One Last Shot: Review of The Verdict

Classic from the Vault

The Verdict (1982)

Director: Sidney Lumet

By Alex Watson

Paul Newman was a true icon of Hollywood cinema, not only was he one of the coolest actors of his era in films such as The Hustler and Cool Hand Luke but he was an actor capable of a very wide range. But unlike some actors, Newman relished getting older and right down to his final appearance as mob boss John Rooney in Road to Perdition his presence never once faded. But one of his most under-rated performances came as an alcoholic lawyer in Sidney Lumet’s courtroom drama The Verdict, a role which showed that in his ageing years Newman could still make an audience sit up and pay attention!

Attorney Frank Galvin (Paul Newman) is a drunken, ambulance chasing lawyer whose life in a shambles and his once promising future is now long gone.  Through his friend Mickey (Jack Warden) he is thrown a medical malpractice case against a Catholic Hospital where a young mother was given the wrong anaesthetic while given birth and is now in a permanent coma! A large cash settlement is guaranteed and all he has to do is play along. But upon seeing the victim, Galvin sees a chance for redemption and instead takes the case to trial! But this journey will not be easy and takes him up against legendary lawyer Ed Concannon (James Mason).

The Verdict is a very hard hitting film by Lumet and its redemptive theme keeps us hooked throughout. Galvin’s journey from being a falling down drunk to finally gaining back his strength is not an easy journey to witness and along the way there are constant obstacles and Galvin has to deal with such problems as his expert witness mysteriously vanishing and his replacement proving useless on the stand! But against all odds Franks is still able to make a compelling argument which will result in a heart warming climax.

His case is one that many wanted swept under the carpet immediately including the hospital staff and particularly Judge Hoyle (Milo O’Shea) who cynically mocks Frank for taking the case to trial. The scene where Frank makes his choice to turn down the money is one of the most emotionally absorbing of the film, as he sits facing the Bishop who runs the hospital with cheque in hand we can feel a change coming over him and as he speaks about how this offer would “make him lost” it is this moment proves to be the tipping point for the film.

In the courtroom is where The Verdict really fires, but unlike some before it, Lumet refuses to release any potential fireworks and instead prefers to let the truth be the real power. He is aided by an excellent script David Mamet and it is here where Galvin truly evolves as a character! Even though Concannon masterfully manipulates the jury and seems to have the trial in his pocket- Frank is able to make a crucial breakthrough by finding key witness Cathy (Lindsay Crouse) through his constant searching and her powerful testimony is one that stuns the court!

Paul Newman gives one of his great career performances as Frank Galvin and as the lost man looking for a path, Newman makes the film click on all level and his self redemption engages the audience throughout. In any other hands this could have been a standard role with many impassioned speeches, but Newman plays a man just looking for justice rather glory and crucially downplays Frank’s moving closing statement to the jury and it is this effect that makes Galvin all the more memorable.

James Mason also makes for a perfectly oily villain and as Concannon he is a true nemesis for Frank. The man is nicknamed ‘The Prince of Darkness’ in the legal world and throughout the trial it appears that he and Hoyle have this trial already iced. Through Mason’s unique voice Concannon makes for a gripping villain! There is also a brief but unforgettable appearance by Lindsay Crouse as conflicted Irish nurse Cathy, who is the key to Frank’s whole case. Through hardly any screen time, Crouse is simply fascinating and rings in a heart stopping moment in the movie!

The Verdict is one of Lumet and Newman’s finest hours and is still as poignant today as it was over 30 years ago and still ranks as one of the most exciting courtroom dramas of all time. Paul Newman is an actor the likes of which we will rarely see again in the future and his star was everlasting right up until his death in 2008! Even though it is isn’t quite as iconic as some of his earlier role, this still proves what a multitalented actor this man was- Paul you are sadly missed!

The City of Brotherly Love: Review of Philadelphia

Classic from the Vault

Philadelphia (1993)

Director: Jonathan Demme

By Alex Watson

Tom Hanks is one of the safest pairs of hands at the box office, ever since Forrest Gump told viewers that his mama told him ‘Life was like a box of choc—olates’ he has become a firm favourite. But what is the real appeal of this man? Perhaps his greatest quality as actor is that he appears to be like every other man and therefore is capable of bringing us performances that are very believable and very heartfelt. Perhaps his greatest hour was his most surprising performance playing a homo-sexual lawyer dying of AIDS in Jonathan Demme’s Philadelphia. Here he would give a performance that would pull at the heartstrings

When hot shot lawyer Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) is fired from his prestigious job at a large corporate law firm due to apparent incompetence, he knows that in reality he has been fired because his boss Charles Wheeler (Jason Robards) knows he has AIDS. Seeking justice, Beckett is repeatedly turned by other lawyers to sue his firm. With nowhere else to go he turns to former rival Joe Miller (Denzel Washington). Miller is admittedly homophobic and at first is uncomfortable around Andrew- but together the two will overcome adversity and get the retribution deserved.

Philadelphia was the first movie to acknowledge not only AIDS and HIV but also the discrimination caused by homophobia. All the way through the sense of in-justice looms heavily, when Andrew is called a meeting with Wheeler and his associates, we can see the thinly veiled disgusted on Wheeler face as he gives a fake speech about Andrew’s ‘limited abilities’ when just days before he was made senior partner! His former employers are the true villains of the film and through their narrow mindedness they are willing throw a capable man on the scrap heap because he is not like them.

This picture was made by Jonathan Demme in response to a minor backlash against his previous picture The Silence of the Lambs depicting a serial killer as homosexual. Realizing awareness was needed, Demme made this picture to make Hollywood wake up to a wider world.

The main pairing of Miller and Beckett is where the film works best because here it really is a case of opposites attracting. When we first meeting Miller although he is family man, he still isn’t likeable due to his homophobic attitude. In his first meeting Andrew he runs to the doctor due to he fears of infection and is laughed out the building. But Miller respects fair play and when he sees Andrew being discriminated by a bigoted librarian, he is able to overcome his attitude to help Andrew through his plight, as he describes to another lawyer “Some of these people make me sick. But a law’s been broken here. You do remember the law, don’t you?”

In the courtroom scenes, director Demme refuses to release the potential fireworks and this sense of underwhelming works perfectly with the balance of the film. Beckett doesn’t want any impassioned speeches; he simply wants justice for his embarrassment. There are some great moments none the less particular when gives a tough cross examination to regretful associate  and asks him whether he is homosexual? When the associate avoids the question, Miller hits home with “Are you a homo? Are you a queer? Are you a faggot? Are you a fruit? Are you *gay*, sir?” In the end this line of questioning is the break through needed and very soon Beckett gets the result he deserves.

Tom Hanks gives a fantastic performance as Beckett, to those who are familiar with him in his more family related films- this role may come as surprise. But none the less he holds the central with such presence and even when Beckett’s condition worsens, Hanks still gives him a strength that runs throughout Philadelphia. He is ably supported by Denzel Washington, who as Miller gains our respect throughout, although tough hearted in the early stages, Washington gives him a human touch that warms his character to us.

As the villain Jason Robard is memorably nasty as Charles Wheeler, his distaste for homosexual triggers the sad events of the film. Even in the face of Beckett’s eventual death, Wheeler refuses to drop his steely attitude and it is this that will lead to his downfall.

Philadelphia is probably one of the Tom Hank’s lesser watched films among cinema goers (despite his Oscar win), but by far it gives his greatest performance and shows his big range as an actor. For any Hanks fans I would recommend digging this out because it is one of the most thought provoking films from years gone by. But there will no talks of chocolates boxes here I’m afraid!