comment #1

matt cousens says ...

Don't start complimenting Boston now...

comment #2

jery says ...

Agreed. Also, that high angle, long-lens shot outside the hotel with only the sounds of New York traffic as Warden tells Newman that Charlotte Rampling screwed them over. Newman takes that heart breaking, half-step backwards as it hits him that he's been betrayed.

And of course... the slap.

comment #3

lehigh says ...

I will hear no criticisms of Paul Newman's acting here. Just about his best work. He was best when he went grey - Slap Shot, Verdict, Color of Money, Nobody's Fool.

I love The Verdict. Not a perfect movie, but you can see it's influence on the even better Michael Clayton - America's favorite charming rogue plays a compromised amoral suit trying to do right.

comment #4

Bobby Cooper Superior says ...

I love how Rampling drives Newman into the bathroom - "I can't invest in failure!"

comment #5

Alexander says ...

This post makes me want to see the film again, as soon as possible.

comment #6

Mr. Peel says ...

Finally saw this last year shortly after Newman died and realized that MICHAEL CLAYTON cribbed the whole read-the-resume-and-history-from-off-camera thing but so what, MICHAEL CLAYTON is terrific. As for THE VERDICT, even though I'd heard for decades how great it was, it simply floored me. I love it too.

comment #7

Halhillco says ...

Whether it turns on a bullshit premise or not THE VERDICT is an extraordinary piece of work. Arguably Newman's greatest performance, Lumet's best direction, and most assuredly Mamet's finest screenplay. And it does prove once and for all that Jack Warden was one of the most underrated character actors of all time.

comment #8

George Prager says ...

It's a pretty awesome movie. Jack Warden owns.
("Look on the bright side, it's refreshing every time a Doctor takes the stand and he's not a Jew.")

Too bad that that "straight-whiskey, pinball-machine opening" was shot at 7B, a bar on the corner of 7th street and Avenue B in the East Village.

comment #9

Jason says ...

The last shot of Edward Binns -- sinking and dying -- in NIGHT MOVES has stayed with me.

comment #10

Movie Watcher says ...

Yeah, it's a great movie. Have to see it again. When Rampling gets the check from the lawyer and he says 'welcome back', that was good.

comment #11

arturobandini2 says ...

It's always fascinating to ponder hypotheticals when it comes to casting. The Verdict was developed for Robert Redford, but he ultimately dropped out because he couldn't see himself playing a loser. The producers' first choice for Rampling's role was Julie Christie, but she made Heat and Dust instead because she hadn't visited India since her childhood. Fortunately The Verdict ended up with the right cast, yet I've always wondered what the Redford-Christie chemistry would've been like.

comment #12

NightWriter says ...

How many 28-year-old courtroom dramas still hold up? Without this film, would there ever have been a Law & Order? (OK, no police but this film set trial drama bar pretty high.)

No one mentioned Newman's acerbic remark to the oft-interrupting, plaintiff-biased judge played by Milo O'Shea: "Your honor, if you're going to try my case for me I wish you would win it!" One of my all-time favorite lines.

And yet there's a subtext of misogyny in the script. Rampling is a straight-up whore, even if she does have a law degree; and Crouse's nurse can't fight back against the amoral tyranny of the doctors until she's safely under oath. And then there's the devastating scene where Newman learns of Rampling's betrayal and coldcocks her in an upscale bar. No matter how justified this punch feels, on repeated viewings I couldn't help thinking that Mamet wanted to see if he could construct a drama where a man could hit a woman and the audience would feel pretty good about it.

comment #13

Cadavra says ...

"Without this film, would there ever have been a Law & Order?"

Yes. Google ARREST AND TRIAL.

comment #14

Travis Crabtree says ...

One of my all-time faves. THAT was Newman's Oscar movie.

My father, who was a lawyer and a judge, pointed out that rather large hitch in the story after we watched it together. (he didn't even consult the couple about the cash offer!)
My pop also counts it as one of his favorite movies of all-time. His attitude? "Hey, it's a movie."

Reminded me of the story of all the shark experts invited to a screening of "Jaws". Benchley was mortified. ("they'll laugh at the ending!")
The entire room full of these highly-educated ichthyologists were on their feet cheering when the shark blew up.

Only tiny flaw with The Verdict for me.... the one (very Mamet) line reading by Lindsay Crouse when she says "Who were these MEN?!"

Love the moment when Newman is taking the Polaroids of the comatose victim.... you see his face transforming.

comment #15

sumo-pop says ...

That first scene when Newman goes into a bar and can't pick up his shot glass because he has the shakes, and then leans down to sip it there in front of everyone is my favorite Paul Newman acting moment. Fearless with a complete lack of vanity.

comment #16

MarkVH says ...

I too love The Verdict something fierce, but I have to admit that I have a tough time watching it without thinking that Lindsey Crouse will one day end up as the evil(ish) teacher/Dr. Frankenstein stand-in in season 4 of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Ahem, um, yeah, The Verdict rules.

comment #17

lipranzer says ...

NightWriter, if memory serves, Mamet followed the book pretty closely when it came to Crouse's character (as for Rampling's, I don't remember).

And Arturo, the vagaries of Hollywood also come to play with the script. Mamet's script was initially rejected by the producers and the initial director (Arthur Hiller), and Jay Presson Allen and James Bridges (who came on at Redford's request) wrote scripts which were sent to Lumet, except he (and later Newman) picked Mamet's script.

comment #18

Ambrose Heron says ...

Look out for Bruce Willis and Tobin Bell in the final courtroom scene as Paul Newman gives his closing speech.

comment #19

COCO says ...

This film is great,,,,Mason, Warden, Paul Newman.....god, what a cast. Yes, Binns in "Night Moves",,,,,,you make me pine for the fantastic 70's and 80's movies that grab you and hold......we need more of the ''quiet moment" films....such power to sway and touch the soul.

comment #20

RSBrown says ...

Don't forget about Mamet's script.

comment #21

Mike says ...

I'm going to get out my DVD and watch it right now.

comment #22

lazespud says ...

A GREAT movie; and it was extremely well written considering that the book it was based on was HORRIBLE. I tried to read it once and couldn't get past about page 30. It was just wooden as hell and had none of the lived-in flavor that the movie had. In particular charlotte rampling was terrific. She's an ice-cold prickly actress and she just worked perfectly in this movie.

And what's her name; mamet's wife, was really really good too. God dammit, what was her name? she was so good in house of games too...