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 | Malpractice | Medical Malpractice | Court | Ambulance Chasing

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 4 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)

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
John Alvin	....	poster artist (uncredited)
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)
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)
• 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 (USA) (laserdisc)
• Gativideo (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)

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:

"O Veredicto" - Brazil, Portugal
"Será justicia" - Argentina, Peru (imdb display title)
"Az ítélet" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"Dommen" - Denmark
"Dommen" - Norway (imdb display title)
"Domslutet" - Sweden
"I etymigoria" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Il verdetto" - Italy
"Le verdict" - France (TV title)
"O Veredito" - Brazil (cable TV title)
"P'suck-Dean" - Israel (Hebrew title)
"Presuda" - Serbia (imdb display title)
"Ratkaisun hetki" - Finland
"The Verdict" - France
"The Verdict - Die Wahrheit und nichts als die Wahrheit" - West Germany
"Todistaja" - Finland
"Veredicto final" - Spain
"Werdykt" - Poland

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 | Argentina:13 | Peru:14 | 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:

Sidney Lumet didn't read the novel until after he did the movie because of David Mamet's screenplay.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The pinball machine Frank Galvin plays at the bar is named Disco Fever, and is an early electronic pinball, with digital sound and gas-discharge score displays. The sound effects however, are of mechanical bells and score reels made by an electro-mechanical pinball machine made before 1976.

Quotes:

Judge Hoyle:It seems to me, a fellow's trying to come back, he'd take the settlement, get a record for himself. I, myself. would take it and run like a thief.
Frank Galvin:I'm sure you would.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Milestones in Cinema History: The Verdict (2007) (V)

The difference between what is legal and what is just

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.