A Civil Action (film)
- John Travolta: Jan Schlichtmann
- Tony Shalhoub: Kevin Conway
- William H. Macy: James Gordon
- Željko Ivanek: Bill Crowley
- Bruce Norris: William Cheeseman
- John Lithgow: Judge Walter J. Skinner
- Kathleen Quinlan: Anne Anderson
- Peter Jacobson: Neil Jacobs
- Mary Mara: Kathy Boyer
- James Gandolfini: Al Love
- Stephen Fry: Pinder
- Dan Hedaya: John Riley
- David Thornton: Richard Aufiero
- Sydney Pollack: Al Eustis
- Paul Ben -Victor: Bobby Pasqueriella
- Daniel von Bargen: Mr. Granger
- Haskell V. Anderson III: courtroom clerk
- Kathy Bates: bankruptcy judge
Civil Procedure (Original Title: A Civil Action ) is an American film drama from 1998 was directed by Steven Zaillian, who also wrote the screenplay based on a book by Jonathan Harr. . The main role was played by John Travolta.
Action
January Schlichtmann is a specialized on damage suits lawyer who heads a firm that consists of him, two other attorneys and an accountant. It usually works for a share of the compensation in lieu of legal fees. As in the small town of Woburn in Massachusetts some children die of leukemia, the concerned parents turn to Schlichtmann. They accuse a local tannery to have contaminated the water and causes the disease.
Schlichtmann questioned first whether the case could be profitable enough. Then he takes him, he noticed that two large financially strong company behind the tannery. These companies hire lawyers to defend the Multiple Jerome and William Cheeseman. The property has a comparison, a one-time payment of 25 million U.S. dollars nod lawyers for the defendant. Schlichtmann provides further claims that add up to over 300 million U.S. dollars. The lawyers for the defendants left the negotiating room. The lengthy process caused his office high costs and ultimately drives them to the brink of insolvency.
The defendants have now 8 million U.S. dollars in compensation that accepts Schlichtmann. He wants to go to the appointment, but his colleagues and partners do not want to join. Schlichtmann leaves the firm. He writes to an Environmental Protection Agency, the appeal will be successful and passes through the closure of the two accused companies and $ 60 million for damages and environmental cleanup.
Schlichtmann remains impoverished. In the credits of the film will be shown that it will take several years to Schlichtmann, who specializes in environmental law from now on, financially recovered.
Reviews
Roger Ebert wrote in the Chicago Sun - Times 8 January 1999, the film would be based on a true case, but in places different from the book. The main characters are presented in a differentiated.
Carsten Baumgardt criticized on filmstarts.de the Director and the presentation of John Travolta. He praised the illustrations by Robert Duvall and John Lithgow.
Awards
The Academy members nominated in 1999, actor Robert Duvall and cinematographer Conrad L. Hall for an Oscar.
John Travolta and Robert Duvall were nominated for a Blockbuster Entertainment Award in 1999. Robert Duvall won the 1999 Florida Film Critics Circle Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, the Chicago Film Critics Association Award and the Golden Satellite Award.
William H. Macy won the 1998 Boston Society of Film Critics Award. The screenplay won the 1999 USC Scripter Award and was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award. The film won the 1999 Political Film Society Award.
Background
Template for the novel was the scandal surrounding the company Beatrice Foods and WR Grace and Company and the process of the inhabitants of Woburn against the company.