The Verdict

Before he started drinking, Frank Galvin (Newman) was a promising lawyer. Now, he barely scratches a living as an ambulance chaser. He's recruited to take on a medical malpractice suit and expects to settle out of court: after all, the target is a Catholic hospital and the church is famously keen to avoid scandal. But as he reviews the evidence, something happens. The case offers him a shot at redemption and even though he faces the grandest lawyer in town (Mason), even though his witnesses have gone to ground, even though he knows he can't win, he takes it into the courtroom to try and save himself.

Unlike most Hollywood courtroom dramas, The Verdict is more than just a bigger-budget version of Perry Mason. While there are the customary calls of "Objection" and "Over ruled" and some familiar plot twists, the director and writer are more interested in following Frank than in the mechanics of the case. Of course, stories of redemption are also a movie cliché but the film never resorts to lazy plotting: Frank earns his salvation through some brave decisions.

Maybe the most remarkable feature of the film is Paul Newman. It's not simply that Newman's superb, nuanced performance is one of the highlights of his distinguished career but that a star of his stature could deliver characterisation so fearless. Many stars would run a mile from playing a drunkard and even those who accepted would insist on softening the character. But Newman trusts to his own abilities and the results are riveting. Frank may not be sympathetic - at the start, he's unscrupulous even by lawyer standards - but Newman makes us empathise.

Sidney Lumet is a fine director. His skill with actors and ability at communicating his stories with clear, simple strokes means that if he's given a decent script, the results will be worthwhile. Since David Mamet's script is so good, Lumet raises his game accordingly. This is a superb, grown up drama which deals seriously with profound themes. An example of Hollywood at its best.