Marshall
In 1940, Thurgood Marshall is a young lawyer for the NAACP who criss-crosses the country defending innocent African-Americans from unjust indictments in court. His latest case is in Bridgeport, Connecticut where an African-American chauffeur is accused of rape of a wealthy white society woman. To admit Marshall into the local Bar, insurance lawyer Sam Friedman is picked over his objections to do introductions in court. However, Friedman's commitment changes drastically when the racist judge forbids Marshall to speak in court, forcing Friedman to act as lead counsel. Now in an intolerable situation for the pair, Marshall must guide his new compatriot through this criminal trial even as Friedman endures not only this unfamiliar area of law, but also the bigoted pressure he now must share. However, the case proves more complex than either anticipates with unexpected twists and turns even as it becomes a vital one that would define two careers as well as the fight for justice in America.
The film struggled financially against its tight budget of $12.0M, earning $10.1M globally (-16% loss).
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 5 wins & 21 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Marshall (2017) exhibits strategically placed plot construction, characteristic of Reginald Hudlin's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 58 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Thurgood Marshall
Sam Friedman
Joseph Spell
Eleanor Strubing
Loren Willis
Judge Carl Foster
Main Cast & Characters
Thurgood Marshall
Played by Chadwick Boseman
Young NAACP lawyer who would later become the first African American Supreme Court Justice, defending Joseph Spell in a controversial case.
Sam Friedman
Played by Josh Gad
Reluctant Jewish insurance lawyer forced to work with Marshall, who grows from timid counsel to courageous advocate.
Joseph Spell
Played by Sterling K. Brown
African American chauffeur accused of rape and attempted murder of his white employer, maintaining his innocence throughout.
Eleanor Strubing
Played by Kate Hudson
Wealthy white socialite who accuses Joseph Spell of assault, whose testimony drives the prosecution's case.
Loren Willis
Played by Dan Stevens
Hostile prosecutor determined to convict Spell, employing racist tactics and fighting to prevent Marshall from speaking in court.
Judge Carl Foster
Played by James Cromwell
Presiding judge who bars Marshall from speaking in court, forcing Friedman to handle the defense directly.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Thurgood Marshall travels by train through the segregated South, establishing his work as an NAACP lawyer defending Black Americans across the country, showing his tireless dedication and the dangerous reality of his mission.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Judge Foster rules that Marshall, as an out-of-state attorney, cannot speak in his Connecticut courtroom—stripping Marshall of his ability to defend Spell directly and forcing him to find a local lawyer to serve as his voice.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 23% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Sam Friedman formally agrees to serve as co-counsel and enters the courtroom alongside Marshall, committing himself to defending Joseph Spell despite the personal and professional risks to his career and family., moving from reaction to action.
At 57 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat During cross-examination, Friedman (guided by Marshall) gets Eleanor Strubing to admit she didn't scream for help and that Spell drove her car gently—a false victory that suggests the affair was consensual, but the prosecution still has powerful evidence remaining., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 86 minutes (73% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Marshall is violently beaten by racist attackers outside the courthouse, leaving him physically wounded and unable to participate fully. Friedman must face the reality that he may have to finish this trial alone—without his mentor's guidance., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 93 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Marshall, despite his injuries, helps Friedman understand that he has grown into a true advocate. Friedman realizes he no longer needs to speak Marshall's words—he has found his own voice and believes in the fight for justice himself., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Marshall's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Marshall against these established plot points, we can identify how Reginald Hudlin utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Marshall within the biography genre.
Reginald Hudlin's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Reginald Hudlin films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Marshall takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Reginald Hudlin filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional biography films include After Thomas, Taking Woodstock and The Fire Inside. For more Reginald Hudlin analyses, see Boomerang, House Party and Serving Sara.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Thurgood Marshall travels by train through the segregated South, establishing his work as an NAACP lawyer defending Black Americans across the country, showing his tireless dedication and the dangerous reality of his mission.
Theme
Walter White at the NAACP tells Marshall about the Spell case, emphasizing that justice must be fought for regardless of how impossible the odds seem—setting up the theme that true advocacy requires courage and partnership across racial lines.
Worldbuilding
We meet Marshall as a skilled but stretched-thin NAACP lawyer, see the racist reality of 1940s America, and are introduced to the sensational case: wealthy socialite Eleanor Strubing accuses her Black chauffeur Joseph Spell of rape and attempted murder.
Disruption
Judge Foster rules that Marshall, as an out-of-state attorney, cannot speak in his Connecticut courtroom—stripping Marshall of his ability to defend Spell directly and forcing him to find a local lawyer to serve as his voice.
Resistance
Marshall reluctantly recruits Sam Friedman, a Jewish insurance lawyer with no criminal trial experience, who initially refuses but is pressured by his community and Marshall into taking the case despite his fear and inexperience.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Sam Friedman formally agrees to serve as co-counsel and enters the courtroom alongside Marshall, committing himself to defending Joseph Spell despite the personal and professional risks to his career and family.
Mirror World
The partnership between Marshall and Friedman deepens as they work together at Friedman's home, with Marshall coaching Sam on cross-examination techniques—establishing the mentorship dynamic that will transform Friedman from timid lawyer to fierce advocate.
Premise
The trial begins with Friedman speaking Marshall's words in court. They investigate the case, interview witnesses, visit the crime scene, and begin to expose inconsistencies in Eleanor Strubing's testimony while building their defense strategy.
Midpoint
During cross-examination, Friedman (guided by Marshall) gets Eleanor Strubing to admit she didn't scream for help and that Spell drove her car gently—a false victory that suggests the affair was consensual, but the prosecution still has powerful evidence remaining.
Opposition
Prosecutor Lorin Willis presents damaging evidence and witnesses. Friedman's home is vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti. The judge continues to limit Marshall's participation. The defense seems to be losing ground as the white establishment closes ranks.
Collapse
Marshall is violently beaten by racist attackers outside the courthouse, leaving him physically wounded and unable to participate fully. Friedman must face the reality that he may have to finish this trial alone—without his mentor's guidance.
Crisis
Friedman visits the injured Marshall and expresses doubt about his ability to deliver the closing argument alone. The weight of Joseph Spell's life and the implications for civil rights hang in the balance as Friedman confronts his own fears.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Marshall, despite his injuries, helps Friedman understand that he has grown into a true advocate. Friedman realizes he no longer needs to speak Marshall's words—he has found his own voice and believes in the fight for justice himself.
Synthesis
Friedman delivers a powerful closing argument in his own voice, passionately arguing that Joseph Spell and Eleanor Strubing had a consensual affair and that Spell is being scapegoated because of his race. The jury deliberates and returns a verdict of not guilty.
Transformation
Joseph Spell is acquitted and walks free. Friedman and Marshall part as equals and friends. Title cards reveal Marshall's future as the first Black Supreme Court Justice, while Friedman continued advocating for civil rights—both men transformed by their partnership.