Trial is a 1955 American film directed by Mark Robson and written by Don Mankiewicz (novel and script). It stars Glenn Ford, Dorothy McGuire, Arthur Kennedy and Juano Hernandez. It is about a Mexican boy accused of rape and murder; originally victimized by prejudiced accusers, he becomes a pawn of his communist defender, whose propaganda purposes would be best served by a verdict of guilty. Angel Chavez (Rafael Campos) is a Mexican American who lives in the small California town of San Juno. During an annual event called Bass Night held at the town beach, he has wandered into the beach which is off-limits to Mexican Americans. There he meets up with a non-Hispanic girl from his high school class. She is suddenly struck down by a heart attack and dies. Angel is arrested and charged with murder. The film then cuts to the State University where a law professor, David Blake (Glenn Ford), is told he can no longer teach because he has never been to court to defend a client. Blake asks if he finds work with a law firm for the summer and gets courtroom experience, would he be able to teach in the fall semester. The dean agrees and Blake goes out to find work.