The Verdict (1982)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers:

Barry Reed (based upon the novel by)
David Mamet (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 December 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A lawyer sees the chance to salvage his career and self-respect by taking a medical malpractice case to trial rather than settling.

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Medical Malpractice | Malpractice | Court | Ambulance Chasing

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Paul Newman	...	Frank Galvin
Charlotte Rampling	...	Laura Fischer
Jack Warden	...	Mickey Morrissey
James Mason	...	Ed Concannon
Milo O'Shea	...	Judge Hoyle
Lindsay Crouse	...	Kaitlin Costello
Edward Binns	...	Bishop Brophy
Julie Bovasso	...	Maureen Rooney
Roxanne Hart	...	Sally Doneghy
James Handy	...	Kevin Doneghy
Wesley Addy	...	Dr. Towler
Joe Seneca	...	Dr. Thompson
Lewis J. Stadlen	...	Dr. Gruber (as Lewis Stadlen)
Kent Broadhurst	...	Joseph Alito
Colin Stinton	...	Billy
Burtt Harris	...	Jimmy - the Bartender
Scott Rhyne	...	Young Priest
Susan Benenson	...	Deborah Ann Kaye
Evelyn Moore	...	Dr. Gruber's Nurse
Juanita Fleming	...	Dr. Gruber's Maid
Jack Collard	...	Bailiff
Ralph Douglas	...	Clerk
Gregor Roy	...	Jury Foreman
John Blood	...	Funeral Director
Dick McGoldrick	...	Manager of 2nd Funeral Parlor
Edward Mason	...	Widow's Son
Patty O'Brien	...	Irish Nurse #1
Maggie Task	...	Irish Nurse #2
Joseph Bergmann	...	Friedman
Herbert Rubens	...	Abrams
J.P. Foley	...	John - Cigar Stand
Leib Lensky	...	Wheelchair Patient
H. Clay Dear	...	Courthouse Lawyer (as Clay Dear)
J.J. Clark	...	Courthouse Guard
Gregory Doucette	...	Sheraton Bar Waiter (as Greg Doucette)
Tony La Fortezza	...	Sheraton Bartender (as Tony LaFortezza)
Marvin Beck	...	Sheraton Bar Patron
Herb Peterson	...	Sheraton Bar Patron
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tobin Bell	...	Courtroom Observer (uncredited)
Kevin Fennessy	...	Funeral Mourner (uncredited)
Willow Hale	...	(uncredited)
Jon Hopwood	...	Courtroom Observer (uncredited)
Bruce Willis	...	Courtroom Observer (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Lumet

Writing credits
Barry Reed		(based upon the novel by)
David Mamet		(screenplay)

Produced by
David Brown	....	producer
Burtt Harris	....	executive producer
Richard D. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
Johnny Mandel		(music by)

Cinematography by
Andrzej Bartkowiak		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter C. Frank		(as Peter Frank)

Production Design by
Edward Pisoni

Art Direction by
John Kasarda

Set Decoration by
George DeTitta Sr.		(as George DeTitta)

Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone

Makeup Department
Joseph Cranzano	....	makeup artist (as Joe Cranzano)
Bob Grimaldi	....	hair stylist
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	unit production manager
Jennifer Ogden	....	unit manager (as Jennifer M. Ogden)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Burtt Harris	....	first assistant director
Ken Ornstein	....	dga trainee
Robert E. Warren	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Joseph M. Caracciolo Jr.	....	prop master (as Joseph Caracciolo Jr.)
Edward Garzero	....	scenic artist
John McDonnell	....	props
Carlos Quiles	....	construction foreman (as Carlos Quiles Sr.)
William Sohmer	....	scenic artist
Dave Weinman	....	set dresser (as David Weinman)
Joe Williams Sr.	....	construction grip
Mark Bachman	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Louis Cerborino	....	sound editor (as Lou Cerborino)
Lee Dichter	....	re-recording mixer
Frank Graziadei	....	boom man
James Sabat	....	sound mixer
Louis Sabat	....	boom man
Maurice Schell	....	sound editor
Harry Peck Bolles	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Mel Zelniker	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Louis Goldman	....	stillman
Gary Muller	....	assistant cameraman
Hank Muller	....	assistant cameraman
Robert Paone	....	second assistant cameraman (as Bob Paone)
Ed Quinn	....	dolly grip (as Eddie Quinn)
William H. Steiner	....	camera operator (as William Steiner)
Dusty Wallace	....	gaffer
Robert Ward	....	key grip (as Bobby Ward)
Billy Kerwick	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
William Loger	....	wardrobe (as Bill Loger)
Marilyn Putnam	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
David Gelfand	....	apprentice editor
Andrew Mondshein	....	assistant editor (as Andrew Mondschein)

Music Department
Joel Moss	....	music engineer
Miles Goodman	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Angela Morley	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
James Fanning	....	transportation captain
Michael Avallon	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Sally Brim	....	production assistant
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
Alexandra Decker	....	locations
Eileen Eichenstein	....	production office coordinator
Lilith Jacobs	....	assistant: Mr. Lumet
Ellen Levene	....	unit publicist
Kathleen McGill	....	production auditor: Production Services, Ltd.
Chris Stoia	....	locations
Todd Winters	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (as Fox-Zanuck/Brown Productions)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1985) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Centfox (1983) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Casting Company, The  casting: Boston
• Intrada  score album released by (limited edition) (uncredited)
• Joy Todd Casting  casting
• Massachusetts Film Bureau  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of
• Mayor's Office for Motion Pictures & Television  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as The New York City Mayor's Office of Motion Pictures & Television)
• Production Services International  production auditing (as Production Services, Ltd.)
• R/Greenberg Associates  titles

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Norway:16 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R (PCA #26710) | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

David Mamet's draft was rejected at first because he refused to put the outcome of the verdict into the script. It was director Sidney Lumet who convinced him to alter his ending.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Throughout the film, the length of time that the woman is said to have been in a coma is 4 years (the confrontation between the husband and Frank Galvin, for example), but during his cross examination of Kaitlin Price, Galvin gives the date of the operation as May 12, 1976. The date on Concannon's check to Laura Fischer is dated February 19, 1982, making it nearly 6 years since the woman went into the coma.

Quotes:

[as he's closing his door]
Judge Hoyle: I've no sympathy for you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Joan Rivers/Musical Youth (#8.17)" (1983)

One of the best courtroom dramas

I've always believed that actors are drawn to courtroom material because of the inherent conflict within them makes for good drama and good parts. They're quite a few of them in The Verdict.

This has always been my favorite Paul Newman film, it's the one he should have won the Oscar for. His Frank Galvin is not the noblest of creatures, he's a once promising attorney now an alcoholic ambulance chaser. But the skills are still there and he shows them battling tremendous odds. Thirty years earlier Frank Capra could easily have made this the subject of one of his populist dramas.

Newman gets great support from an outstanding cast. James Mason, Jack Warden, Charlotte Rampling, Joe Seneca deliver some outstanding performances. The one I particularly liked here was Milo O'Shea as the corrupt and biased judge.

Most of the great courtroom dramas have been about criminal cases. The Verdict was a landmark film that set the stage for the success of other great films about civil cases, including A Civil Action and Erin Brockovich. Those I don't think would have been made but for the critical and popular success of The Verdict.

Paul Newman was never better on screen.