Review: ‘The Goldman Case’ is an Engrossing and Enduring Courtroom Drama

There is a tendency in highly-publicized court cases to invoke the heinous nature of the crime as a way of describing the brutality of the accused. The legal system, however, is designed to assert innocence of a defendant until they are proven guilty, and that what they have been alleged to have done is terrible doesn’t in any way translate to them having done it. Cédric Kahn’s The Goldman Case examines one of the most-discussed trials in recent French history through a dramatic recreation that digs into the many factors that influence someone who has been accused of a crime and those seeking to either prove or disprove it.

Pierre Goldman (Arieh Worthalter) faces a number of counts, including several armed robberies that he does not dispute he did in fact commit. But he remains steadfast that he did not kill two people at a pharmacy, a claim that is in question because there are multiple witnesses who are able to describe him as being there at the time of the crime. Goldman’s history of revolutionary activity, traveling to other continents to engage with rebel thinkers, doesn’t help him in the eyes of the law. As Goldman repeatedly interrupts and insists that there is a police conspiracy against him, his lawyer Kiejman (Arthur Harari) attempts to rein his client in and offer him the best defense possible.

There’s much to unpack even in just the construction of this film. While the real Goldman was killed under mysterious circumstances several years after his trial, much has been written about it and his lawyers contributed their recollections to the screenwriters’ research. Two trials are combined into one, with select speeches reproduced almost word-for-word. The entire film takes place within the courtroom with little cinematic flair, save of course for outbursts of dramatic passion, applause, and uproar from the crowd, indicating the way in which those present were tuned into and attached to the verdict. Those in favor of Goldman cheer loudly when they believe he has done something to exonerate or defend himself, while those who dislike him are eager to champion any opportunity for the prosecutor to knock him down a peg.

This film manages to be remarkably interesting despite its status as a standard legal drama, ensuring that each moment which has been preserved for the screen is worthwhile and relevant to the story. Its setting in 1970s France should make it feel inaccessible to present-day American audiences, yet there’s much that is perfectly universal and relatable. There are merely certain cultural and logistical differences, like the connection that Goldman and Kiejman share as Polish Jews born in France, carrying the then very-recent trauma of the Holocaust in their lives in a country that had opted to deport its Jewish population during Nazi occupation. Though that theoretically has nothing to do with what Goldman stands accused of doing, it does contribute to his identity and public perception, and Kiejman’s incorporation of it into his defense is also significant since he evidently believes it to be an important factor.

Goldman as a figure is fascinating, appearing in a suit and demonstrating an air of self-confidence that doesn’t make him seem anything like an innocent man potentially facing the death penalty. That he freely admits to several serious crimes that will undoubtedly land him in prison but draws the line at something he says he would never do makes him so complex and interesting, and Worthalter’s portayal brings him to life in a vivid and unforgettable way. The way in which he leans in close to listen and prepare his next unauthorized objection makes it feel as if he truly is experiencing these proceedings for the first time rather than uttering rehearsed lines of a carefully-calibrated script. It’s an energetic performance best defined by the contrast in Goldman’s demeanor when he does exercise restraint and share something truly personal and not self-aggrandizing. 

Alongside Worthalter – and often at odds with his character – is Harari, who won an Oscar last year as one of the screenwriters for Anatomy of a Fall. While that film does include a number of scenes outside the courtroom, there are a handful of similarities that suggest audiences who liked that film should check this one out too. Harari makes Kiejman a serious pursuer of truth and justice, just as committed to properly conveying Goldman’s nature as he is to defending him to the best of his ability. While he tries to remain professional and does so admirably, it’s still possible to see traces of his personal life and experiences that humanize him.

This film doesn’t provide previously unavailable answers to the circumstances surrounding Goldman’s arrest, trial, and eventual fate, but it does memorably and poignantly investigate how people are influenced by many different things and how the power of memory and testimony often can’t compare to the impression you get just from seeing and hearing someone.

Movie Rating: 8/10

Awards Buzz: Worthalter won the César, France’s equivalent of the Oscar, for his performance, but this film isn’t likely to serve as an awards contender in the United States despite its powerful subject matter and construction.