The Verdict (1982) 7.7
A lawyer sees the chance to salvage his career and self-respect by taking a medical malpractice case to trial rather than settling. Director:Sidney Lumet |
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The Verdict (1982) 7.7
A lawyer sees the chance to salvage his career and self-respect by taking a medical malpractice case to trial rather than settling. Director:Sidney Lumet |
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| Watch Trailer 0Share... |
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Paul Newman | ... | ||
| Charlotte Rampling | ... | ||
| Jack Warden | ... | ||
| James Mason | ... | ||
| Milo O'Shea | ... |
Judge Hoyle
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| Lindsay Crouse | ... |
Kaitlin Costello
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| Edward Binns | ... | ||
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Julie Bovasso | ... |
Maureen Rooney
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| Roxanne Hart | ... |
Sally Doneghy
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| James Handy | ... |
Kevin Doneghy
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| Wesley Addy | ... |
Dr. Towler
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| Joe Seneca | ... |
Dr. Thompson
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Lewis J. Stadlen | ... |
Dr. Gruber
(as Lewis Stadlen)
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Kent Broadhurst | ... |
Joseph Alito
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| Colin Stinton | ... |
Billy
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Frank Galvin is a down-on-his luck lawyer, reduced to drinking and ambulance chasing. Former associate Mickey Morrissey reminds him of his obligations in a medical malpractice suit that he himself served to Galvin on a silver platter: all parties willing to settle out of court. Blundering his way through the preliminaries, he suddenly realizes that perhaps after all the case should go to court: to punish the guilty, to get a decent settlement for his clients, and to restore his standing as a lawyer. Written by Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au>
I like that this film shows how the criminal justice system, solid though it is, has cracks that can prevent justice being done, and that the people participating in it have to have the courage to recognize them. This film has turned out to be a seminal one: legal drama has turned overwhelmingly to rumination of the moral interstices of the law like the one portrayed here. Without "The Verdict," we wouldn't have "The Practice." Gone are the days when all of Perry Mason's clients were innocent.
Paul Newman's performance has been justifiably enshrined in the pantheon of Circumstances When The Academy Dropped The Ball. But what made the film a truly emotional performance for me was Lindsay Crouse as the pivotal witness. The entire ensemble was flawless, as was the incredible atmosphere. "The Verdict" is probably too serious for some movie fans, and that's OK--no film can please everyone. But if you like to be given something to think about by your entertainments, this is the film for you.