Class Action (1991 movie)
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Class Action is a 1991 film directed by Michael Apted. Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio star. Fred Dalton Thompson is also featured.
The story is about a lawsuit concerning injuries caused by a defective automobile. The suit takes on a personal dimension because the injured plaintiff's attorney (Hackman) is the father of the automobile manufacturer's attorney (Mastrantonio). The central premise of the film is roughly analogous to the controversy surrounding the Ford Pinto.
The movie is sometimes used in law school professional responsibility classes to teach future lawyers about what not to do. For example, it is very rare that a parent and child are allowed to represent opposing sides in litigation. Although the "bury the smoking gun" technique seen in the movie is all too common in real-life litigation, it is highly unethical.