Review of Flash of Genius (2008) by Joni H — 25 Jan 2011

Not for everyone. There are two lessons to be learned from this movie.

1. Just because you saw it in a movie 'based on a true story', does not make the story is true.

The movie shows a court challenge against Ford Motor company where Dr. Kearns acts as his own attorney. The movie says the jury ordered Ford to pay Kearns over $10 million. Not true.

Kearns served as his own attorney in his case against Chrysler. He had legal representation against Ford. A jury found against Ford and a second jury determined the damages were $6.3 Million. The judge cut that award to $5.2 million. There was a settlement between Kearns and Ford for a total of $10.2 Million including attorney fees.

Kearns did serve as his own attorney against Chrysler. The jury ruled for Kearns and awarded 18.7 Million. That case went to the Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case, in 1995.

The second was just exactly how slow our legal system is to respond to a wrong. The patents were issued in 1967. The infringement took place in the late 1960's. Kearns sued Ford in 1978 and Chrysler in 1982. The Ford case went to trial in 1990. Chrysler shortly after that. Chrysler appealed the case to the Supreme court in 1995.

Most of the money collected was paid to the lawyers. (Associated press, Feb 2005).

This is not what is represented in this movie. The only 'True' part of the screenplay was a Professor at Case Western had a patent that was infringed upon by the auto industry. Most everything else was make believe.