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The Verdict

  • 19821982
  • RR
  • 2h 9m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
40K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,949
244
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Paul Newman in The Verdict (1982)
Theatrical Trailer from 20th Century Fox
Play trailer2:20
1 Video
99 Photos
  • Drama

An outcast, alcoholic Boston lawyer sees the chance to salvage his career and self-respect by taking a medical malpractice case to trial rather than settling.An outcast, alcoholic Boston lawyer sees the chance to salvage his career and self-respect by taking a medical malpractice case to trial rather than settling.An outcast, alcoholic Boston lawyer sees the chance to salvage his career and self-respect by taking a medical malpractice case to trial rather than settling.

IMDb RATING
7.7/10
40K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,949
244
  • Director
    • Sidney Lumet
  • Writers
    • Barry Reed(based upon the novel by)
    • David Mamet(screenplay)
    • Jay Presson Allen(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Paul Newman
    • Charlotte Rampling
    • Jack Warden
Top credits
  • Director
    • Sidney Lumet
  • Writers
    • Barry Reed(based upon the novel by)
    • David Mamet(screenplay)
    • Jay Presson Allen(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Paul Newman
    • Charlotte Rampling
    • Jack Warden
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 203User reviews
    • 91Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 5 Oscars
      • 3 wins & 14 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Verdict
    Trailer 2:20
    The Verdict

    Photos99

    Paul Newman in The Verdict (1982)
    Paul Newman in The Verdict (1982)
    Paul Newman and Sidney Lumet in The Verdict (1982)
    Paul Newman and Charlotte Rampling in The Verdict (1982)
    Paul Newman and Jack Warden in The Verdict (1982)
    Paul Newman and Jack Warden in The Verdict (1982)
    Paul Newman and Charlotte Rampling in The Verdict (1982)
    James Mason, Paul Newman, and Wesley Addy in The Verdict (1982)
    Paul Newman in The Verdict (1982)
    "The Verdict," Paul Newman & Joe Seneca (foreground)
    "The Verdict," Paul Newman.
    James Mason, Paul Newman, and Charlotte Rampling in The Verdict (1982)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Paul Newman
    Paul Newman
    • Frank Galvinas Frank Galvin
    Charlotte Rampling
    Charlotte Rampling
    • Laura Fischeras Laura Fischer
    Jack Warden
    Jack Warden
    • Mickey Morrisseyas Mickey Morrissey
    James Mason
    James Mason
    • Ed Concannonas Ed Concannon
    Milo O'Shea
    Milo O'Shea
    • Judge Hoyleas Judge Hoyle
    Lindsay Crouse
    Lindsay Crouse
    • Kaitlin Costello Priceas Kaitlin Costello Price
    Edward Binns
    Edward Binns
    • Bishop Brophyas Bishop Brophy
    Julie Bovasso
    Julie Bovasso
    • Maureen Rooneyas Maureen Rooney
    Roxanne Hart
    Roxanne Hart
    • Sally Doneghyas Sally Doneghy
    James Handy
    James Handy
    • Kevin Doneghyas Kevin Doneghy
    Wesley Addy
    Wesley Addy
    • Dr. Towleras Dr. Towler
    Joe Seneca
    Joe Seneca
    • Dr. Thompsonas Dr. Thompson
    Lewis J. Stadlen
    Lewis J. Stadlen
    • Dr. Gruberas Dr. Gruber
    • (as Lewis Stadlen)
    Kent Broadhurst
    Kent Broadhurst
    • Joseph Alitoas Joseph Alito
    Colin Stinton
    Colin Stinton
    • Billyas Billy
    Burtt Harris
    • Jimmy - the Bartenderas Jimmy - the Bartender
    Scott Rhyne
    • Young Priestas Young Priest
    Susan Benenson
    • Deborah Ann Kayeas Deborah Ann Kaye
    • Director
      • Sidney Lumet
    • Writers
      • Barry Reed(based upon the novel by)
      • David Mamet(screenplay)
      • Jay Presson Allen(uncredited)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Frank Galvin was once a promising Boston lawyer with a bright future ahead. An incident early in his career in which he was trying to do the right thing led to him being fired from the prestigious law firm with which he was working, almost being disbarred, and his wife leaving him. Continually drowning his sorrows in booze, he is now an ambulance-chasing lawyer, preying on the weak and vulnerable, and bending the truth whenever necessary to make what few dollars he has, as he has only had a few cases in the last few years, losing the last four. His only friend in the profession is his now retired ex-partner, Mickey Morrissey, who gets Frank a case, his fee solely a percentage of what his clients are awarded. The case should net Frank tens of thousands of dollars by settling out of court, that money which would at least get him back on his feet. It is a negligence suit brought on behalf of Deborah Ann Kaye by her sister and brother-in-law, Sally and Kevin Doneghy, against St. Catherine Labouré Hospital, operated by the Archdiocese of Boston, and Drs. Towler and Marks. Kaye was admitted to the hospital for what should have been a routine delivery, but something that happened while Kaye was on the operating room table led to her brain being deprived of oxygen, resulting in permanent brain damage, and Kaye now being in a totally vegetative state requiring hospitalization for the rest of her life. Frank eventually learns that the cause seems to be that Dr. Towler, the anesthesiologist and an expert in the field, used the incorrect anesthetic for the situation. However, all but one person that was in the operating room that day has provided depositions that nothing improper occurred in the operating room. The one holdout is the operating room head nurse, Maureen Rooney, who is not talking, period, to Frank or the other side. Upon seeing the state Kaye is in, Frank unilaterally decides to do what he believes is the right thing by declining the lucrative out-of-court settlement offered by the Archdiocese and take the case to court. In doing so, he hopes the truth that the hospital and the doctors truly were negligent comes to light. Feeling that this case may be a turning point in his life, Frank has a new spring in his step, enough that he attracts the attention of Laura Fischer, the two who begin a relationship. Despite having whatever the truth is on his side, that truth which he does not know, and having an expert witness of his own, Frank has an uphill battle in that the Archdiocese has retained the services of Ed Concannon, a high-priced lawyer who has a large team of associates whose task is to help Concannon and the Archdiocese win at any cost. Concannon's task seems even easier as Judge Hoyle, the presiding judge, is already biased against Frank for taking the case to court. —Huggo
    • playing pinball
    • seeking redemption
    • coma victim
    • reference to arizona
    • legal drama
    • 56 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Frank Galvin Has One Last Chance At A Big Case.
    • Genre
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Frank uses eye drops to hide the redness in his eyes caused by alcoholism. According the DVD commentary by Sidney Lumet, this was Paul Newman's own idea.
    • Goofs
      In the climactic courtroom scene, when Frank calls Kaitlin to the stand, Concannon is flustered and confers with one of his lawyers. We then see the lawyer leave the courtroom, presumably having been given some direction by Concannon. Later, after Kaitlin has been questioned by Frank and cross-examined by Concannon, the lawyer returns with a book containing the case Concannon cites to get the judge to disallow the admittance of the photocopy of the hospital admission form as evidence. However, at the point at which Concannon calls the lawyer over and then, presumably, sends him out to "find" this book/case, he doesn't even know about the existence of the photocopy because he hasn't yet questioned Kaitlin; it's during his questioning of Kaitlin that she reveals she has a photocopy of the form. So there's no way the lawyer would have known to go out and find a case regarding the inadmissibility of a photocopy.
    • Quotes

      [Frank is giving his summation to the jury]

      Frank Galvin: You know, so much of the time we're just lost. We say, "Please, God, tell us what is right; tell us what is true." And there is no justice: the rich win, the poor are powerless. We become tired of hearing people lie. And after a time, we become dead... a little dead. We think of ourselves as victims... and we become victims. We become... we become weak. We doubt ourselves, we doubt our beliefs. We doubt our institutions. And we doubt the law. But today you are the law. You ARE the law. Not some book... not the lawyers... not the, a marble statue... or the trappings of the court. See those are just symbols of our desire to be just. They are... they are, in fact, a prayer: a fervent and a frightened prayer. In my religion, they say, "Act as if ye had faith... and faith will be given to you." IF... if we are to have faith in justice, we need only to believe in ourselves. And ACT with justice. See, I believe there is justice in our hearts.

      [he sits down]

    • Alternate versions
      NBC edited 33 minutes from this film for its 1985 network television premiere.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Tootsie/The Verdict/Sophies Choice/Airplane II (1982)

    User reviews203

    Review
    Top review
    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.
    helpful•110
    12
    • jjh6519
    • Jun 16, 2002

    FAQ9

    • What is 'The Verdict' about?
    • Is 'The Verdict' based on a book?
    • What is an ambulance chaser?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 17, 1982 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Presuda
    • Filming locations
      • Vazac's Bar - 108 Avenue B, East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $16,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $53,977,250
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $100,982
      • Dec 12, 1982
    • Gross worldwide
      • $53,993,738
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 9 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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