First Monday in October (1981)

In First Monday in October, Walter Matthau plays a crusty liberal Supreme Court justice (modeled on William O. Douglas) and Jill Clayburgh the Court's first woman appointee, a combative conservative. This novel plot twist was rendered unnovel shortly after the movie's release, with Sandra Day O'Connor's appointment to the Court. The discursive, well-meaning film is notable for its rare and informative look inside the Supreme Court and the genial good humor with which it approaches one sensitive subject matter — First Amendment rights in obscenity cases. B-