This made for television movie was the pilot for "The Lawyers" segment of the series "The Bold Ones". It's a nifty whodunit set at a university during a student takeover of the administration building. The university is unnamed, but some of the exteriors were filmed at USC.
Officer Platt (Steve Inhat) has a confrontation with student leader Gil Bennett (Rick Ely) on the administration building's roof, then falls (or is pushed) to his death. Against their better judgment, Burl Ives' law firm takes his case. Lawyers (and brothers) James Farentino and Joseph Campanella fight the prosecution (and each other) trying to prove Gil's innocence. Various witnesses recollect the roof confrontation differently (shown via flashbacks). Gil's best friend (played by Dennis Olivieri) is a radical who looks something like Che Guevara -- does he have an ulterior motive for telling a different version than Gil's?
Meanwhile, the students stage a sit-in on the steps of the courthouse where Gil is being tried. Carrie Snodgress (in a good turn as Gil's girlfriend) even gets to sing a hippie ballad ("The Sum of One") to the protesting students! Hal Holbrook has a great turn as the beleaguered university chancellor (earning him an Emmy nomination). Excellent performances and plot, and a real "period piece" of the Late Sixties! Watch it if you can find it on TV!
Officer Platt (Steve Inhat) has a confrontation with student leader Gil Bennett (Rick Ely) on the administration building's roof, then falls (or is pushed) to his death. Against their better judgment, Burl Ives' law firm takes his case. Lawyers (and brothers) James Farentino and Joseph Campanella fight the prosecution (and each other) trying to prove Gil's innocence. Various witnesses recollect the roof confrontation differently (shown via flashbacks). Gil's best friend (played by Dennis Olivieri) is a radical who looks something like Che Guevara -- does he have an ulterior motive for telling a different version than Gil's?
Meanwhile, the students stage a sit-in on the steps of the courthouse where Gil is being tried. Carrie Snodgress (in a good turn as Gil's girlfriend) even gets to sing a hippie ballad ("The Sum of One") to the protesting students! Hal Holbrook has a great turn as the beleaguered university chancellor (earning him an Emmy nomination). Excellent performances and plot, and a real "period piece" of the Late Sixties! Watch it if you can find it on TV!
