Al Pacino in …And Justice for All (1979)
Vitals
Al Pacino as Arthur Kirkland, determined defense attorney
Baltimore, Fall and Winter 1978
Film: …And Justice for All
Release Date: October 19, 1979
Director: Norman Jewison
Costume Designer: Ruth Myers
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
Al Pacino closed out the 1970s with his fifth Academy Award-nominated performance, portraying frazzled Baltimore lawyer Arthur Kirkland in Norman Jewison’s 1979 dark comedy …And Justice for All, satirizing the American legal system.
Kirkland’s host of issues that follow him through the fall and holiday season include troublesome clients like the unfairly arrested Jeff McCullaugh (Thomas Waites) and weekly visits to his steadfast but increasingly senile grandfather Sam (Lee Strasberg), whom he brings to Thanksgiving dinner with Sam’s slightly sharper friend Arnie (Sam Levene).
Kirkland also navigates a unique dynamic with local judges, from the humorless Henry T. Fleming (John Forsythe) to the colorfully nihilistic Francis Rayford (Jack Warden), who explains to Kirkland how free-falling from a plane during the Korean War taught him the meaning of life: “It sucks, Arthur. It really sucks!”
After he figuratively lands in hot water for punching Fleming while arguing McCullaugh’s case, Kirkland literally lands in cold water after a hair-raising helicopter ride piloted by Rayford, who likes to test how far he can fly without refueling. His relationship to the judges grows more complicated when Fleming unexpectedly demands Kirkland defend him against charges of sexual assault—much to Kirkland’s bemused amusement, given their contentious history.
What’d He Wear?
When not dressed in his neutral-toned three-piece suits for the courtroom, Arthur Kirkland’s wardrobe typically consists of hardy layers in appropriately autumnal shades of brown, anchored by a sports coat made from a golden-hued medium-wale corduroy.
The single-breasted jacket has two woven leather shank buttons that match the four smaller buttons decorating each cuff. (A brief shot while Kirkland is in the helicopter with Judge Rayford shows three sew-through buttons on each cuff, but this is merely a costume-related continuity error as another jacket was probably swapped in for an insert shot.) Finished with swelled edges, the notch lapels are fashionably wide while avoiding the excess associated with late ’70s fashion. The jacket also has a welted breast pocket, flapped hip pockets, and a long single vent.
Kirkland frequently layers the jacket over a rich dark-brown lightweight long-sleeved sweater, knitted with a wide-ribbed body and a more narrowly ribbed round “scoop-neck”.
“I gotta tell you, Judge… I’m not too happy about this!”
Kirkland’s usual shirt with this outfit is the most unfortunate aspect, as it has a soft, narrow spread collar that rarely cooperates with his tie knots—especially given Kirkland’s tendency to keep the shirt’s top button undone. The effect contributes to a scrappy image that befits Kirkland’s demeanor but is at odds with the better-proportioned and structured collars on his dressier shirts. Likely aware of this childish presentation, Kirkland wisely never wears this shirt with his suits and ties in the courtroom.
The shirt itself is a cool shade of light-brown with an all-over tonal geometric mini-print connecting a series of small brown two-toned spots. With its soft collar, flapped chest pocket, and contrasting white plastic buttons up the plain front, it would stand alone much better as a casual sport shirt, but Kirkland strictly reserves it to be worn with ties.
For his helicopter ride with Rayford and some preliminary investigations while handling Fleming’s case, Kirkland wears a woolen tie, knitted in a drab-brown with gold mixed threads.
On Thanksgiving, Kirkland wears another woolen knit tie, though knitted with brown and white threads that create a lighter overall finish that hardly contrasts against his shirt. He occasionally repeats this shirt-and-tie combination with three-piece flannel suits, though never in court.
Kirkland and one of his law partners, the sportily dressed Warren Fresnell (Larry Bryggman), observe the latest sign of their fellow partner’s steady descent into madness.
Kirkland continues the shades of brown with dark-brown woolen flannel flat-front trousers styled with side pockets and slightly flared, plain-hemmed bottoms. Consistent with predominant trends of the late ’70s, he eschews traditional lace-up shoes in favor of boots—specifically brown leather ankle boots that would also give the 5’6″ Al Pacino a slight height boost.
Kirkland’s well-traveled tweed topcoat is a mini rust, navy, and beige gun club check that presents an overall brown finish. The knee-length coat has a narrow ulster collar with swelled edges, tapering to a three-button front plus an additional button at the neck. The side pockets have vertical set-in entries, and a single vent splits the back. The shoulders are wide, and the set-in sleeves are finished with partial turnback cuffs that each have a single button in the corner.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, have Michael Corleone and Hyman Roth put aside their differences to celebrate shared gratitude?
The parallels between the Kirkland men are evident in their earthy tweed topcoats, each styled with single-breasted fronts and set-in sleeves finished with turnback cuffs.
The only time Kirkland diverts from his usual shades of brown is when he goes from his conference with a mid-swim Fleming to the prison where McCullaugh has finally snapped after years of abuse and has taken two guards hostage. Through this sequence, Kirkland wears a more businesslike—and flattering—light-blue dress shirt with a structured point collar that handsomely frames the four-in-hand knot of his brown woolen tie.
On his right wrist, Kirkland wears a yellow-gold wristwatch with a ringed gold dial on a dark-brown leather strap. On his left wrist, he wears what appears to be a gold-finished ID bracelet with a personalized rectangular plate rigged to an expanding bracelet of the same width.
What to Imbibe
During the Thanksgiving sequence, Arthur mixes himself a highball of 12-year-old Scotch whisky topped with soda, later switching to white wine. The whisky appears to be Chivas Regal, based on the bottle shape and labels.
When the brand was launched by Charles Stewart in 1909, Chivas Regal was primarily a luxury blend of 25-year-old whiskies. The flagship 12-year-old expression of Chivas Regal featured in …And Justice for All—among many other productions—was introduced in 1939, using a blend of Speyside whiskies aged at least 12 years for a finish that Chivas describes as “rich and lingering” with notes of crisp orchard fruits, wild heather and sweet honey.
How to Get the Look
Al Pacino in …And Justice for All (1979)
Arthur Kirkland seems to prefer wearing his tan corduroy jacket and brown woolen ties with a scrappy light-brown printed shirt, but the official BAMF Style recommendation favors the dressier light-blue shirt he wears to the prison, as the color adds a more interesting and presentable context… then again, if you’re trying to mimic a beleaguered trial lawyer with a penchant for being found in contempt of court, let Al Pacino be your guide.
- Golden-brown corduroy single-breasted 2-button sport jacket with notch lapels, welted breast pocket, flapped hip pockets, 4-button cuffs, and single vent
- Light-blue shirt with long point collar and button cuffs
- Brown woolen knit tie
- Dark-brown wide-ribbed scoop-neck long-sleeved sweater
- Dark-brown woolen flannel flat-front trousers with side pockets and plain-hemmed bottoms
- Dark-brown leather ankle boots
- Rust-brown, navy, and beige gun club check tweed single-breasted 3-button knee-length topcoat with ulster collar, side pockets, set-in sleeves with single-button turnback cuffs, and single vent
- Gold ID bracelet on expanding bracelet
- Gold watch with round gold ringed dial on dark-brown leather strap
Do Yourself a Favor and…
Check out the movie. Criterion Channel subscribers can also stream it before it leaves the service at the end of November!
The post And Justice for All: Al Pacino’s Corduroy Jacket on Thanksgiving appeared first on BAMF Style.