‘Marshall’ isn’t a bad movie, but the story deserves a better one

Posted on November 8, 2017

By MARK VIOLA

So, I consider myself a bit of a U.S. Supreme Court geek. I like to read about decisions and keep tabs on certain cases, reading rulings as well as analysis of their impact. For the most part, that has not resulted in a desire to learn more about the justices themselves, so while I’m betting I know more than average, it’s by no means comprehensive.

I was still intrigued, however, by the new film “Marshall,” based on the life of Thurgood Marshall, the first African- American U.S. Supreme Court justice. Like many recent biographical movies, “Marshall” does not attempt to tell his entire life story, instead focusing on a singular event, namely the trial of Joseph Spell, a black chauffeur accused by his Greenwich, Conn., employer of raping her in the middle of the night.

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