The Verdict (1982)

Note Générale:

7,7/10   

Réalisateur:

Sidney Lumet

Scénaristes:

Barry Reed (based upon the novel by)
David Mamet (screenplay)

Date de sortie:

8 décembre 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drame

Intrigue:

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 | Medical Malpractice | Malpractice | Court | Ambulance Chasing

Récompenses:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations

Avis des utilisateurs:

A Classic

Ensemble

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

Durée:

129 min

Pays:

USA

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Couleur (Technicolor)

Rapport de forme:

1,85 : 1

Son:

Mono

Classification:

Australia:M | Norway:16 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R (PCA #26710) | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Lieux de tournage:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Société:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Anecdotes:

Julie Christie turned down the Charlotte Rampling role

Goofs:

Erreurs factuelles: Throughout the film, the length of time that the woman is said to have been in a coma is 4 years (the confrontation between the husband and Frank Galvin, for example), but during his cross examination of Kaitlin Price, Galvin gives the date of the operation as May 12, 1976. The date on Concannon's check to Laura Fischer is dated February 19, 1982, making it nearly 6 years since the woman went into the coma.

Guillemet:

Frank Galvin: I changed my life today, what did you do?
Laura Fischer: I changed my room at the hotel.
Frank Galvin: Why did you do that?
Laura Fischer: TV didn't work.

Connexions:

Référencé sur "Will & Grace: Grace in the Hole (#4.13)" (2002)

A Classic

I love this film, I own a copy and I watch it at least once a year. It's hard to pick a "best work" from Sidney Lumet, Paul Newman or David Mamet, but this film ranks up there for all three. And really, when you say those three names on one film, that says it all, doesn't it?

Newman plays a down and out lawyer, a drunk ambulance chaser whose life changes when he turns down a pultry settlement offer to try a case that he can't possibly win. There are so many great scenes in this film, it's hard to pick a favorite. Possibly, the very end, the ringing phone Paul Newman ignores as he sips on some coffee, rather than whiskey, might be one of the all time greats. The scene sums up the movie so well. My other favorite is a long, single shot where Newman is on the phone trying to get another doctor to testify and Jack Warden paces the room. The camera is at the other end of the room, on the floor and the scene is about five or six minutes long, one continuous shot, beautifully done.

I read a book a couple years ago that covered blunders in film regarding court cases and apparently there were a couple in this one. But this is a film that is so great, so well done, I think Godzilla could have trampled part of Boston and Lumet could have made it believable. Although Cool Hand Luke is my favorite film of all time, The Verdict is my second favorite Newman film. See it if you can.