Civil Action DVD

A Civil Action
Directed by Schindler's List screenwriter Steve Zaillian, this courtroom drama is based on a true story and non-fiction book by Jonathan Harr. The case revolves around an incident in 1979 in East Woburn, MA, where two drinking wells supplying water to the town were found to be contaminated with industrial solvents. When toxic waste was discovered later that year, suspicions arose that the local factories caused the pollution. The residents felt these companies were responsible for the unusually high rate of leukemia deaths amongst the town's children. Anne Anderson (Kathleen Quinlan), a mother who lost her son Jimmy to leukemia, fronts an effort to bring a lawsuit against the major conglomerates Beatrice Foods and W. R. Grace & Co for their pollution crimes -- a heavy-duty problem, because these companies have the money to squash the less powerful citizens. Enter Jan Schlichtmann (John Travolta), a personal injury lawyer whose small law firm is hired to sue these industrial giants for millions of dollars in damages. He's up against Jerome Facher (Robert Duvall) and William Cheeseman (Bruce Norris), high-priced lawyers who represent the big companies. Most of the film takes place in the courtroom during the trial. It also features William H. Macy as Schlichtmann's accountant and John Lithgow as the judge. ~ Arthur Borman, All Movie Guide

Cast John Travolta as Jan Schlichtmann Robert Duvall as Jerome Facher Tony Shalhoub as Kevin Conway William H. Macy as James Gordon Zeljko Ivanek as Bill Crowley Bruce Norris as William Cheeseman John Lithgow as Judge Skinner Kathleen Quinlan as Anne Anderson Peter Jacobson as Neil Jacobs Sydney Pollack as Al Eustis

Crew David James Bomba - Art Director Henry J. Golas - Associate Producer David McGiffert - Associate Producer Avy Kaufman - Casting Shay Cunliffe - Costume Designer David McGiffert - First Assistant Director Steven Zaillian - Director Wayne Wahrman - Editor David Wisnievitz - Executive Producer Steven Zaillian - Executive Producer Danny Elfman - Composer (Music Score) David Gropman - Production Designer Conrad L. Hall - Cinematographer Rachel Pfeffer - Producer Scott Rudin - Producer Robert Redford - Producer Tracy A. Doyle - Set Designer David MacMillan - Sound/Sound Designer Mario Roberts - Stunts Steven Zaillian - Screenwriter Jonathan Harr - Book Author

A Civil Action
A respectable adaptation of a rather stuffy story, Steven Zaillian's account of a man who fought the law and the law won is never a bulls-eye, but has too many solid components to be written off as a misfire. Chief among them are John Travolta, sharp and nuanced as the head counsel, and especially Robert Duvall, who gives every scene he's in real bite. The storytelling is muddled at times, and the pacing is sometimes too lethargic, but Zaillian knows his way around the territory, and Conrad L. Hall's expert cinematography gives the film an elegant feel, especially for what is basically a highly-appointed courtroom drama. Perhaps its best attribute is that it is essentially a story about defeat rather than blind triumph, unusual for this genre to say the least. Even when it falls into legal clichés, the film has a ring of truth, and compared with the thematically similar Julia Roberts starrer Erin Brockovich, it succeeds as a real-life chronicle because it retains a core of integrity, instead of succumbing to the status of star vehicle like Steven Soderbergh's 2000 release. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
 

Conrad L. Hall: Academy, Best Cinematography (nominated) Robert Duvall: Academy, Best Supporting Actor (nominated) Robert Duvall: Screen Actors Guild, Best Supporting Actor (winner)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DD2: Dolby Digital Stereo Additional Features: cc Widescreen 1.85:1 aspect ratio Dolby Digital 5.1 audio French-language track Production featurette Theatrical trailer Chapter search DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: PG13 DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 115 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Program Start [:12] 2. A Plaintiff's Worth [:15] 3. Opening Credits [:15] 4. On the Spot "On the Air" [:02] 5. The Concerned Parents [:50] 6. The Scene of the Crime [:04] 7. Declaration of War [:04] 8. A Motion of Dismiss [2:35] 9. Chapter 9 [:14] 10. Preliminary Questioning [:27] 11. Questioning Riley [:27] 12. A Visit to Uncle Pete [:23] 13. A Witness [1:09] 14. A Turning Point for Jan [1:09] 15. Jan's Terms [3:20] 16. The Back Left Hand Corner [2:19] 17. Never Ask "Why?" [2:56] 18. The Judge's Plan [:42] 19. Waiting in the Corridor [5:20] 20. Al Eustis [1:28] 21. The Settlement [2:13] 22. Jan's on His Own [6:13] 23. Lake of Fire [1:41] 24. Epilogue [4:50] 25. End Credits [:46]