16 December 2022 / David Hewitt

Issue: 8007 / Categories: Features , Media , Defamation

Silent night (at the cinema)

David Hewitt explores one of the most intriguing characters to emerge during the trial of the controversial Five Nights film

Of all the exotic characters to emerge during the Five Nights trial, none was more exotic than Sir Montague Shearman.

Mr Justice Shearman

The trial concerned a silent film that was at that moment outraging half the country (see ‘Shocks on screen: the case of Five Nights’, NLJ, 28 October 2022, p22), and Mr Justice Shearman, to give him his full title, was the presiding judge.

Born two decades into Queen Victoria’s reign, the son of a solicitor from Wimbledon, he went on to earn a ‘double-first’ degree from Oxford University. And though the men associated with the film included one who used a whip on his rivals, and another who would be sued by Charlie Chaplin, none of them would ever hold a candle to him.

‘Tont’ Shearman boxed and rowed, ran the 100 yards in barely ten seconds, and helped himself to a rugby

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Silent night (at the cinema)

Issue: 8007 / Categories: Features , Media , Defamation

David Hewitt explores one of the most intriguing characters to emerge during the trial of the controversial Five Nights film

Of all the exotic characters to emerge during the Five Nights trial, none was more exotic than Sir Montague Shearman.

Mr Justice Shearman

‘Tont’ Shearman boxed and rowed, ran the 100 yards in barely ten seconds, and helped himself

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content

If you are already a subscriber sign in

...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

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Silent night (at the cinema)

Mr Justice Shearman

Mr Justice Shearman

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Muckle LLP—Roland Fairlamb