A Courtroom Drama – The Goldman Case

Aug 26, 2024 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Two Sues on the Aisle, Susie Rosenbluth and Sue Weston

The Goldman Case places you in a French courtroom in 1975 at the appeal hearing of Jewish activist Pierre Goldman. Goldman (Arieh Worthalter) was no boy scout, but that does not make him guilty. Throughout the trial, Goldman insists he is innocent of murder while confessing to armed robbery. Saying “I am innocent because I am innocent,” demanding his character not weigh into the decision. Demanding the judgment be based entirely on proven facts.

Egged on by the opposing attorney, Goldman frequently loses his temper and lashes out into violent verbal outbursts that make him appear unstable.

A historical drama that challenges the justice system, this film will keep you wondering until the final verdict if being innocent is enough.

Complexities and Bias

In 1975, French society and its legal system were run by white males. This was a period when antisemitism and racism were commonplace which would make it more difficult to prove Goldman’s innocence, especially since his witnesses were Black.

Goldman was immersed in the Black community and had married a Black woman. This was not the norm in 1975, but he felt a deep connection between Blacks and Jews, as two oppressed people. Yet this connection severely hampered the credibility of his witnesses, Blacks, who were harassed by police to influence their testimonies during the previous trial. Throughout the trial, Goldman accused the police and the court of racism. While his attorney, Kiejman attempted to regain control of the situation, he stated that while some police officers are racist, the institution is not.

There was an internal tension between Goldman and his attorney. They had a similar upbringing, children of the Holocaust, Polish Jews born in France to modest nonreligious backgrounds who turned out quite differently. Goldman was the “cursed Jew.” He wanted to become a hero like his parents, who were in the Resistance, but instead, he became a radical activist who supported guerrilla warfare in Venezuela. Whereas Kiejman the “resilient Jew” became a successful, Parisian lawyer. Confident of his abilities, he knew that by following his defense strategy Goldman would be found innocent of murder.  Yet Goldman who was filled with fury and passion, repeatedly threatened to represent himself even though if found guilty he could face the death penalty.

Realistically Relevant

The Goldman Case raises issues about the impact of antisemitism, and racism, in the justice system, many of which are still valid today. The prosecution’s witnesses presented no credible proof that Goldman committed the crime, he was implicated because of his ethnic appearance.  They dismissed testimony from Goldman’s alibi because he was a  Black man with a militant background.

Although the prosecution failed to provide any evidence that placed Goldman at the crime scene, they put on a show, parading witnesses, each asserting that Goldman was the person who committed the murder. They discounted his alibi and focused on testimony from a white off-duty policeman, who asserted Goldman had shaved before the lineup and was dressed presentably. Goldman had maintained that he was grubby and disheveled. When Kiejman staged the lineup, he provided photographic evidence, a life-sized picture that showed Goldman was telling the truth.  Goldman’s appearance set him apart and led to his being identified by every witness.

Goldman’s wife (played by Chloé Lecerf) shows the desperation of a Black woman faced with White justice. Her performance is moving, as is the injustice shown by the court.

The Verdict

The trial proceedings were riveting, putting the viewer in the courtroom. Co-written and directed by Cédric Kahn, this film about justice in 1975 France focuses on the treatment of Jews and Blacks by a biased court system – in an environment not so different from today.

Although Goldman maintained he would never kill an innocent woman, it was against his morals, his words were not convincing. After learning about his sorted past and hearing his frequent outbursts, Goldman appeared unstable, a man who conceivably could have committed murder.

Until the jury reached their decision, the judgment could have gone with way. He could have done it – but did he? We will never know, because the Goldman case was never solved.

******

Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs (1-5) it pays to buy (rather than make) to see the play, show, film, book, or exhibit being reviewed.

The Goldman Case received 4 Challahs

• • • • • • Run Time – 1h 55m
          • French with English Subtitles

Theater Schedule

• September 6 – Film at Lincoln Center; New York, NY – IFC Center; Vancouver, BC – VIFF Centre
• September 13th – Los Angeles, CA – Laemmle’s Royal; Delray Beach, FL – Movies of Delray; Lake Worth, FL – Movies of LW; Sarasota, FL – Burns Court Cinema; Pleasantville, NY – Jacob Burns FC
• September 20th –  Chicago, IL – Siskel Film Center; Toronto, ON – Cineplex Varsity
• September 23rd – Hollywood, FL – Cinema Paradiso
• September 27th –Atlanta, GA – Tara Cinema
• October 25th – Fort Worth, TX – Museum of Art
• October 26th – Detroit, MI – Detroit Institute of Art
• November 10th – Cleveland, OH – Institute of Art