Review of First Monday in October (1981) by Timothy S — 22 Mar 2012

"First Monday in October" had all of the makings of a controversial film until the events depicted in the picture happened for real shortly before the film's release. Sandra Day O'Connor's nomination to the Supreme Court really took the wind out of this film's sails at an inopportune time.

But even taken as a piece of fiction, which it is, it's a very entertaining film that is a lot less serious and dull than you might expect. This is definitely not a dry political film. The screenplay is light and lively, and the talented performers bring it to life in a fresh and funny way. Jill Clayburgh is perfectly suited for her role, smart and beautiful, and she owns the role from the first moment she appears on the screen.

Even better is her veteran co-star Walter Matthau as a seasoned judge and Clayburgh's intellectual equal. His performance here shows why Matthau was widely considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. It's a pleasure watching him work, and every single relationship he has in the picture is a fascinating one.

I'm not sure how accurately the film portrays the behind the scenes workings of the Court (I suspect it's not very accurate at all), but it's a very entertaining movie with a lot of sharp dialogue and witty banter. The story of Clayburgh's scandal-in-the-making involving her dead husband is somewhat muddles, but it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of watching the two leads square off. It's more than enough to carry this film through its rough spots.

"First Monday in October" doesn't work very well as a history lesson, but it is very entertaining nonetheless. Sometimes that's all you can really ask a movie to be, and on that level it works.