Judge Priest - Plot

Plot

In the year 1890, the honorable Judge William Priest enforces justice in an old Kentucky town. The film begins with the comedic trial of Jeff Poindexter. Jeff Poindexter, a black man, has been accused of stealing chickens. Although Judge Priest is presiding, he is reading a newspaper while Senator Horace Maydew argues the plaintiff’s case. In fact, no one, but Senator Maydew, seems to care about the case. Jeff Poindexter sleeps through Senator Maydew’s testimony. After Senator Maydew is finished with his argument, Judge Priest asks the sheriff to wake up Jeff Poindexter. When Jeff reveals he got his name from Major Randolph Poindexter, Judge Priest and the other confederate veterans in attendance become very excited. They praise Major Poindexter’s ability to lick the Yankees. While the confederate veterans reminisce over the civil war, Senator Maydew complains that such history has nothing to do with the case. Judge Priest says it is relevant because Major Poindexter would often steal Yankee chickens. Next, Jeff reveals he was only trying to fish for catfish. Judge Priest, a fishing enthusiast himself, has a discussion with Jeff about his fishing. After the trial, Jeff lives with Judge Priest.

Judge Priest is sitting on his porch when his nephew, Rome, returns from a law school up north. Rome discovers his lover, Elli May, has found another man. Rome’s mom, Caroline, is happy that Rome will not be intermingling with Elli May, a girl Caroline believes is not fit for a Priest. Caroline does not like Elli May because her mother is penniless and her father absent. Judge Priest, who desperately wants to see Elli May and Rome together, counters Caroline by saying that the Priest family has never stood for intolerance. That evening Elli May has her new lover, the Barber Flem Talley, over for lemonade. Flem Talley had been drinking before he arrived at Elli May’s house. Elli May is not happy with Flem. Judge Priest, who had been observing Elli May and Flem from his porch next door, devises a plan to scare Flem away. After Elli May goes inside to prepare some lemonade, leaving Flem on the porch alone, Judge Priest hides behind a hedge and plays out a monologue. He pretends to be gossiping with another person about a gang of men with shotguns coming to get Flem Talley. In his monologue, the Judge confesses that he can do nothing until after the gang has committed murder, but then he will make sure the gang gets the justice they deserve. Of course, there was no gang, but the Judge successfully succeeds in scaring Flem. Flem gets in his buggy and leaves in a hurry. Judge Priest sends Rome, who was unaware of the Judge’s actions to scare Flem, over to Elli May’s house. Rome arrives on Elly May’s porch just as Elly May comes out with the lemonade she had prepared.

That night Judge Priest goes out to sit next to his deceased wife’s tombstone. She died in 1871, nineteen years before the film takes place. Nonetheless, Judge Priest shows no interest in remarrying. While Judge Priest sits next to his wife’s tombstone he reveals that Senator Maydew has his eye on taking Judge Priest’s spot on the bench. Judge Priest watches, unobserved, as Bob Gillus places flowers next to Elli May’s mother’s tombstone. Judge Priest is confused, but he does not contemplate it further.

The next morning Judge Priest goes into town. Confederate veteran Jimmy tells Judge Priest he is cleaning his gun because one never knows what the Yankees are going to do. When Judge Priest talks to Bob Gillus about getting new horseshoes, Judge Priest notices Bob has a bullet scar on his arm. When Judge Priest brings up the bullet scar, Bob refuses to elaborate beyond receiving it up north after the civil war.

Judge Priest leaves town to go catfish fishing with Jeff. Judge Priest asks Jeff to prepare the beef liver bait. Upon finding no more beef liver bait, Jeff explains, “Looks like that liver done walk off by itself.”

Judge Priest, just slightly irritated, sends Jeff to get more bait. Jeff throws his shoes over his shoulder and walks toward town. Judge Priest asks him why he does not put on his shoes. Jeff replies, “I’m saving them for when my feet wear out.” “As much sitting around as you do it won’t be your feet that wear out,” responds Judge Priest.

Jeff and Judge Priest return home to prepare for the Church Ice Cream Festival and Candy Pull. Judge Priest tells Jeff he is not allowed to wear his nice raccoon coat. Jeff says it is rabbit fur. Judge Priest explains to Jeff that it is raccoon fur because he took it from a rich Yankee. At the Church the Black women are busy preparing the taffy. The Black women happily sing songs about Jesus as they work. Judge Priest runs into Reverend Brand upon entering the churchyard. Reverend Brand scolds Judge Priest for not coming to church enough. Although Senator Maydew attends church every Sunday, Reverend Brand clearly favors Judge Priest for the judge’s bench. Judge Priest confesses to Reverend Brand he does not have the grammar or rhetoric that Senator Maydew possesses. Meanwhile, Senator Maydew tells church members that he will not make the race about personalities. Of course, by stating this, Senator Maydew is making it clear he believes Judge Priest’s personality is not fit for the job of judge.

When the candy pull begins, Rome’s mom, Caroline, pairs Rome with Virginia Maydew. Virginia is the Senator’s daughter. Caroline feels that Virginia is well suited for Rome because she is from an affluent family. Rome, on the other hand, would rather be paired with Elli May. Judge Priest rescues Rome. Judge Priest tells Rome and Virginia he will take Rome’s place while he gets more butter. Rome, realizing his Uncle has come to relieve him, leaves the Candy Pull with Elli May.

Later in the week, Judge Priest goes to get a haircut from barber Flem Talley. While the Judge is receiving his haircut, Elli May strolls by. Flem whistles loudly at her. Bob Gillus, who had been waiting for his haircut, stands up and punches Flem in the face. Judge Priest applauds Bob Gillus for his behavior.

Flem and his friends plan their revenge. They hide in the billiard room of the local bar. They plan on ambushing Bob Gillus with their pool cues. When Bob Gillus gets ambushed he pulls a knife on Flem, who flees the scene. Gillus is arrested on assault charges and hires Rome to defend him in court. Rome is ecstatic because Bob is his first client. Caroline, on the other hand, is not happy that her son is defending an outcast northerner over a fight with a girl. Elli May, the girl who Bob stood up for, tells Caroline that she knows Caroline does not believe she is good enough for her son. “However,” Elli May says, “If Rome were half as mean as you, Rome would not be good enough for me.”

In court, Senator Maydew, who represents Flem, asks Judge Priest to step down from the bench because of his nephew’s participation in the case as well as the Judge’s direct involvement at the barbershop. Judge Priest obliges and appoints the honorable Floyd Bailey to serve as Judge. On the first day of testimony Rome is unable to convince the jury that Bob is innocent. The jury consists of Confederate veterans who show no sympathy for someone from up north. After one day of deliberation all that remains is closing arguments.

That evening, Reverend Brand tells Judge Priest that Bob Gillus is Elli May’s father. Judge Priest realizes that this changes the whole nature of the case. In order to reopen the case, Judge Priest offers his raccoon coat to Jeff for delivering a letter of evidence to Senator Maydew. Judge Priest asks Jeff to play his drums outside the courtroom to dramatize Reverend Brand’s testimony. Jeff says he can play the popular Union song Marching Through Georgia. Judge Priest tells Jeff, “I got you outta one lynching, if I catch you playing Marching Through Georgia I’ll join the lynchers.”

The next morning Judge Priest and Rome represent Bob Gillus together. They bring Reverend Brand up to the witness stand. Reverend Brand tells the jury that he served as a captain of artillery for the Southern Confederacy. Reverend Brand recounts how, in desperation for more soldiers, he took men off the chain gang. One of these men was Bob Gillus. Reverend Brand explains, to the pleasure of the jury of Confederate veterans, how brave Bob was as he fought for the confederates. While Reverend Brand recounts stories of Bob running through Union lines, Jeff and his black friends play celebratory music outside an open courthouse window. Finally, Reverend Brand reveals that he knew Bob Gillus 25 years ago as Roger Gillespiere. Bob Gillus, Reverend Brand tells the jury, is Elli May Gillespiere’s father. Elli Mae, who was in attendance, is shocked to hear this. The jury began celebrating their war hero, Bob Gillus. Later that day, the town held its annual veteran’s parade. Bob Gillus had the honor of leading the parade.