A Civil Action (1998)
An American legal drama film, A Civil Action (1998), directed and written by Steven Zaillian, is based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr. The movie depicts a true court case in Woburn, Massachusetts during the 1980s regarding environmental pollution. The city’s water supply becomes contaminated with toxicants which are eventually linked to a series of local children’s deaths. Anne Anderson, a resident of Woburn, approaches cocky Boston attorney Jan Schlichtmann and his small firm of personal injury lawyers for help in taking legal action against those responsible. Although initially rejecting the seemingly unprofitable case, Jan discovers that there is a major environmental issue involving groundwater contamination with significant legal potential.
He soon realizes that the local tanneries may be held accountable for several fatal cases of leukemia. Jan takes on two corporate giants, Beatrice Foods and W.R. Grace and Company, with the hopes of potentially earning millions for his firm and bolstering their reputation. He represents families in a federal class action lawsuit, seeking both an apology and a cleanup of contaminated areas. As the case progresses, it quickly consumes Jan and his colleagues’ lives. The opposing lawyers from Beatrice and Grace prove to be formidable opponents, and a crucial ruling by the judge goes against the plaintiffs. In the end, Jan and his partners are left with their professional and financial future hanging in the balance due to this high-stakes case.
Date of download: 2015-11-11T17:22:34+00:00
Cast:  John TravoltaJan Schlichtmann  Robert DuvallJerome Facher  Tony ShalhoubKevin Conway  William H. MacyJames Gordon  Zeljko IvanekBill Crowley  Kathleen QuinlanAnne Anderson  John LithgowJudge Walter J. Skinner  James GandolfiniAl Love  Dan HedayaJohn Riley  Peter JacobsonNeil Jacobs  Mary MaraKathy Boyer  Bruce NorrisWilliam Cheeseman  Sydney PollackAl Eustis |
An American legal drama film, A Civil Action (1998), directed and written by Steven Zaillian, is based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr. The movie depicts a true court case in Woburn, Massachusetts during the 1980s regarding environmental pollution. The city’s water supply becomes contaminated with toxicants which are eventually linked to a series of local children’s deaths. Anne Anderson, a resident of Woburn, approaches cocky Boston attorney Jan Schlichtmann and his small firm of personal injury lawyers for help in taking legal action against those responsible. Although initially rejecting the seemingly unprofitable case, Jan discovers that there is a major environmental issue involving groundwater contamination with significant legal potential.
He soon realizes that the local tanneries may be held accountable for several fatal cases of leukemia. Jan takes on two corporate giants, Beatrice Foods and W.R. Grace and Company, with the hopes of potentially earning millions for his firm and bolstering their reputation. He represents families in a federal class action lawsuit, seeking both an apology and a cleanup of contaminated areas. As the case progresses, it quickly consumes Jan and his colleagues’ lives. The opposing lawyers from Beatrice and Grace prove to be formidable opponents, and a crucial ruling by the judge goes against the plaintiffs. In the end, Jan and his partners are left with their professional and financial future hanging in the balance due to this high-stakes case.
