The Pursuit of Happiness

A college student whose impulsive decision after the accident triggers a chain of legal troubles. He grapples with guilt, bravado, and competing loyalties as he navigates his girlfriend, his father, and the courtroom.

William’s girlfriend who becomes entangled in the aftermath of the accident. She oscillates between frustration with William and concern for his wellbeing, shaping the emotional core of his decisions.

William's aunt who persuades him to drive to see his father, setting the plot in motion. She embodies a blend of family influence and pragmatic concern, contributing to the pressures on William.

The detective who questions William after the hit-and-run and discovers his lack of license and insurance. He represents the formal, procedural response to the tragedy.

William's father, a wealthy figure whose arrival with the lawyer underscores the family’s status and influence in the case.

William's friend who immediately asks for money when he appears, highlighting dynamics of wealth and opportunism in the social circle.

The woman killed in the incident, referenced in the community and the burial of the dead, around whom the family’s responses swirl.

William's grandmother, who exerts authority over the household and mocks servants, revealing social attitudes and hypocrisy within the family.

A former senator and prison inmate who becomes a fellow inmate and shares the environment of the jail and its politics, highlighting the reach of public life into confinement.

A fellow inmate who is stabbed and killed, illustrating the danger and cruelty within the prison's shower scene.

A guard who is part of the prison environment and appears in the jail scenes surrounding William's imprisonment.

The judge who views William as negligent and disobedient, shaping the legal judgments and the film's moral framing.

The district attorney who prosecutes the case, contributing to the legal pressure and public face of the charge.