The Verdict ★★★★
THREE of the most significant figures in American cinema history – Paul Newman, Sidney Lumet and David Mamet – combine for 1982’s The Verdict.
The result is a powerful merger of courtroom drama and character study featuring one of the best performances of Newman’s later career.
Like his contemporary Robert Redford, Newman wasn’t just a studio, money-making darling. He turned in many great performances over four decades including in films like Hud, Hombre, The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, The Sting, Slapshot, Fort Apache: The Bronx, Absence of Malice and Colour of Money.
In his later career Newman didn’t have to work at all, due mainly to the success of his salad dressing business. Apart from a few animated voice roles, he retired from live-action dramas with Road to Perdition in 2002. He unfortunately died in 2008 but his place in film history is significant.
Director Sidney Lumet, who has also passed, and writer David Mamet are also important figures with filmographies stacked with serious, adult material that examines society, history and the human condition while always being equally entertaining as thought-provoking.
All this expertise and commitment to the craft is on show in The Verdict which Mamet adapted from a 1980 novel of the same name.
Newman plays attorney Frank Galvin who has all but destroyed his previously strong career through alcoholism. He spends most of his days in a local pub, drinking, playing pinball and regaling those that will listen to his old stories and jokes.
His efforts to attract legal work have spiralled down to ambulance-chasing and intruding on funerals.
One of the few people who hasn’t given up on Frank, however, is former colleague Mickey Morrissey, played by Jack Warden, who offers him the occasional decent case.
This time it’s a medical malpractice case which appears to be heading towards a settlement before it gets to court. The case involves a young woman who was left comatose following a procedure at a hospital run by the Catholic Church. Her family plan to use the money for her ongoing care.
Initially Frank is non-plussed by the case. But a visit to see the injured woman in hospital, the dismissive attitudes of the Church, the defence lawyers and presiding Judge and Frank’s own conscience lead him to believe the settlement is unjust and the case should go to a jury.
James Mason plays the formidable lead counsel for the Church, Milo O’Shea the arrogant judge and Charlotte Rampling a woman whom Frank starts a relationship with during the trial.
As good as the entire cast are, this is Newman’s picture and he delivers a wonderfully nuanced performance aided by a great script that twists, turns and builds to a fitting climax.
Newman and The Verdict were nominated for Academy Awards but beaten by Ben Kingsley and Gandhi.
Watched on a boat.