joe peso excels in this piece of courtroom comedy where he take his first murder case a an out of town lawyer in the deep south . there be the usual error of a new lawyer . though the judge be suspicious and the judge accept vinnie the lawyer assurance of an impressive record of some win and loss and permit vinnie despite reservation to try a case where the ultimate penalty hang over both defendant . fred gwynn a long time comic actor play the part of a superior court judge eloquently with reserve and detachment . while this be a romantic comedy and the comic aspect of the story be adjunctive to the seriousness of the charge for which both defendant face death . though utterly inexperienced before an hostile court and vinny manages with a little help from his girl friend mona to draw victory in a case of mistaken identity from the jaw of defeat . the harshness of the new yawk accent be tastefully in this film execute a the perfect counterpoint to the sense of dignity and propriety of the ever staid southland . the film qualifies a a classic comedy a it end with a promise of marriage .