Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8 is a historical drama (based on a true story) which premiered in 1987.
The topic is the story of a remarkable trial which took place in Chicago over several months from September 1969 to February 1970.
The Chicago 8 was a group of left-wing activists who were charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines with the intention of inciting a riot during the Democratic National Convention which was held in Chicago in August 1968.
The activists complained about US foreign policy (the war in Vietnam) and about US domestic policy (the persecution of the civil rights movement within the US).
When the trial began in September 1969, there were eight defendants, but one of them (Bobby Seale, the national chairman of the Black Panthers) declared that he did not want to be represented by the two lawyers who represented the other seven defendants.
Bobby Seale wanted to be represented by his own lawyer. Unfortunately, this lawyer was unable to attend the trial, because he was recovering after having an operation in a hospital. Eventually, it was decided to remove Bobby Seale from the main case and when this happened, it became known as the trial of the Chicago 7.
Here is some basic information about this drama:
** Directed by Jeremy Kagan
** Screenplay written by Jeremy Kagan
** Based on the play The Chicago Conspiracy by Ron Sossi and Frank Condon
** The play is based on the official transcript of the proceedings in the federal court
** Run time: 118 minutes
The cast can be divided into four categories, depending on their role in the case. Here are the names:
# 1. The federal prosecution
** Harris Yulin as Tom Foran (1924-2000) – senior chair
** David Clennon as Richard Schultz – junior chair
# 2. The defense
** Robert Loggia as William Kunstler (1919-1995)
** Elliott Gould as Leonard (Len) Weinglass (1933-2011)
# 3. The defendants
** Brian Benben as Tom Hayden (1939-2016)
** Michael Lembeck as Abbie Hoffman (1936-1989)
** Robert Carradine as Rennie Davis (1940-2021)
** Barry Miller as Jerry Rubin (1938-1994)
** Peter Boyle as David Dellinger (1915-2004)
** Robert Fieldsteel as Lee Weiner (still alive in 2021)
** David Kagen as John Froines (born 1939)
** Carl Lumbly as Bobby Seale (born 1936)
# 4. Other characters
** David Opatoshu as Julius Hoffman (1895-1983) – the federal judge
When you look at the chart, you can see that one of the defendants (Abbie Hoffman) has the same last name as the federal judge (Julius Hoffman). They are not related!
The judge had some difficulty with names. During the case he mispronounced the name of the defendant David Dellinger and the lawyer Leonard Weinglass.
The first five defendants were quite famous in 1968 and 1969. But number six and seven (Lee Weiner and John Froines) were not so famous. Why were they named as defendants?
One possible explanation is that the government included them in order to have something to negotiate with in case negotiations became relevant. If the defense was going to complain about the high number of defendants, the government could offer to drop the charges against Weiner and Froines.
We cannot know if this explanation is true, because there never were any negotiations between defense and prosecution.
When the case ended in February 1970, Weiner and Froines were both found not guilty of all charges, while the other five defendants were found guilty of several charges.
This movie is mostly a courtroom drama, but from time to time the drama in the courtroom is interrupted by two elements:
# 1. Archive footage recorded during the Democratic National Convention held in Chicago in August 1968.
# 2. Short clips with real-life participants. Brief statements made by the real defendants and the real lawyers for the defense, who were still alive when this movie was made.
Since this drama is based on a true story, the basic facts are part of the public record. They are not a secret. Therefore, I could mention many of them here, but I am not going to do that. I do not wish to spoil the viewing for anyone.
While this drama is based on a true story, it is not a documentary film. It is a dramatized version of events. Not everything happened exactly as shown here. Some details may have been added or changed or excluded for practical reasons or dramatic purposes. But the basic story is true.
What do reviewers say about this historical drama? On IMDb it has a rating of 72 percent which corresponds to 3.6 stars on Amazon. If you ask me, this rating is too low.
The trial of the Chicago 7 or 8 was an extraordinary trial. When you watch this movie, you can see that it often turned into a regular circus, because there were so many eloquent people in this room and sometimes, they were carried away by the heat of the moment and they could not help themselves: they just had to speak their mind, no matter what.
A judge is supposed to be neutral. A judge is supposed to be impartial. In this case, judge Julius Hoffman was not neutral. He was not impartial. His words and decisions showed that he supported the prosecution all the way.
His words and decisions were a provocation against the defendants. When they responded (or tried to respond), they were told to be quiet. When defense lawyers responded, they were cited with contempt of court (in particular William Kunstler).
When Booby Seale insisted that he had a constitutional right to conduct his own defence, because his own lawyer was not available, the judge had him gagged and bound and chained to a chair!
Obviously, the judge was out of order, but no one in the courtroom was allowed to say so!
Jeremy Kagan’s movie about this trial is a fascinating courtroom drama. Entertaining and instructive at the same time.
It is a story about justice.
It is a story about the criminal justice system in the US:
** What is right and what is wrong?
** Who is right and who is wrong?
As stated above, the rating of IMDb is too low for me. I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).
If you are interested in the history of the US – in particular the question of human rights – this drama is definitely something for you.
PS # 1. The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a historical drama which premiered on Netflix in 2021.
PS # 2. William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe is a documentary film which premiered in 2009.
PS # 3. Chicago is the title of a song written and performed by Graham Nash which was released in 1971.
The song is inspired by the demonstrations against the Democratic National Convention held in Chicago in August 1968 and the federal trial against the Chicago 7 or 8 held from September 1969 to February 1970.
The first verse of the song is a reference to Bobby Seale:
So your brother’s bound and gagged,
And they’ve chained him to a chair.
*****
The seven defendants
flanked by the lawyers for the defense
(Leonard Weinglass on the left)
(William Kunstler on the right)
*****
