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The VerdictRating:
Release Date: 04 June, 2002 Retail Price: $14.98 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Complete Cast (11 total) |
The Verdict Reviews
Act as though you have faith, and faith shall be given to you
His words to the jury, a petition for strength for them against great odds, for himself against greater odds, for a system sometimes blind to justice, and for the victim of negligence who has no voice, puts a lump in your throat today 25 years after the release of 'The Verdict.'
TV bytes and news reports of lawyers' greed today have surpassed the image of scoundrels as nearly all of us now just leave them to their money-grubbing best. And the courage and brilliance of "Brown v. Board" and "Heart of Atlanta" exemplifying courageous men and women doing what is best fade into a distant past. But once in while a movie ('Mockingbird') comes along and moves powerfully to recall what it was that attracted us to the beauty of this ancient profession: to do what is right, or even better, to do what is right against great odds.
Frank Galvin, drunk, ambulance chaser, liar, failure, had that dream once but a mistake, an error of judgemnt, a naive trust in loyalty that was gravely misplaced led him to where he is now, sucking on breath mints and bourbon, handing out cards, working for booze money.
His old friend Jack Warden handed him a case, a no-brainer, a lovely Irish girl who went into labor and came out brain dead. The Defendants? A squeaky clean, Chaired, lauded, published and handsome OBGYN and . . . . the Diocese of Boston. And Frank's going to cave. Hell. It's the eve of trial and he's been drunk through the 24 months of discovery. And then he prepares for the Settlement Conference with the Dfense Lawyer, James Mason (just positively brilliant) and goes to the girls hospital room where she is machine fed and takes photos. But a funny thing happens. Lke Marcellus (Burton) winning the Robe in the lottery at the foot of the cross or a drunk at his first AA meeting, Frank's not sure but something's different. And he begins to wonder if maybe this time he won't cave.
Great, morbid, wry, ironic, gallows humor. Warden says after the Settlement Conference, "whadja' think of (Mason)?" Galvin: He's good. Warden: Good? He's the [. . . . .] Prince of Darkness.
A cast that you have heard of and seen a thousand times and some that you would never see again all working together to bring you a blue collar story of the good thief. I don't know that there is a better trial movie.
People say that Newman lost but wasn't robbed for the Oscar because Ben Kingley was so wonderful in Ghandi.
He was robbed. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury
The STRONG should PROTECT the WEAK--or slaying the "judicial/bureaucratic" Goliaths!
Paul Newman is great as a despairing, alcoholic "David", once second in his law class, once part of a prestigious law firm, once married...till he dared to stand up to his dishonest law firm owner/and father-in-law who wanted to fix a jury.
The above is past history...just mentioned in the film.
It is some years after, and alcoholic Newman, with only 4 cases in the last few years,
...has an epiphany...where his youthful religious and ethical training reawakens as he gets the picture, so to speak, of a woman treated unjustly, whom he can help.
He forgets himself and his troubles, and the people who have pushed him around,
...and starts fighting for the brain damaged young woman...against the hospital and doctors who damaged her. He will later awaken the conscience (as the movie hints) of one of the "Goliaths" he goes up against.
However, there are pitfalls... as opposing lawyer Concannon is not above using any trick---or person...to destroy the case.
Paul Newman's epiphany scene (which I won't describe further to spoil it for you, but which is clearly recognizable) is quite moving.
His Goliaths include: The biased, hostile Judge, the "Prince of Darkness" superlawyer Concannon (played well by James Mason, always good at suave villians), the doctors and **most** of the attending support staff who attended the unfortunate Deborah Ann Kaye,
...and the somewhat hesitant Bishop Brophy, head of St. Catherine's, the hospital where Mrs. Kaye lost her baby and suffered massive brain damage.
Set in Boston, a largely Catholic city (I am told) we here have nominal Catholics pitted against those of their denomination who take the Christian "Good Samaritan" story seriously.
My family caution: There are some cuss words and a brief suggestion of a bedroom scene.
The Verdict implies the barely seen 12 who also are key players...the jury, who must deliver the verdict.
Will they go with the letter of the law? Or---its spirit? (If you are familiar with this phrase from the Christian faith, you have the answer...)
(Hint of spoiler below)
My wish is that brain injured Terri Schiavo had had a jury
who could see the spirit of the law!
Instead we had lots of judges fighting turf wars against a Congress that dared
(how DARE they question the unquestionable judges seemed to be the attitude) to merely ask for a second look at the whole case. Meanwhile, Terri slowly starved to death...Shame on us! Shades of Nazi Eugenics!!!
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