Review of The Verdict (1982) by Arnaud L — 11 Jul 2008

Worn out. Beaten down. Consumed with the past. Turning to alchohol for comfort. On the verge of giving up. These are a few of the things that could describe Frank Galvin (Paul Newman). 'The Verdict', written by the great David Mamet and directed by the equally great Sydney Lumet, is a story about self redemption.

Newman's character is given a case that's a guarantee win (in fact, it'll be a settlement out of court). And Newman goes along with it until he sees his client in the vegetable state in the hospital and realizes that he has to win this case not for money, but for his clients.

(This is one of the most marvelous scenes in the movie. There's no dialogue at all; it's a scene told entirely through acting. We understand through Newman's actions that he sees a chance to set things right - including his past.

) That and the fact that he's told that the doctors in the operating room were negligent. So he decides to take the case head on, and bring it to trial (even though he hasn't won a case). In Mamet's original draft there wasn't a verdict.

The producers were weary about releasing a movie called 'The Verdict' without a verdict in the movie. So they turned to different writers. But when Lumet came aboard, he wanted Mamet, and he promised the producers he would work through Mamet's stubborness.

And it worked. Everything is pitch perfect here. The acting. The directing. The writing. The lighting. The mise en scene. Everything. And if it wasn't for a little picture called 'Ghandi', this would have taken home many awards at the Oscars.

Shame.