Last night we watched a movie that caused us to think wistfully of might have been and might yet be.

[Stinky The Clown]

The movie "First Monday in October" was made in 1981. I've probably seen it ten times; Sparkly never had.

Walter Matthau plays a cranky, very principled, uber liberal Associate Supreme Court Justice. In the 9th Circuit is an uberconservative woman (Jill Clayburgh) appellate judge who Mathau despises. She is named to the Supreme Court when Matthau's best friend and constant ideological opposite dies.

The movie is a comedy, although a very intelligent one, eschewing belly laughs in favor of great wit and situational humor. A comedy for the literate, not the "pull my finger" crowd. (Being a pull my finger sort of guy, it is odd I enjoyed it so much.)

Netflix has it on their streaming. Or you can rent it normally. Watch it. You won't regret the 1:38 you spend doing that.

[Extend a Hand]

1. Thanks

I've never seen it and that looks like a good one.

[Omar4Dems]

2. It was quaint at the time, because there had never been a female justice

In fact, IIRC, that was one of the selling points of the movie.

Note the caption, "In the Supreme Court, there are only eight of them against all of her."

I remember previews for the movie playing in theaters during the summer of 1981. At the time, the idea of having a woman in the all-boys' club seemed jarring. Then, wouldn't ya know it, Reagan announced the appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor on July 7. (The film was released August 21, 1981...instead of February 1982 as originally scheduled.)