The Verdict (1982)
Academy Award for Best Director (Sidney Lumet)
Academy Award for Best Picture (Richard D. Zanuck, David Brown)
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (James Mason)
Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (David Mamet)Award details: (details at IMDb)
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The Verdict is a 1982 courtroom drama film that tells the story of a down-on-his-luck alcoholic lawyer who takes a medical malpractice case to improve his own situation, but discovers along the way that he is doing the right thing. The lawsuit involves a woman in a persistent vegetative state and is thus reminiscent of the Karen Ann Quinlan case. The movie stars Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason, Milo O'Shea, and Lindsay Crouse. Directed by Sidney Lumet, the film was adapted by David Mamet from the novel by Barry Reed and is not a remake of the 1946 film of the same name. The Verdict garnered critical acclaim and box office success. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Director, Best Picture and Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.