The Verdict (1982)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers:

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

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 | Malpractice | Medical Malpractice | Court | Trial

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 7 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)
Jay Presson Allen		uncredited

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

Original Music by
Johnny Mandel

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
John Alvin	....	poster artist (uncredited)
Mark Bachman	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Polly Wood-Holland	....	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)
Mark Rathaus	....	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)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (1983) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1983) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (laserdisc)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (198?) (Argentina) (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

Also Known As:

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R (PCA #26710) | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Norway:16 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Peru:14 | France:U

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Dustin Hoffman, Roy Scheider, Frank Sinatra, and Cary Grant were all considered for, or wanted, parts in this movie.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Frank is sitting in his apartment, speaking on the telephone to Sally Doneghy, in long shot we can see a copy of the 'Boston Herald American' on the table in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. When Frank closes the paper and throws it onto the floor, it is clear that this is a copy of the same newspaper with the same headline.

Quotes:

[Judge Hoyle is speaking with Concannon and Galvin about the case]
Judge Hoyle:Frank, what would you and your client take - right now, this very minute - to walk out of here, let this damn thing drop?
Frank Galvin:My client can't walk, your honor.
Judge Hoyle:I know full well she can't, Frank. You see the padre on your way out; he'll punch your ticket... you follow me?

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies (2006) (TV)

The Best of Newman

I have seen this movie, on screen and as a video, many times. Each time, it gets better. This is no doubt the best acting by Paul Newman in his career. Why he didn't get the Oscar for this role, but instead got it for the lackluster "The Color of Money", is beyond me. The movie is actually about redemption, or the attempt to be redeemed.

His interpretation of Frank Galvin, a desperate, conniving, down-to-the-last-case attorney, is fascinating and totally convincing. And he has a fantastic supporting cast -- from Jack Warden as his partner, Charlotte Rampling as his chance for romantic redemption, Milo O'Shea as the corrupt judge, Lindsay Crouse as his surprising ace-up-his-sleeve, and most of all, in a landmark supporting actor role, James Mason as the seemingly distinguished and respected defense attorney.

And I found the direction by Sidney Lumet to be, once again, outstanding. Lumet has such a long list of great movies that you wonder why he has never won an Oscar or been given an AFI Lifetime Achievement award.

This is a riveting movie -- about the law, but mainly about the flawed nature of the human beings who are entrusted with it. Please hear Newman, as Frank Galvin, on his last, crippled, despairing leg, give the summation to the case. It needs to be carved in marble somewhere. David Mamet, who wrote the screenplay, deserves accolades for how he was able to hand Paul Newman such a moving summation. The summation is about life, not just the law. It is a masterpiece, worth seeing the entire movie for.

Most of all, it is Newman's Finest Hour.