Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18414 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-07-06
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 98 minutes

Amazon.com
Judicial debate gets a lively cinematic treatment in First Monday in October, starring the odd couple pairing of Walter Matthau and Jill Clayburgh. When a justice of the Supreme Court dies, his appointed replacement is a witty but deeply conservative woman, Ruth Loomis (Clayburgh, An Unmarried Woman, Silver Streak). Loomis immediately raises the hackles of Dan Snow (Matthau, The Bad News Bears, California Suite), a fervent liberal in the minority on the bench. For a while, First Monday in October succeeds in making Loomis and Snow's debates about pornography and censorship lucid and engaging, aided greatly by the actors' obvious intelligence and grasp of the issues. But the movie gets sidetracked by an aimless corporate conspiracy plot and what can only be described as an intellectual romance between the two leads, which never quite catches fire. Still, an interesting effort. --Bret Fetzer

From the Back Cover
Walter Matthau and Jill Clayburgh star in this dramatic comedy that centers around the appointment of the first woman to the US Supreme Court. She is aggressive, witty, magnetic--and an arch-conservative. He is wry, opinionated and roundly liberal. One hundred and one men have proceeded the new female justice to seats on the bench of the nation's highest court, but now it's eight men and her. All unanimously accept their new colleague--except Matthau, "The Great Dissenter." He becomes the source of her fury, her challenges, her antagonism...and finally her loving admiration. Matthau and Clayburgh are unforgettably and hilariously opposed in this contemporary tale that goes behind the bend with wit, wisdom and great conviction.

Customer Reviews

SUPREMELY Left of Center ~ ~
Give me a break! a HEALING break with plenty of laughs, that is.

Hurrah for the comic relief brought to us in "The First Monday in October" - - This movie should be watched by all who have serious business with the Supreme Court: justices, law clerks, picketers among others. Even if this movie were meant to be an art film - or one that snobby critics could cleverly rip apart - Why not decide right now that it is a romantic comedy & perfectly appropriate to watch this "First (Week) of October" for some much-needed healing that laughter will bring?

It is hard to imagine more stressful days in 'our times.' Our sides need to ache from laughter instead of disgust over all the bungling of bureaucrats. The play on which this 1981 movie was based pre-dates the appointment of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to the court, by the way. Who cares that Jill Clayburgh is younger than the current justice-candidate? She is a worthy foil for Walter Matthau who 'nails' the situation when he grumps: "When a man moves into the White House you never know what will happen to his mind." Matthau is Oh! so comfortable in his curmudgeonly role as an outspoken liberal-minded justice.

Among other lines that endear him to me: "The telephone has NO constitutional right to be answered." The opening close-ups -- exterior shots of the Supreme Court building -- are more striking than any shown on newscasts the first Monday of (this 2005) October session. Marble and granite do enhance any serious debates that may follow . . . & I did enjoy the HANDEL, Bernie!

mcHAIKU says "Allow yourself some laughs - - Toast your good health -- and write your senators!"

A Treat for Smart People
It's always a pleasure to see a movie that presents both sides of a complex issue (in this case, liberals vs. conservatives) in an even-handed and enjoyable way. The characterization of First Monday is superb, particularly the antagonism between Matthau and Clayburgh. I chuckled numerous times over the dialog. Example: after hearing that the chief justice had flowers sent to the new female Supreme Court justice, Matthau muttered, "How come you don't send ME flowers anymore, CJ"? I hope this movie is released sometime in DVD, in letterbox, along with commentary.

Great dialogue & subtle physical comedy
This is one film where Matthau doesn't go completely "over the top". He and Clayburgh make a great team; I'm surprised they weren't coupled in other projects later.Add Barnard Hughes as "Mr. Chief Justice" into the mix, and you have banter and badinage at its best!