The Verdict
released 1982
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“The Verdict” is a law, drama produced by David Brown, Burtt Harris and Richard D. Zanuck and directed by Sidney Lumet. The screenplay was written by David Mamet and Jay Presson Allen and is taken after the novel of the same name written by Barry Reed. It stars the late and great Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason, Milo O’Shea, Lindsay Crouse, Edward Binns, Julie Bovasso, Roxanne Hart, James Handy, Wesley Addy, Joe Seneca, Lewis J. Stadlen, Kent Broadhurst, Colin Stinton, Burtt Harris, Scott Rhyne, Susan Benenson, Evelyn Moore, Juanita Fleming, Jack Collard, Ralph Douglas, Gregor Roy, Margie Anderson, Tobin Bell, Murphy Cross, Kevin Fennessy, Willow Hale, Jon Hopwood, Cullen O. Johnson, Joan Tolentino, Bruce Willis and many more. There is a lot of great talent in this film.

The Verdict IMDb webpage

“The Verdict” is a court room drama film about washed up Boston attorney Francis ‘Frank’ Galvin, played by Paul Newman, who is given a case that could well put him on the path of redemption. At the start of the story we see Frank the ambulance chasing lawyer, heavy drinker, mediocre individual who spends his days drinking, stuck in the past. At one point he wrecks his office and smashes his Boston College Law Degree then passes out. A friend of his by the name of Mickey Morrissey, played by Jack Warden, stops by his office to remind him of a case he sent his way. Frank has no choice, he needs the money, but there is also another reason why he needs this case. This is more than just a case for Frank. The case involves two doctors who mistakenly administered the wrong anesthetic to a woman who was having her third child, killing her and her newborn as a result. With this case Frank is going up against a wealthy and powerful hospital. So, this case is really more than just a paycheck. It’s a chance for Frank to act on higher ideals within him that are screaming to come out. He needs this case in order for him to do the right thing with his law degree and finally become the better person he knows he can be, the better person he wants to be. This is a powerful story.

The story takes place in the Boston of the late 1970s and 1980s and so there are no computers, cell phones, internet or any other more modern technology. You do see however pay phone booths everywhere. Which is a strange and funny thing to imagine today. Back then like today it is a city that resembles more a sprawling suburb overshadowed by Academia. Some of the largest and wealthiest schools in the US are in that area and they still exert a lot of influence in this town, whether its the court system, job market and access to wealth opportunities. Boston has not changed much in that respect. This film is a criticism of such situation. For example, when the law firm hired by the Archdiocese discusses their strategy they begin by exerting influence in the minds of people through the people they know in the media, newspapers and even the judge on the case named Judge Hoyle, brilliantly played by Milo O’Shea. The story is not about a fair trial and it does not take place in a fair court room.

One element that this story portrayed brilliantly was that of corruption. How it feels to try to navigate in a corrupt system like what Frank has to do. In so many stories, which are more like fairy tales than reality, corruption is the fault of one person who controls all the resources and does all the manipulations and decision making. However, in reality this is not the case. In most cases of bad corruption many more people take part in it for one reason or another. Some people fear for their lives and that is understandable. But so many others are more thinking of the payoffs to going along with what they know is wrong. Or they just want to maintain their status quo. Corruption is often the case of a group of people following, and trying to prosper in, a bad incentive system. This film shows that fact brilliantly.

Frank is a man who has fallen from grace and must redeem himself. He is a very capable lawyer who graduated from a top law school in Boston. He is also a man of deep faith and throughout the story we see how his faith guides him. He is a man you really like and root for him on his quest of redemption.

Now this film is dated but the themes of standing up to corruption and being motivated by ethics are beautiful themes. This film is really worth the watch. To see Paul Newman give one of his best performances, if not his best, is worth it.

So, enjoy a piece of recent historical fiction in this film.

John Ink2Quill

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