The First Amendment, Hollywood-Style

"If the First Amendment will protect a scumbag like me, then it will protect all of you--because I'm the worst."

--Woody Harrelson as Larry Flynt in The People v. Larry Flynt

Sex, drugs, and the justices of the Supreme Court: now that's entertainment.  You'll find it all in The People v. Larry Flynt, the 1996 movie that tells the more-or-less true story of Larry Flynt's Hustler magazine and its legal ups and downs.  The most amusing part of the movie, other than the way Courtney Love seems to be portraying herself, is the interplay between Flynt and his attorney Alan Isaacman.  Isaacman is played by Edward Norton.

As in all-things-Hollywood, plenty of liberties are taken with the truth.  Isaacman's Supreme Court argument isn't even close to accurate.  You can listen to the real one here.  And if you want to truly go overboard, you can read the Supreme Court opinion that serves as the movie's climax, Hustler Magazine v. Falwell, which was written by Chief Justice Rehnquist.

The real-life Isaacman can be found at Isaacman, Kaufman & Painter in Beverly Hills.  Larry Flynt, who recently turned 62, can be found here.

Comments

[Federalist No. 84]

Did I miss something, or does that IKPLAW.com website lack an attorney profiles?

[Evan]

Federalist: I got the profiles to show up, but only if I used Internet Explorer.

[Federalist No. 84]

you can read the Supreme Court opinion that serves as the movie's climax

Just so you know... we caught the double entendre.

[anonanonanon]

I can't believe how Grutman talked each and every justice out of ruling in his client's favor. Every time a justice tried to come to his aid, he said no "that's not the right way to look at this". Of course I didn't even make my moot court team and I am not yet a lawyer, so what do I know.