Innocent

When I think back to the list of "greatest films" The Spectator magazine compiled I realise how daft the list was. I have just seen "The Night of the Hunter" again and think it, yes, a rather good thriller with some fine performances in it, but "Best film of all time"? It was directed by Charles Laughton who had never directed a film before that and didn't direct one after it (probably because it was a flop at the box office). How is it that a novice like him could direct the greatest film ever made? John Ford directed hundreds of films, some silent, before he directed the magnificent "The Searchers".
It's pretty obvious that the compilers of the list weren't film fans but the sort of people who go snootily to art houses and film societies not to the cinema as we all know it.
I have started to read "Innocent" by Scott Turow and am compoletely absorbed by it. What a fast moving thriller! It is a sequel to "Presumed Innocent" Scott's first novel back some twenty years ago which was also completely absorbing.
Which brings me to the film of "Presumed Innocent". Surely this is the best courtroom film ever made and, in my opinion, one of the best films ever made. Was it on The Spectator's list? Don't recall it being there. It was certainly a better film than "The Night of the Hunter". It was, of course, not the work of a one-off director but one who had already established himself as a skilled creative artist ("Klute" comes to mind) - Alan Pakula.
I thought "I must see that film again before I finish the sequel "Innocent" in which the same character, Rusty Spavich, is indicted for the crime of killing his wife; so I thought to go to Blockbusters, just down the road - get for about £4; then I thought "the town library with its large collection of films from all over the world". But that would be days if not weeks before etting it (tranferred to my local library) and I want it now or in a few days' time. So I then thought "Amazon". I got it for £1.30. It will arive Monday or Tuesday. Can't wait to see Greta Scacchi lead Harrison Ford into the office for.... you know what.
Well, I can't believe it: David Thomson doesn't even include "Presumed Innocent" in his famous book of the world's best films "Have You Seen".