A CIVIL ACTION
US, 1998, 130 minutes, Colour.
John Travolta, Robert Duvall, Kathleen Quinlan, William H. Macy, Tony Shalhoub, James Gandolfini, John Lithgow, Stephen Fry, Sydney Pollack.
Directed by Steven Zaillian.
Steven Zaillian is best known as a writer (Awakenings), especially for his Oscar in finding a way to dramatise Schindler's List. His directing debut was the moving story of a child chess prodigy and its effect on himself and his family, Searching for Bobby Fischer. Zaillian keeps his quietly controlled but intense style in this story of a hot-shot lawyer who has no self-doubt but who gets caught up in preparing a case for families with ill and dead children because of the environmental negligence of high-powered companies. But the progress of the film (fairly accurate in its treatment of actual characters and a true story) is not what one expects. The lawyer has to discover some humanity, his partners give all but go broke, his wise and wily adversary (Robert Duvall) is successful and the families who have come to depend on him are disappointed in him.
While this might (and does) sound downbeat, the film is nevertheless a very positive story of social concern, questioning the roles of law and justice and offering a healthy reminder of the David and Goliath archetypal story. John Travolta reminds us once again of how effectively versatile an actor he is.
1. The popularity of courtroom dramas? The title, not just criminal action but civil cases?
2. The film based on a book, facts, translated to a screenplay? The authenticity and realism of the screenplay?
3. The Boston settings, the world of New England, the legal world? Affluence, poverty, the courts? The New England score?
4. Audience response to issues of pollution, deaths by ecological damage, cover-ups and payouts, people suffering? The law? Civil actions, the plaintiffs, the defence, the judge, the consequences?
5. The opening and Jan, chasing the wheelchair, the voice-over commentary?
6. The first case, the settlement, the deals, the game-playing in the court, the people concerned, reputation, ambulance chasers? The firm and its members, the personnel, their lives? Issues of wealth, careers, style?
7. The radio, the woman calling in? His glib answers? The call for help, his promise to visit, then saying no and the reasons give? And the irony at the end for Jan? His decision to go, speeding, the river and the bridge, the police, looking at the river, his change of heart? The company, the arguments for, the arguments against?
8. Visiting the tannery and the other factories in the town, the basic information about what hat happened, the pollution, serving the summons? The settings, the deals, the decision, finding money, Gordon and his business acumen, the difficulties in finding the money, the style of the company? The importance of research and reports?
9. The people of the town, their lifestyle, family life, the deaths? Wanting an apology? The friends and neighbours? Their going to the court?
10. Data and research, the scientist, the information, his team, the costs, the detail of the investigations? Jan enthusiastic, work, the costs and later in court?
11. The testimonies, the truth, the lies, the workers, the various bosses and their cover-ups?
12. The introduction to Facher, the lunch-hour, his bag, barracking for the Redsox, his comments, observations? The lecture, the research, the quiet room, the experience of classes? The phone and Article 11? In court, the discussions with Jan, with the judge, the interviews, his bag? His taking the pen - and warning Jan? pride as a lecturer, waiting in the corridors? His being correct in his assessment of what would happen? The achievement, the end and the envelope?
13. The hearing, the question of who runs the court, success, the ignoring of the various parties? The case, the conduct, the witnesses, Facher's presence, not asking detail? The emotion?
14. The judge, the reaction, with Facher and Jan, the decision as regards the questions, reaction? The jury? The judge later, impatience?
15. Jan visiting the Harvard club, the executive, his style, Jan's ignorance, the nature and amount of the offer, sitting as a group, his refusal? The build-up to the collapse of the firm? Gordon, his various ways of trying to get money, his growing despair? The others and their decisions about a future with the company?
16. Jan beginning again, his skills, the ambulance, not having any life, his partners, the risk, motives, court? His involvement? The finale, the money, no apology?
17. Jan continuing, losing all his own personal money, living from hand to mouth, the meeting with Facher, his continuing to do the work?
18. The issues of the legal system and the truth, justice, the individuals, playing the system? Environmental issues, people? Talented people and their working for causes?
