So You Think You're Not Guilty is a short (ten minutes) Warner Bros. comedy film from 1950, directed by Richard L. Bare. It was one of 63 shorts in the So You Want... series that ran in theaters from 1942 to 1956.
In this installment, bumbling protagonist Joe McDoakes (George O'Hanlon, who would later voice George Jetson) is driving around downtown with his wife Alice. A malfunctioning traffic light flashes from GO to STOP to GO to STOP repeatedly, causing Joe to repeatedly stop and start his car in the intersection. Eventually he's ticketed. Joe refuses to plead guilty and pay the $2 fine, instead demanding a jury trial. This winds up getting him in a lot of trouble.
Tropes:
- Book Ends: The beginning has Joe get in trouble due to the malfunctioning traffic light. At the end it happens again, and this time Joe has learned his lesson."I'm guilty. I know. I did it. I went through the red light. I'm sorry, 'kay? Look here. I'll pay you now. There's the two dollars, take it!"
- Conversation Cut: An angry Joe is arguing with the policeman in the intersection. He says "I'm—", and there's a cut to Joe in court saying "—not guilty!"
- Courtroom Episode: This episode of the So You Want... series finds Joe in court for a traffic violation.
- He Knows Too Much: "You know too much!" says the other convict, who insists on Joe accompanying him in an escape attempt.
- Honor Before Reason: The judge tells Joe that if he pleads guilty he can just pay $2 and go home. Joe refuses, standing on principle. He gets a 10-year prison sentence.
- Jail Bake: Alice gives Joe a cake with a file in it. He bites into the cake and breaks a tooth.
- The Joy of X: This series probably originated the "So You Want..." standard title.
- Kangaroo Court: A blind man testifies as an "on the spot eyewitness" in Joe's trial, and the jury cheers the prosecution.
- Oddball in the Series: One of the few So You Want... shorts to not have narration.
- The Trouble with Tickets: Joe's innocent, so he won't say he's guilty and pay a $2 fine. Nope, he's going to trial. He gets a 10-year prison sentence.
- Worst News Judgment Ever: "TRAFFIC VIOLATOR GETS 10 YEARS IN ALLEGED JAIL BREAK!!"
