During World War II, there were several foreign radio broadcasters whose job was to demoralize the enemy. Japan had Tokyo Rose. Germany had Axis Sally.

American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally takes a look at the Nazi government's propaganda machine and how they used an American woman to broadcast to the American GIs ideas that could cause them to lose morale. As the prosecutor states in the trial, “It was psychological warfare, and she was a soldier.” While that statement has validity, it’s not the whole story.

After her arrest in Berlin, Axis Sally, whose real name was Mildred Gillars (Meadow Williams), was placed on trial for treason. Her determined lawyer provides a defense while also battling the perspective that he’s helping a traitor escape her fate.

Here are your five screenwriting takeaways from the World War II courtroom drama, written by Vance Owen, Darryl Hicks, and Michael Polish, based on the book by Vance Owen and William E. Owen.

1. Show the war footage

Many war films show real footage as part of the narrative. Oftentimes, it comes at inciting points in the film whether at the beginning or after an event that the filmmaker wants to show as a transition point. So how do you make it unique?

In American Traitor, war footage is the first thing the audience sees. Instead of a newsreel announcer though, we hear the infamous Axis Sally reading the propaganda designed to harm the United States’ war effort. This is counter to how this footage is often used, immediately introducing the viewer to the impact that Axis Sally had and writers can see how to take the expected and turn it into something unexpected.

2. The courtroom lawyer

The lawyer character in films dealing with the rights of Americans who have done bad things often finds themselves going against popularity. In this case, James J. Laughlin (Al Pacino) is the lawyer who must defend the seemingly indefensible, even at his own risk. While his personal stake isn’t shown much in this film, the courtroom lawyer character who is faced with this unwinnable position often pops up in courtroom dramas.

The moral dilemma the defending lawyer must face often centers around how their families and communities perceive it, risk death threats and hate mail, and career-ending choices, giving them every opportunity to turn away from the case for their own personal safety. The writer can use that for the story to question why they won’t turn their back and find ways to make them appealing to the audience (rather than two-dimensional mouthpieces). Other films that show the struggling courtroom lawyer include Bridge of Spies, The Mauritanian, and even as far back as To Kill a Mockingbird.

3. The courtroom speech

Another aspect of courtroom dramas is “the courtroom speech.” This monologue, usually the closing arguments of the trial, is the final piece that often turns the jury to the side of the defense. For scriptwriters, long speeches are often a no-no and even considered amateur screenwriting.

For the final courtroom scene though, it’s almost a requirement. If a screenwriter is working on their own courtroom drama, they should watch and study these monologues to see what works and what doesn’t to ensure that their script will benefit from one—and how. Along with Pacino’s closing argument in American Traitor, other famous courtroom speeches include A Time to Kill, A Few Good Men, and On the Basis of Sex.

4. The young protégé

It almost seems that a courtroom drama trope includes that of a young protégé for the lead lawyer to yell at and explain things to. Their naïveté and eagerness to succeed is part charming and partly about giving the lawyer a push on their character arc. While they tend to want to be the most moral person at the table, they're usually in for a rude awakening in that doing what’s right or ensuring civil rights can come at a cost.

In A Time to Kill, Matthew McConaughey had Sandra Bullock. In Mauritanian, Jodie Foster had Shailene Woodley. And in American Traitor, Al Pacino’s character has Swen Temmel (Billy Owen). 

5. Make it relevant

It’s not enough to have a film about a historic event or person, there must be some relevance to modern times. Otherwise, producers and investors are hard-pressed to invest in the additional costs of costumes, visual effects, and props.

It doesn’t have to be blatant, but historical films should somehow reflect the contemporary world, even when they are true stories. Recent films that touch on modern social issues while also remaining true to their historical context are Judas and the Black Messiah and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Writers who watch American Traitor can see how propaganda and coercion within the film and its context have parallels to politics and media today.

American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally is currently playing in theaters and on streaming services.