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This rare taping of Henry Fonda's 1974 one-man Broadway show is an entertaining, living memoir of legendary attorney Clarence Darrow. The play, directed by John Houseman and adapted from Irving Stone's biography, was taped before a live audience and broadcast on TV in the 1970s. Efficient and spirited, the play blends many of Darrow's courtroom speeches with his recollections. His caseload included many towering landmark cases: the Pullman strike, the LA Times bombing, Leopold and Loeb, and the Scopes monkey trial. He played to his passions: prolabor and antideath penalty.

Fonda is a perfect choice for playing Darrow, an astute and silver-tongued man was not partial to heavy dramatics. Fonda, at age 69, gracefully paces the stage only giving in to the occasional tug of his suspender for effect. This role, in which he was nominated for the Tony, is an essential view of the actor in late in his career. There's nary a better performance in his last 20 films made after this Broadway show including his final Oscar-winning work in On Golden Pond (made seven years later). --Doug Thomas

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3 Reviews 5 star:  (3) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review (3 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 5 Stars Plus+++++, March 23, 2002 By  "pcs81632" (Maplewood, NJ United States) - See all my reviews Henry Fonda's performance as Clarence Darrow was groundbreaking theatre. Any actor, who can hold the attention of two thousand people for two hours deserves attention. I had the honor of seeing Mr. Fonda's performance live from the front row meaaznine of the Minskoff Theatre in New York. The performance I found riveting in person has lost none of the electricity, for me, in the transformation to video. This VHS is a must see for any student of the craft of acting. You will NEVER see the like of this again.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: The best of theater--the best of Fonda, August 17, 1999 By  Rudolph Lewis (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews It was a rare thing in 1974 to record a live Broadway show--the practice was myopically blocked by unions for years. It must have been clear to all involved that this was a special event. Fonda's genius is in no way dimmed by his age. He brings Darrow to life with heart and humor... and just a little deviltry. (I saw the actual production as well--and still have the program autographed by Mr. Fonda.) This is a fine performance of a fine play, and a living document of theatical history.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: Henry Fonda as Clarence Darrow, January 4, 2006 By  Podrue - See all my reviews CORRECTION: The television version (1974), also titled, "Clarence Darrow Starring Henry Fonda," "Henry Fonda as Clarence Darrow," and "Clarence Darrow." was directed by John Rich, (Emmy award winning director of Dick Van Dyke and All in the Family.)  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers:  › See all 3 customer reviews...