FINAL VERDICT
US, 1991, 93 minutes, Colour.
Treat Williams, Glenn Ford, Olivia Burnette, Lance Kerwin, Amy Wright, Fionnula Flanagan.
Directed by Jack Fisk.
Final Verdict is based on a book by Adela St John Rogers (one of the witnesses in Warren Beatty's Reds). The setting is 1919. The story is seen through the eyes of a young girl, Nora, who idolises her lawyer father (but has to learn that he has an alcohol problem, wants to win in all his law cases and sometimes crosses the line), as well as an admiration for her edifying grandfather. Treat Williams is the father, Glenn Ford the grandfather. Olivia Burnette gives a very vigorous performance as Nora.
The film recreates the atmosphere of Los Angeles and the period, the homes, the brothel, with Fionnula Flanagan as the madam. There are also two court cases in the film - one where Rogers gets his client off by browbeating means and earns the condemnation of his father, then going on a binge, rescued by his daughter. The other is where the accused is innocent but, in fact, is a cad. An interesting memoir of the time raising some issues about justice, legality and morality.
1. Interesting courtroom drama? Family drama? 1919 and the state of the law and justice?
2. The title, its reference to Earl Rogers' work, the final verdict on him, from people, from Nora?
3. Los Angeles, the period, costumes and décor? Musical score?
4. Nora's perspective, a vigorous young girl, admiring her father, going to the court with him, to the jails, sharing the experience? Her admiration for her grandfather? The religious motifs in her life? Her love for her mother but the strained relationship? Her involvement in the cases, the information? Hearing her grandfather rebuke her father? Her being upset, trying to watch over him? Rescuing him from the brothel, his drinking? Her participation in the final courtroom drama, bringing Queenie into the courtroom? The importance of the voice-over of the adult Nora and her perspective on her girlhood, her father, the law?
5. Earl Rogers as a successful lawyer, people liking him? His taking on the Boyd case? The reasons? Nora's feeling that Boyd was not guilty? The investigation into the background? Bill Jorey and his doing the footwork for evidence? The strained relationship at home, his love for his wife, his drinking? The background of his frequenting Pearl's place before he was married? His wife holding it over him? His love for his daughter, involving her in his work? His browbeating the jurors and the witnesses in the court case? His guilty client getting off? The dinner celebration, his wife's upset that he answered his father's call? His father's rebuking him for crossing the line? His father's lecture about justice and morality? His drinking binge? His friendship with Pearl, having taken Nora to the brothel, her going back there to rescue him? His work on the case, his re-enactment of the crime situation, getting his client off, the guilty? Nora's response? Their discussions about the rights and wrongs of the case?
6. Glenn Ford as the grandfather, his history of pioneering, living in Los Angeles, his uprightness, his Bible, religious sayings? Man of integrity? His being in court, summoning his son, giving him the lecture about his methods and being ashamed of him? His being run down by the horses in the street?
7. The wife, her patience, loving and hating her husband, her care for her daughter? Blanche and her observations and criticisms of her?
8. Pearl, the madam, the elite establishment she ran, the girls? Nora's visit? Her going back searching for her father, Pearl helping? Pearl's helping with Queenie, Queenie's witnessing to the situation, not wanting to be in court, pressurised by Pearl, sought out by Nora, her sitting in the courtroom? Her intimidating Harry - his being cross-examined by Rogers, the re-enactment of the scene, the evidence of his guilt?
9. The courtroom scenes, their interest, the issues of morality?
