Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn play happily married lawyers Adam and Amanda Bonner in this classic legal comedy that pits them against one another in a murder trial. Amanda represents a woman charged with shooting her husband after discovering he was having an affair; Adam is on the prosecution team. Amanda argues the law has a double standard when it comes to women, and a man in a similar position might be considered justified in shooting his wife’s lover. Their domestic tranquility is upended, sparking tensions at work and at home. Directed by George Cukor.

Trivia: The Production Code Administration wanted to ensure that the judicial system was treated with proper respect in the film, and that an adulterous relationship was not portrayed as funny.

See our August 2018 cover story: “The 25 Greatest Legal Movies.”