Review of The Verdict (1982) by Josh M — 14 Apr 2012

The Verdict is one of the finest courtroom dramas ever filmed, the only reason I've given it less than the full stars is that the plot has some convenient points in its last act to provide a studio imposed 'happy ending' that border on cheap.

The excellence is wall to wall, starting with a terse, brilliant script by David Mamet, a performance of passion and prefection from that great soul, star Paul Newman in autumnal late middle age, and superbly deft direction from one of the finest American directors who ever lived, Sidney Lumet. It benefits from note perfect supporting perfomances from film icon James Mason, the teddy bear like, truthful presence of the great Jack Warden, sleazy Irish Judge Milo O'Shea, and the mysterious love interest Charlotte Rampling.

The story is Newman, by fluke, getting a medical malpractice suit against a powerful law firm acting for the Catholic diocese who run the hospital where a healthy young woman is turned into a vegetable by negligent high profile doctors. James Mason exudes power and smugness as the senior partner with his usual subtlety. Newman is given the case by his colleage Jack Warden who has had enough of his friend's alcoholic negligence and wants to be done with him. Charlotte Rampling is a stunning, almost ghost like presence who offer's Frank one last chance at love in his late years.

The dreary color palette and gothic (Boston and New York pretending to be Boston) locations add to the melacholic atmosphere of broken down, end of his rope ambulance chasing lawyer Frank Galvin (Newman). Music is minimal and close ups are used very sparingly.

Galvin's need for redemption is so palpable that any human heart watching this gut wrenching performance is made to care deeply that he succeeds. Somehow, this 'need for redemption' trope, normally a hackneyed cliche, which fails in so many similar movies of the recent era is as perfectly executed here, due to Mamet's economical, unsentimental use of words (look for Galvin's haunting jury summation) and Newman's self-effacing, brave emotional nakedness.

This film grips for all of its two plus hours, and though it may look a little old fashioned to modern eyes, it is very rewarding viewing. An almost pefect film.