Murder in the First
1995 · Movie · R · 122 min · ★ 7.1 · 61% critics
A young public defender takes on a seemingly hopeless case when he’s assigned to represent an Alcatraz inmate accused of killing another prisoner. As the trial unfolds, the defense challenges not only the charge itself but also the brutal prison conditions that may have pushed a man to the edge.
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Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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Details
- Years
- 1995
- Release date
- 1995-01-20
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Critic score
- 61/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.1/10 (611 votes)
- Box office
- $29,500,000
- Budget
- $20,000,000
About
If you enjoy gritty prison dramas that shift into a high-stakes courtroom fight, this should land well, especially if you liked The Name of the Rose or JFK; Not for you if you want light viewing or strict historical accuracy.
Pros: gripping prison-to-court story; standout lead performances; tense, emotional stakes | Cons: loose with true events; heavy-handed villains; occasionally cheesy style
Themes
- prison
- prisoner
- death row
- alcatraz prison
- lawyer
- courtroom
- murder trial
- 1940s
- mistreatment
- public defender
- prisoner abuse
Awards & recognition
- Critics' Choice Movie Award — Best Actor · 1995
- Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role · 1996 · nominated
- Critics' Choice Movie Award — Best Actor · 1995 · nominated
Cast & crew
Christian Slater
as James Stamphill
Kevin Bacon
as Henri Young
Gary Oldman
as Associate Milton Glenn
Embeth Davidtz
as Mary McCasslin
William H. Macy
as Bill McNeill
Stephen Tobolowsky
as Mr. Henkin
Brad Dourif
as Byron Stamphill
Kyra Sedgwick
as Blanche
Mia Kirshner
as Rosetta Young
R. Lee Ermey
as Judge Clawson
Directed by Marc Rocco