THE PAPER CHASE
TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET
I showed this 1974 movie to my daughter, Kristin, just before she went away to attend law school. She’s never forgotten it, and maybe only recently forgiven me for it – but she told me, years later, it was the best preparation she could have had for taking law school seriously from the start. Timothy Bottoms stars as a first-year Harvard Law School student, Lindsay Wagner plays a local distraction for his attentions, and John Houseman, who won an Oscar for his role, plays Professor Kingsfield, the imperious law professor who lords over his mostly cowering students. Funny – when I first saw The Paper Chase, I was in college student, and identified with the student. Now, 46 years later, I’m a college professor myself, and identify more with Kingsfield. “Mistah Haaaaaht, here’s a dime! Call your muthah….” Sorry, Kris. Bet hey – you did great at law school, and after.