Editing ...And Justice for All (film) (section)

==Themes==
''And Justice for All'' has been discussed in a variety of ways in academic criticism. One critic sees the film as both a spin on archetypes culled from Arthurian mythology and as a vehicle for Jewison’s social critique, citing how the director had “wanted to tell a story that made people think about whether the system still allowed for justice.”<ref>Haspel, Paul. “Arthur on a Quest in Baltimore Mythic Archetypes, Social Criticism, and Civic Self-Promotion in ''And Justice for All''.” ''[[Journal of Popular Film and Television]]'' 35.3 (2007): 127–32.doi.org/10.3200/JPFT.35.3.127-132</ref> Another critic sees the film as an exploration of the potential “futility of virtue” as represented by the film’s idealist protagonist.<ref> Rostron, Allen. “Mr. Carter Goes to Washington.” ''[[Journal of Popular Film and Television]]'' 25.2 (1997): 57–67.doi.org/10.1080/01956059709602751</ref> A third critic sees the film as engaging with 1970s skepticism of public institutions, noting that the film professes a belief in the idealist lawyer while also rejecting any belief or trust in the criminal justice system as a whole.<ref>Jensen, Mikkel. “The Dark Comedy of the Courtroom: ''And Justice for All''.” ''[[American Studies in Scandinavia]]'' 55.1 (2023): 26–41.https://doi.org/10.22439/asca.v55i2.7042</ref> One critic has also noted that the film's opening juxtaposition of the majestic courthouse, with grubby interiors and children mangling the [[Pledge of Allegiance]], suggests that "the promise of law ... nearly impossible to experience or achieve".<ref>Silbey, Jessica M. ''The Subjects of Trial Films''. PhD., University of Michigan, 1999. 148.</ref>