by the truth. Gene Hackman plays Jedediah Tucker Ward an esteemed trial attorney who has built his reputation defending .. Read more

Starring Gene Hackman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Joanna Merlin, Colin Friels
Director Michael Apted
Genres Drama

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Class Action

A father and daughter, both attorneys, are on opposite sides in the courtroom. He's on the prosecuting side and she's for the defence. As father and daughter they become divided, and as attorneys, endangered by the truth. Gene Hackman plays Jedediah Tucker Ward an esteemed trial attorney who has built his reputation defending the underdog against the huge, impenetrable corporate power structure. His lawyer daughter Maggie, (Mastrantonio) has more conventional aims--namely becoming a partner in San Francisco's largest corporate law firm. Jedediah believes that his daughter is selling out by working as a corporate attorney, but Maggie sees her father's defence of the "common man" as an excuse for self-aggrandisement on the job and negligence at home. The festering antagonism between the two comes to a head when they meet in the courtroom for a class action suit against an American car manufacturer, where Maggie represents the car company and Jedediah represents the people.

Starring Gene Hackman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Joanna Merlin, Colin Friels
Director Michael Apted
Studio 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 45 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 16 Apr 2004
Production year: 1990
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of Class Action

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio play dad-and-daughter lawyers in this powerful courtroom drama from British director Michael Apted. Hackman is the concerned, scruffy liberal (but with his own moral flaws), while Mastrantonio is the thrusting achiever, with ambition and power suits hiding an essential decency. Unfortunately, the whiff of contrivance takes the edge off several scenes, as the lawyers' personal antipathy invades their working lives, but otherwise this is classy stuff that showcases two actors on top form.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • Maggie Ward (Mastrantonio) may have followed her father into the law, but she embodies the kind of values he despises... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of Class Action

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  • 4 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Good and Evil

    The eternal struggle of good and evil is artfully reconstructed by Michael Apted in this 'Legal Eagle' film.

    Small legal firm headed by father (Gene Hackman) is locked in legal combat with major corporate lawers' whose front is daughter (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). Father is a womaniser, estranged from his daughter whose sole aim is to defeat him in the court bearpit.

    The tale is the struggle of gravely injured individual victims in a class action against a major car manufacturer. Daughter discovers a major error in the car design and agonises about what to do. In a voyage of discovery about the relationship of her father and mother she finally comes out on the right side.

    This tautly directed film relies on the wonderful cast led by the masterful Gene Hackman (when is he ever going to be recognised as the major star that he is?), is ably assisted by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. The scipt is good, occasionally let down by too much bathos.

    An excecellent evenings entertainment and fully reccomended to our members.

      • A customer from Stroud, England
      • Posted 30 Jul 2004 21:13

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Rating breakdown

464 Member ratings
  • 100
28
  • 90
25
  • 80
72
  • 70
85
  • 60
124
  • 50
57
  • 40
36
  • 30
17
  • 20
14
  • 10
6

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      • A father and daughter, both attorneys, are on opposite sides in the courtroom. He's on the prosecuting side and she's for the defence. As father and daughter they become divided, and as attorneys, ...