Barry Newman (Vanishing Point) is Tony Petrocelli, an Italian-American, Harvard-educated, root-beer-swilling courtroom cowboy in the rich Southwestern cattle town of Baker. Tony takes on the defense of a physician accused of murdering his wife who insists that the killing was committed by an unknown assailant—even though the evidence is questionable. With “a man is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt” as his motto, the hotshot young lawyer crusades against a star state prosecutor (Harold Gould, The Big Bus) in this crackerjack courtroom drama co-starring Diana Muldaur (McQ) and directed by the mighty Sidney J. Furie (The Ipcress File). Loosely based on the infamous Sam Sheppard murder case, The Lawyer later spawned the hit TV series Petrocelli (1974-’76), also starring Newman in his iconic role.

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Video Quality

The Lawyer debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 courtesy of Kino Classics sourced from a 2021 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative conducted by Paramount that looks terrific. There is a favorable amount of natural film grain throughout which resolves well without clumping or transitioning into noise. This brings forth a robust amount of texture to shine through in this transfer. The warm natural setting showcases the landscapes and interiors quite admirably.

The film features some deep colors within the clothing and facets of the production design that radiate off the screen with exceptional vibrancy. Skin tones look natural and consistent, and the presentation offers decent black levels that rarely succumb to crush. Highlights are in good shape as they avoid clipping. Fine detail is readily apparent throughout which adds textures to the background. Subtle flourishes in the environments are more prominent than ever before, often revealing new aspects you previously would have missed. The restoration has tidied up the film significantly with no noticeable instances of damage or dirt detected here. Kino Classics and Paramount have treated this one well.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a solid DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that authentically captures the soundscape of this one. This track shows no unforgivable age-related wear and tear such as hissing, drop-outs, or popping. All of the sound effects and music appear to be in line with the intent of the creative team. Dialogue and background noises are in harmony with all competing elements. These exchanges and other important information remain crisp and clear even during more bustling moments. The score emanates with a nice fidelity that does not experience major fluctuations. Kino Classics has done a wonderful job with the audio. Optional English SDH subtitles are included for the feature film.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Historian/Filmmaker Daniel Kremer and Film Director Paul Lynch provide a great commentary track with Archival Excerpts from Director Sidney J. Furie in which they discuss how this stands out in the career of Furie, the development of this project, the spinoff television series, the background of the performers, the themes of the feature, and more.

Newman’s Law – Interview with Star Barry Newman: A 22-minute interview with the star is provided in which he discusses his first meeting with Sidney J. Furie, the basis for the character, the freedom he experienced in this role, the legacy of the film, and more.

Lawyer’s Wives and Lost Loves – Interview with Actress Diana Muldaur: An 11-minute audio-turned-video interview with the actress is provided that talks about the dark period in Hollywood around the time of production, her work with Sidney J. Furie and Barry Newman, their reunion later in life, and more.

Trailer: There is a 41-second teaser trailer provided for The Lawyer. There are trailers provided for The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Puzzle of a Downfall Child, Hardcore, The Ipcress Files, and The Appaloosa.

Final Thoughts

The Lawyer is a pretty solid courtroom drama that finds Barry Newman putting forth a charismatic performance in the lead role. The case itself is not altogether shocking or surprising, but the characters sparring over the truth are entertaining. The small-town vibes provide an added layer of disquiet as you get just as much drama outside of the courtroom. There are better examples of this genre, but this occupies a worthy place alongside them. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring a top-notch A/V presentation and a few great special features. Recommended

The Lawyer is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.