Justice Is A Woman (Playhouse ITV 14 Jul 1969, Margaret Lockwood, Iain Cuthbertson)

In Justice Is A Woman highly regarded English barrister Julia Stanford heads to the Scottish courts to defend a young 18 year old man, Allan Harper, who has been charged with the rape and murder of his 16 year old girlfriend Ann Laird.

Harper is offering up no defence saying that he cannot remember what happened but does admit that he went to see Ann. It seems that Ann had already made an allegation of rape against Allan (he suggests that it was at the urging of Ann’s father after he discovered they were in a relationship), it’s also revealed that Ann was pregnant at the time of her murder.

Julia is convinced that Allan is innocent and digs deep to get at the true facts of the case.

It’s a classic court room drama with a stand out performance from Lockwood as well as the alway superb Iain Cuthbertson as prosecuting QC Mr Campbell. Dad’s Army star John Laurie is also excellent as the Judge presiding over the case.

As befitting a high profile play with a screen legend, Justice Is A Woman was given the honour of a TV Times cover.

The play, written by Jack Roffey and Ronald Kinnoch had a successful theatrical run before being adapted for TV, Lockwood had been offered the part but was already appearing in another play at the time.

The production was considered pretty successful. You could say it lead to the series Justice which appeared two years later. Margaret Lockwood again starred, this time though her character was called Harriet Peterson.

production details
UK / ITV – Yorkshire / 1×77 minute episode / Broadcast Monday 14 July 1969 at 8.30pm

Writer: Stanley Miller / Play: Jack Roffey, Ronald Kinnoch / Production Design: James Bould / Producer: Peter Willes / Director: Joan Kemp Welch

cast
Margaret Lockwood as Julia Stanford
Cavan Kendell as Allan Harper
Ian Cuthbertson as Mr Campbell QC
John Laurie as Judge Adrian Beresford
David Langton as Captain Cruickshank
Roddy McMillan as Mr Miller
Russell Waters as Alistair Macleod
Daphne Anderson as Mrs Harper
Elizabeth Knight as Valerie Gowan
David Garth as Colonel Laird
John Dunbar as Inspector Firth
Raymond Farrell as Mr Gowan
Elizabeth Burger as Mrs Gowan
John Young as Clerk of Court
Prentis Hancock as Officer of the Court
Arthur Jeffrey as Foreman of Jury
Jack Thomson as Police Officer