Attendees witnessed a prologue that has never appeared on home video. Exclusive to that 1979 run was a cold open featuring Pacino, in character as Kirkland, breaking the fourth wall for 90 seconds. Sitting in a parked car outside the Baltimore courthouse, he directly addressed the audience:
But here is the exclusive truth: The Academy loved the mess. The film earned two Oscar nominations: Best Actor for Pacino (he lost to Dustin Hoffman for Kramer vs. Kramer ) and Best Original Screenplay. and justice for all 1979 exclusive
The irony lies in their history: Fleming previously used a minor legal technicality to keep one of Kirkland’s innocent clients, , in prison, leading to that client's physical and mental destruction. Kirkland must balance this main case against a backdrop of other tragic stories, such as a transgender client (Ralph Agee) failed by the system and a law partner (Jeffrey Tambor) having a mental breakdown over the guilt of his work. Critical Analysis & Themes Attendees witnessed a prologue that has never appeared
The has become legendary for three reasons: The film earned two Oscar nominations: Best Actor