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Review Archive
FILMS
The Verdict (1982)My wife Kerri is in graduate school. She's studying forensics, more specifically forensic biology. DNA, fingerprints, trauma, dead bodies ... all that jazz. If you want more details you'll have to ask her yourself, as it seems to be beyond my capacity to understand science of that nature. She has a textbook in which there are photos of dead bodies that I refuse look at. "Look, Murph," she says, "at this horrifically decomposed body. The way the victim died...."
And I'm off to the bathroom to vomit.
Kerri's made of sterner stuff, but then, that's no big surprise, is it?
So it was that in the pursuit of higher education and the process of making her brain big and fat on knowledge, she took a class on criminal law. Eventually she'll be a forensic expert, and it's possible (depending on which law enforcement agency she works for after graduation) that she could be called into court to deliver testimony regarding evidence—so it's important for her to learn the rules of evidence, what is or isn't permissible in court, and the general whosits and whatsits of courtly processing. (That's the fancy way of saying I don't know the details, and quite frankly, it ain't relevant at the moment.)
Apparently her criminal law professor referenced movies throughout the semester. The Verdict was one of them. Now, I don't know whether it was used as a good example or a bad example, but it was an example nonetheless and so, interested in what her professor was talking about, Kerri rented the movie and we watched it.
Or to put it another way: I watched the film while Kerri snoozed blissfully by my side.
First let me say that it is not entirely her fault. She works long hours on top of going to school and, if the truth must be told, my shoulder is as comfy as a Lazy Boy recliner. Also, this movie is slow. Not bad, but definitely slow. The court-room drama genre has evolved a long way from The Verdict. Perhaps it's because this film is more true to life than others. I don't know any criminal lawyers so I have nothing with which to compare it.
But it feels more true to life, in that, no one breaks down on the stand and much of the movie revolves around investigation and politics. It's no Ally McBeal or A Few Good Men. But I think that would be comparing apples and oranges. Whether you like it or not depends entirely on what you're shopping for.
The Verdict is about Frank Galvin (Newman), a lawyer who is slowly drinking his way into unemployment and self-destruction. A medical malpractice suit lands in his lap and he's insured victory, as both parties want to settle out of court. Galvin sees this as his last hope for redemption and, needing validation that he's still a good lawyer with just principles, takes the case to court.
As I said before, The Verdict is slow. But there's a purposefulness in its pace. Alcoholism, presumably, is a slow death. The audience feels Galvin's pain as he struggles with the drinking, which leads to his indecisions regarding the case. Kerri even mentioned (before she fell asleep) that it was incredibly difficult to sit there and watch this poor guy completely screw up his life. But I think that's part of the point. It's supposed to be painful.
Also, as I said before, this film may be truer to life than most courtroom dramas and the fact of the matter is—it takes time to try a case. There's lots to do. Paperwork. Questioning witnesses (after you've tracked them down.) Plus, this one has an added twist: the defendant is a Catholic hospital that would rather prefer to have the whole matter pushed under the rug.
I just checked out some facts on IMDB, and I've learned that David Mamet (who wrote the screenplay) adapted it from a novel written by Barry Reed. This is another possible excuse for its pace. A book on film tends to move slower than something that was expressly written for the cinematic medium.
Paul Newman is fantastic in The Verdict. But it's a subtle sort of fantastic. There's very few (if any) emotional outbursts or long monologues that reveal deep motives. Newman has a look and a gesture that telegraph to the audience that Frank Galvin is at the end of his rope and everything he does at this point matters.
Galvin is likable in an onscreen sort of way. By that I mean, the audience feels a empathy for him because he knows he's screwed up, but he's trying. However, he might not be the type of guy you want as a best friend—as he's an incredibly flawed hero. Almost fatally so. He's trying very hard to do the right thing—and it's moving to watch someone recover from his or her mistakes. Great or small, we've all made them before.
If you like action and adventure and kung-fu and thrillers and suspense, stay away from this movie. None of that is in The Verdict. But for good, solid drama that makes you work a little (even if it's your patience), give it a whirl. It might surprise you.
(Note: The Verdict is not a black and white film, but these are the only images I could find. If you know of any others, feel free to drop me a line.)
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