Original subtitles

Why aren't there any simple criminals anymore?

Now they all travel with their own press agents.

Maybe they're not criminals.

They entered a man's place of business, they destroyed his merchandise. What

would you call that, a social faux pas?

These women view themselves as reformers, protesters.

They are not the usual kind of defendant we prosecute.

You're on their side, aren't you?

That is hair-splitting.

You prejudge every case.

How else do you decide not to prosecute?

Captain Queeg? Oh, I'm learning how to relax.

It's cheaper than therapy.

May we go on?

Right.

The assault on the Erotic Emporium was designed from the outset as a media

event.

And you wrote us right into the script by having me at the booking. Had to.

Fap. Fap?

F.A.P.

Feminists Against Pornography. It's a powerful group. One phone call and they

had the press waiting at the store.

Well, it sounds like a simple case to me.

Why don't you take this one, Arthur? Maybe you can ease your way back into

the courtroom.

Whoa!

Are we opposing charges or not?

Are we bringing up charges or not?

Well, I think we have to. I think these are serious constitutional issues at

stake here.

And... If we show that we are serious, we are not going to be intimidated by

their media grandstanding. They may decide to plead. Well, I'm relieved.

I was worried we were going to lose the practical, waffling Arthur goal we've

all come to know and love. Never happened.

Vicki.

What?

That's because this is trivial.

Come on.

Two uptight women trashing a dirty bookshop, and you're acting like it's

the end of civilization.

You know what your problem is? You need to learn how to relax.

Nice bath.

Thank you.

It's not that unusual for me to get broads, uh, girls in the store. You

know, picking up a little something for the next session of slap and tickle with

a boyfriend or hubby.

But what is this, charades? No.

I'm, uh, I'm translating.

Is she firing?

She's deaf.

Oh.

So they pull out these cans of spray paint.

That's what I'm here for.

Oh, anyway, they start hosing the whole damn store, me included.

And this crap won't wash off.

I gotta wear it off.

I'm gonna look like a dork in court.

Yes, you are.

Mr. Fluter, what was the value of your merchandise?

Ten... Am I gonna get my money back?

Restitution is possible.

Thirty. Thirty thousand dollars.

Are these bra burners going to get their time in jail?

I mean, they attacked me.

Look at me.

I look like Geronimo.

Sprayed a little spray paint on you.

Be a guy.

Given the possibility of the damage to your eyes, I think this goes beyond

simple assault. You're damn straight. They could have blinded me. You nailed

these crazy broads.

Our legal system is the process.

by which we try to find justice.

It's not about winning or losing.

Can I get a different lawyer?

I'm it.

Live with it. And I'm a taxpaying citizen. I want some results here.

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

I don't know if I have sinned or not.

Maybe that's why I'm here.

It's been 20 years since my last confession.

I don't know if it's a sin, but it's certainly considered a small lapse.

What's troubling you?

Two weeks ago, I turned off the life support of a friend of mine.

A woman who used to be my lover.

Well, if you had the courage to take that action, it sounds like you're

already at peace with God and yourself.

Then I hunted down her killer and I killed him.

Did you have some license to act or is this a confession of murder?

I'm a cop.

Maybe I just need someone to say it was okay.

It sounds more like you need conversation than absolution.

It's a couple of minutes early, but what do you say we close shop, adjourn to the

rector, and get you a beer?

Well, I don't know.

Hey, come on, you braved all the guilt to get this far.

The rest should be easy.

Okay. Good.

Gloria Steinem, I presume?

I don't aspire so high.

Joe Mossman.

Maggie Zombrow.

Deidre Stein.

Are you ready to get out of here?

I'm willing to stay here with my sisters.

Your dedication is duly noted and applauded.

Now, do you want out or not?

Time is not a limitless commodity, ladies.

You wait long enough, the DA will have a bail deviation motion.

Then you stay here till tomorrow morning.

I'm willing. Things are pretty civilized right now.

Come midnight, all of that will change.

There'll be junkies puking on your shoes, fistfights, large persons of

indeterminate gender seeking a meaningful relationship.

I think you'll sleep much better back home in the suburbs.

Dee Dee, we hired her for her expertise. I...

I think we should listen. We'll make our point in court. I'm relieved to know

that political posturing hasn't completely replaced critical thought.

Officer Cobb.

Kindly keep your ill manner mongrel away from my beautiful Cecilia.

Well, excuse us.

Come on, John.

Us mongrels will just move right along.

Wait. We have matters to discuss.

We do? This animal has had carnal knowledge of my sweet Cecilia.

John, you dog, you.

This is most serious.

He has impregnated her.

Sorry.

I guess.

Well, what do you intend to do about it?

Throw her a baby shower?

Cecilia is the daughter of champions, the granddaughter of champions, and to

wear such a precious lineage and a care of questionable parentage...

Pornography is violence against women.

It is graphic, sexually explicit subordination of women. And its end

result is rape and murder.

To stop the oppression and violence, we have got to deny men access to this

material. Or at least making them and the pushers of this trash pay if they

read it and act on their fantasies. All this is fascinating, ladies.

But I'm more concerned with handling your defense than I am with having my

consciousness raised.

You got your sound bite. If you make restitution to this guy, I think he'll

drop the charges.

Your attitude is offensive.

Fronting for male supremacists.

Denigrating your sisters.

Buying into the violence. If a girly magazine is the worst violence you've

ever seen against women, you're lucky.

And I had my feminist ticket punched the day I walked through the law school

doors. Don't try to browbeat me.

You'll lose.

Dee Dee.

Miss Zombrow, this case is about justice.

Are we talking about the same court system?

We need a forum for our views.

Hold it. I am an advocate, a defense attorney.

I try to win, or failing that, get the best possible deal for my clients.

That does not sound like your agenda.

What is it you want me to do?

Establish that pornography equals violence.

And that we have the right to suppress it by whatever means.

See, we don't care if we win or lose.

We intend to carry this to the Supreme Court.

Outstanding.

You could be up.

Oh, I'd like to end the evening with a few dollars to my name.

Uh-huh, money.

I created a monster.

It's fine.

Well, I am happy that you are having fun, Tess.

You don't have enough fun in your life.

You know, what you told Fluter, how it's not about winning and losing, it's not

true, is it?

You like to win.

Only if it's something important.

Jaywalking, loitering, spitting on the sidewalk, not important.

You'll accept the loss.

Ah.

But when does it become important, huh?

Third degree felony?

Second degree maybe? Okay, Dickie, okay, okay. You win.

Thank you.

What, are you kidding?

A settlement conference between Dougie and FAP?

I think it'll be hysterical.

Hey, hey.

Okay.

You toasted my butt in pinball.

How about you let me return the favor?

Burling? Yes.

Mrs. Ombro and I have conversed, and we both feel that this is the kind of case

which lends itself to settlement.

I've explained that you want to proceed.

The prosecution has urged this meeting.

No trial?

Well, it would free the courts for more serious issues.

Hey, this is very serious.

He's a trafficker. What trafficker? I'm an honest businessman.

What? Dougie. Dougie. Give me a break.

Let's all prove what ladies and gentlemen we all are, shall we?

Not one cent.

My purpose is to put this man and others of his ilk out of business. I refuse to

finance my own oppression.

You know, these nuts are dangerous.

You know, yesterday it was books. Tomorrow it'll be somebody's privates.

I mean, come on. How difficult can it be to win this? What they did, the crime.

It's all there in living color.

Come on, come on, come on. No, no, no settlement. I want him in jail. We're

willing. Oh, fine. I'm sure you'll love it in jail. Not a Richard in sight.

Oh, grow up.

Take a walk. Not one cent.

We're not going to pay to put him back in business.

Come on, let's go.

If it does reopen, we'll be there.

This isn't over yet.

You know what this means?

The FAP.

is really in the fire.

Say cheese.

Oh, look who's here. The other half of the deaf and dumb team.

Yeah. Who are you and your friend there, Doug?

The honeymooners?

Stuff it, Cobb.

A little attitude there, buddy.

I think I got reason.

Oh, look at this.

Memoirs of a Victorian savior.

First edition.

A collector's item.

Toilet paper.

Yeah. You got some real treasures here.

You know, Cobb, you're a real hypocrite. You're a cop.

Taps are my best customers.

I read Playboy.

Yeah, I know, but only for the articles.

I like the pictures.

I like girls.

But, uh... Something like this, Duck.

I don't even know what this is.

Much less what to do with it.

I know.

I'm an easy target.

Smut king porn peddler.

Hey, look.

It ain't Shakespeare, but it enriches a lot of people's lives.

You know, I realized I could have taken the easy path, settled out of court, but

this shop, me, we embody the principles of free expression.

Embody?

Embody. That's a fine word.

It's one of those $500 words.

You know, you're a real fanny with ears, Cobb. I'm concerned about the loss of

fundamental liberties in this country. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure you are,

Doug. 1983, Minneapolis.

Six months sentence for pandering.

1987, Kansas City, arrested for soliciting an undercover policewoman.

Doug, Doug.

I don't know if I'd go making myself a First Amendment hero. I mean, not just

yet, anyway.

If I know about your checkered past, you can bet your butt that Maggie Zombrow

does. And the jury's gonna hear about it. I'm a businessman.

Yeah. Now you just pimp books instead of bodies.

There was Dougie.

Making like a caveman and dragging this inflatable sex doll around by the hair.

There were masks, there were chains, there were whips, there were handcuffs.

I did not shop.

Here are your pictures, counselor.

I did.

Take a souvenir.

It's amazing, huh?

This is not a joke.

Not to women.

Is this material offensive to you? Yes.

You are not being treated like things, Tess.

This is what guys do.

I am all for equality, Tess, but guys like this fluter and these women?

There has got to be a better place to make a stand.

I thought that the war between the sexes ended in a draw.

In their dreams.

Your doing?

You are most unhelpful by not recognizing the seriousness of the

situation. They are a couple of dogs.

Isn't there some way to work this out?

I do not know what your relationship is with your animal.

But to me, Cecilia is far more than just a mere dog. Yeah, yeah, yeah. John is my

best bud, my faithful companion, my amigo.

Can we please settle this?

Look, I'll pay you for a doggy abortion.

I would never, never traumatize Cecilia in such a brutal fashion. She's been

traumatized enough.

Such a suggestion is... Okay, okay, it's a bad idea. Bad idea.

What do you want?

I have the name of a canine psychologist.

Your dog is nuts.

I know why.

It's because you're nuts.

You are never going to be nice to anyone ever again.

Ever!

What's your problem?

Oh, hello to you too, Zombrero.

Nothing.

Bull, get that little frown line between your brows.

My mag.

I didn't know you cared.

So, you all ready to make the world safe from sex, smut, and sin?

Well, if you are, can you wait until...

After I get between the sheets with some attractive young... Oops.

Lady.

You know, if your brain were as big as your mouth, you might be a threat.

As it is, just another hairy-chested bozo thinks that anything that's

important to women must be a big joke.

No.

I'm an equal opportunity bozo.

I think most causes are a big joke.

A pleasure lunching with you, Counselor.

Hi.

An unneutered animal is a symptom of our

decaying society.

My dog is not a threat.

My dog is not a symptom. My dog is a dog.

He had a little doggy lapse.

I'm trying to square with the owner.

Neutering would be a powerful first step.

I am not fixing my dog.

I suggest you closely examine the motives behind your undecorous refusal.

I think you're projecting.

Oh, you do, do you?

Yes, I do.

Nice. Yeah, you do.

You're that dyke lawyer.

Nope.

No, you're not a dyke or no, you're not a lawyer.

Dyke is too soft a term.

I'd find a new supplier.

Workmanship's lousy. These things would break in the first good pull.

What are you looking at, you degenerate?

Here, here's a quarter.

Have fun with yourself.

It is hell being man or mutt.

Women and bitches.

You get the feeling they both have an in for us right now?

You

know

what their problem is?

No sense of humor.

Guys can laugh at themselves.

Women.

Gotta take everything so damn significantly all the time.

Cob.

Of course.

That doesn't mean we're dispensable.

Eat up, John.

This could take a while.

Pretty, ain't he?

Yeah.

Mr. America.

What do we got here?

Rape. Murder.

I think he was practicing his filleting skills.

Even brought his own knives.

Outside.

I'll keep an eye on things.

Make sure that nobody screws up.

This guy?

He's not walking.

I want him.

You got him.

There's some amusement over the nature of the assault on Mr. Fluter.

Mr. Fluter, does that tape accurately represent the events of September 7th,

1992? Pretty much.

but it doesn't completely capture the full extent of my pain and suffering.

Putting that aside for the moment, Mr. Fluter, what was the value of the

merchandise destroyed?

$11,000 and change.

A substantial loss?

Two-thirds of my stock.

Mr. Fluter, on that tape, we saw that you were struck by the paint.

Yeah.

Did you agree to that touching?

Hell no.

What, I look crazy?

Were you frightened?

Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Fluter. I have nothing further.

But scared or not, I felt it was my duty to protect my store.

No further questions. This goes way beyond me and my little store.

There are larger issues at stake here. We're talking about the right of decent,

tax-paying citizens to read what they want. We must have that right to express

ourselves freely. Mr. Fluter, that's what we are.

If we do that, we might as well be in Russia. Or Russia that we used to be.

Mr. Fluter. Yeah.

I don't think Miss Kaufman wishes to talk with you anymore.

Oh.

Okay.

Mr. Fluter, I don't believe that counsel for the prosecution has fully

established the nature of the merchandise that was damaged.

Books, magazines, novelties?

Learned books, improving books, object to art.

Erotic books.

Dirty books.

Objection. Argumentative.

Sustained.

They're only dirty in the minds of dirty-minded people.

Mr. Fluter, you are so obviously a man of taste, culture, discernment. One

wonders why you selected to operate an erotic bookstore rather than a store

devoted to, say, the classics.

Objection. Is counselor asking a question or making a speech?

And if the former, I'm at a loss to understand its relevance.

Miss Zombrow, could we cut to the chase?

How much money did you net last year, Mr. Fluter?

Objection. The fact that counsel has finally enunciated a clear question

still has not made this line of inquiry relevant.

Miss Zombrow.

This witness is claiming substantial damage from the action of my clients.

Then in the next breath, he's claiming he's an altruist.

I'm trying to establish exactly what he is.

Overruled. How much, Mr. Fluter?

About 90 grand.

A lot of money in smut. Hey, lady, there's a whole life fillet.

Now, Mr. Fluter, you testified my clients attacked you.

Yeah. On the tape, they never approached you.

No, but they were going after my stuff.

So you interposed your body between the ravages of pain and these priceless

masterpieces of modern literature.

I protected my stuff, yeah.

Then, in fact, you contributed to the smear job you received.

I tried to protect my stuff, yeah.

I have no further questions for this... Hey, come on, they trashed my shop.

Doesn't that matter? What is it? Nothing counts over here? All right, all right,

I heard you.

Excuse me. Sorry.

Ms. Zombrow, you deferred your opening statement if you wish to speak to the

jury before calling your first witness.

Thank you, Your Honor.

The prosecution would like you to believe this is a simple case.

Two women entered a business and destroyed merchandise.

We don't dispute the action.

We do dispute the contention that my clients lacked the right.

Pornography is dangerous and harmful to women.

Each day in this country women are assaulted, raped, murdered.

And there is a direct causal link between the barrage of pornographic

material and the... Your Honor,

the prosecution was allowed to present her case without interference.

Am I to be extended the same courtesy?

You're arguing a different case.

Objection denied, Ms. Goffman.

This deluge of pornography leads to the annihilation of women.

Knowing this, my clients acted in defense of these women, in defense of

themselves.

Your Honor, may we approach?

This is a case of commercial burglary, vandalism, and assault.

Self-defense is an improper defense.

Your Honor, this is an area in flux.

We're making new law here in response to new information regarding the effects of

pornography.

Ladies, let's continue this in chambers.

It's as if they were walking down the street and saw a man with a loaded

machine gun.

My clients did react.

Only in this circumstance, they opted to destroy the gun rather than neutralize

the man.

It's an interesting argument.

Interesting? It's ludicrous.

Completely inappropriate.

This should be a simple, one-day trial.

If you allow this... I am a judge, Ms. Kaufman. A trier of law.

Now, you may just want to rush them in and rush them out, but I have an

obligation to protect the interests of the defendants and the appeals process.

What you are is... displaying a certain lack of courage, Your Honor, not wishing

to be overturned on appeal.

That is what I said.

It is now.

What did Ms. Kaufman say?

That you are a, um, a boneless hot dog.

And you are very close to contempt, Ms. Kaufman.

Ms. Zombrow, I'll allow this defense.

How could you do that to me? I can't call a judge a spineless weenie. He'll

throw me in jail, too.

Please don't be silly.

Haven't you ever heard of killing the messenger?

Judge Triandos is a politician facing a tough election.

And he's so concerned about not losing the women's vote that he's allowed in

this insane self-defense argument.

If she can deviate this far from the facts of the case, well, then so can I.

This is no longer vandalism and assault.

This is a First Amendment case.

Oh, Tess, relax.

It's a stupid argument.

The jury will recognize that and reject it.

And if they don't, then we've just set one hell of a precedent.

People in Chicago can trash porn shops with impunity. Well, forgive me if I'm

not real concerned about this.

Because it's not your ox being gored.

Meaning what?

What could be the Library of Chicago next?

We're showing pornography for what it is.

It's about the annihilation of women. The destruction of women.

And your response to this perceived threat is to destroy the objectionable

material? Yes.

Wouldn't efforts to pass legislation banning the sale of pornographic

material or hiring more police be more germane?

Women's legitimate claims for protection have been ignored.

We chose to act, whatever the cost to ourselves.

Or the cost to others.

Mr. Fluter... I'm not talking about Mr. Fluter.

I'm referring to a denial of choice on the part of the citizenry.

Would you read this aloud, please?

The sailor possession of his trash and filth is absolutely forbidden, and any

violation is punishable by imprisonment, and the disgusting material may be

seized and destroyed.

Is this the kind of prevention you had in mind?

Yes.

This is a copy of the trash and filth law passed in 1926 by the Weimar

Republic. Objection. It was used to justify book burning in 1934 by the

Nazis.

Most of those books were written by Jews.

Justifiable? Objection, Your Honor. There is no foundation for the

introduction of this document. It's illustrative of defendants' attitudes

toward the rights of others.

The guarantees of free speech apparently only apply to fat.

Objection. With John, nobody the question.

Finally found an address for that puss bag from the other night.

Gaddis and I are going over there now.

The boy.

Same beauty.

Perfection. Oh, all right.

Thank you.

Later.

pornography is about power it's about subordination it's about men possessing

women violently that is one subset of the genre so-called slasher porn dr sung

you're the author of pornography and assault the evil court yes reading from

this article consider the case of duane hilton who raped murdered and

eviscerated Lynn Sanchez in imitation of a photo layout he had seen in a magazine

called Chicks and Chains.

Or the case of Rita M., who during a camping trip at age 13 was raped by

hunters who had been sitting in the woods reading pornographic magazines,

looked up, saw her... Your Honor, is justice really going to be served by an

endless reading of these horror stories? Good of you to admit they're horrifying.

Ladies,

The objection is sustained. Let's move along.

Defense would like to offer Exhibits 6 through 9 into evidence.

Your Honor, I would like the jury to sample some of this material.

Objection. Your Honor, this material may be disgusting, but it has yet to be

established as dangerous. Goes to establish the reasonableness of the

threat.

I'll allow it.

Thank you.

I have no further questions.

Dr. Zong, you've collected a number of these cases which seem to indicate that

there is a causal link between pornography and violent acts against

women. Yes.

Have you ever been asked to testify in a trial to that effect?

Well, basically.

Let me make sure I understand.

You've testified that Plaintiff X took violent action against a woman because

of reading or viewing pornographic material?

No, it's been more to indicate the character and the state of mind of the

defendant.

Isn't that because, in fact, there is no clear evidence to support the contention

that pornography and violence are linked?

I believe with further research, we'll find that... Yes or no, Doctor?

Clear evidence, no. But there is enough... I have no further questions.

Thank you.

So, is your poke holes in Maggie's expert?

Yes.

Yeah.

Yeah, I'm relieved.

What's your problem?

My attitude is not the problem here, Tess.

The problem is that your sympathies are with the fat porno police and not

Fluter.

I have been perfectly consistent. I thought that this case was a stupid

waste of time from the beginning.

And I still think it's a waste of time.

Mr. Bonner's collection.

He also owned six Bibles, he had one copy of Moby Dick, and he

had 12 years back issues of TV Guide.

So, which one was it, Tess?

Which one sent him into Debbie Sylvester's apartment to kill her?

I don't know, Dick.

I don't know.

How's it going?

Can't complain.

Oh, I can't.

I suppose if I asked you not to, you'd ignore me?

Right the first time.

You got a girlfriend?

Mm-hmm.

Do you have any idea from one moment to the next what the hell she wants?

Blind date from hell?

They want us to treat them as equals, but they want to be cherished.

They want us to find them attractive, but not be reduced to sex objects. I

know. Sitting in that courtroom, I'm beginning to feel like I ought to

apologize for having a libido, for being male.

I mean, the message seems to be that men are swine.

And then when you meet Doug Fluter, it's pretty hard to dispute the contention.

It's got me thinking, though.

You come to any conclusion?

That I don't know where to draw the line.

You and Tess.

And me.

Me and Gaddis, we had to read over about a half a ton of this garbage.

It didn't make me want to go out and rape and murder some woman.

Yeah, but that's one kind of material.

What about, you know, A normal centerfold. Right.

I mean, if we admire it, huh?

Little boy talk?

Don't mind me.

When we began this trial, it was a simple case of vandalism and assault.

The defense chose to elevate this discussion to a more philosophical

level, and I'm going to elevate it yet again.

Ms. Zombrow spoke most eloquently about self-defense

and the right of defense to others, which leaves me the task of defending

the true victim in this case.

Not Doug Fluter and his dirty bookstore, but the First Amendment and the

principles of free speech embodied within it.

In a democratic society, a society which values free speech, there is a price to

be paid.

In exchange for that freedom to be heard, we agree to endure the bumps

and grinds of other people's words words which may offend us

anger us or hurt us the defendants

are decent women passionate women they speak of seeking justice but in fact

by their actions they've denied justice to all of us if we allow the

well-meaning right-thinking Joe Mosmans and Deidre Steins of the world to decide

what we will read or view, we will have abdicated that most precious of all

rights, the right to think and decide for ourselves.

Decide now.

Find these women guilty.

Reject their usurpation.

Act in your own self-defense and preserve the Constitution.

Anything new?

No, shouldn't take too long.

How do you think it'll come down?

Too close, too close.

The rape murder, the Bonner case, his lawyer's asking for a psych evaluation.

Try to block it.

They'll enter a guilty plea. We go to sentencing and chalk one up for the good

guys.

And there I'll be introducing evidence of the defendant's perversion and using

his collection of porn to support it.

That... After I've just finished a case saying that porn is okay.

This isn't justice.

It's ethical whiplash. No, Tess. It's being a good lawyer.

Well,

Zombro, I'm glad you're about done with this case.

Why?

Because I may need to retain your services.

You can't afford me.

Oh, this would be a quickie.

I am trying to retain custody of my concupescent dog.

Of course, it would help if I knew what concupescent meant.

It means like master, like hound.

Oh.

Motherhood deepens the bonds of affection between individuals, increases

the... ability to accept and return love.

Marta, you and Cecilia will enjoy an even closer relationship once

she has born these puppies.

Now, as for the father, my initial interview revealed a true

and honest emotional bond between these dogs, which would be shattered if

John were to be.

Masculated. How do you feel about the verdict?

Fine. This is just a stepping stone for us. The issue wasn't really whether we

win or we lose.

Ms. Kaufman?

Ms. Kaufman, with your victory today, do you feel you've dealt the cause of

women's rights a fatal blow?

No.

Feminism isn't that fragile. We don't have to curtail freedom in this country

to survive in advance.

The basic mistake that we make is that we think we have a right to perfect

safety and perfect comfort.

We don't.

In a free society, we accept some risks.

We trade a little safety for a great deal of liberty.

And when none of us are free, I'm sure we'll all feel very safe.

Bravo!