Will Rogers Films for Modern Eyes: “Judge Priest"

Thursday, October 17 @ 6:30pm

​The Will Rogers Ranch Foundation is bringing back its namesake’s film series with "Will Rogers for Modern Eyes: Judge Priest”, including  a pre-screening panel for the 1934 hit comedy all starting at 6:30 pm on Thursday, Oct. 17, in the comfort of the Bay Theater event screening room.

Of Will's 20 “talkies," JUDGE PRIEST was the second of his two films directed by a young John Ford and even today ranks as Will’s third-highest on IMDB with 6.2/10, and a 80% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.  As the hero of Irvin S. Cobb’s classic stories, the title character William "Billy" Priest is a widowed judge (and proud Confederate veteran) who uses common sense, a laid-back air and considerable humanity to dispense justice in a small town in 1890 Kentucky—and now faces his toughest case yet.  But like all films of the time, audiences of 2024 may need help with everything from the state of comedy and film tech of the era, to the problematic roles of Black breakthrough actors like Hattie McDaniel and comic Lincoln “Stepin’ Fetchit” Perry. 
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 FREE admission for students (please bring student ID)
Non-student tickets = $10

Tickets include the panel discussion, followed by a  screening of Judge Priest,  and a free popcorn and soft drink .
Cocktails and additional concession items will be available for purchase.

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