The Verdict (1982)
| Theatrical Performance | ||
| Domestic Box Office | $53,977,250 | Details |
| International Box Office | $1,099 | Details |
| Worldwide Box Office | $53,978,349 | |
| OpusData ID: 9900100 More info... | ||
| Further financial details... | ||
Synopsis
Frank Galvin is a boozy washed-up attorney with a losing streak a mile long. so when he’s handed a lucrative out-of-court settlement, everyone expects him to take the money and run. But Frank is tired of running. In a desperate bid to reclaim his self-respect, he recklessly brings the case to court—only to discover that if finding the whole truth is a little like trial and error, then finding real justice is a lot like trial by fire.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $100,982 (0.2% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 11.47 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $16,000,000 (worldwide box office is 3.4 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 3 opening theaters/904 max. theaters, 12.9 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $198,003,254 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | December 8th, 1982 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| International Releases: | March 1st, 1983 (Wide), released as O Veredicto (Portugal)
June 25th, 2026 (Limited), released as O Veredicto (Portugal) |
| Video Release: | May 7th, 2013 by Fox Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | R |
| Running Time: | 129 minutes |
| Award nomination: | 1983 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Subgenre: | Courtroom / Legal Drama |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production Countries: | United States |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 1982 | 15 | $100,982 | 3 | $33,661 | $143,265 | 1 | |
| Dec 17, 1982 | 7 | $2,331,805 | +2,209% | 615 | $3,792 | $2,543,105 | 2 |
| Dec 24, 1982 | 6 | $3,048,801 | +31% | 615 | $4,957 | $7,367,709 | 3 |
| Dec 31, 1982 | 5 | $4,706,382 | +54% | 646 | $7,285 | $16,373,660 | 4 |
| Jan 7, 1983 | 3 | $4,351,089 | -8% | 658 | $6,613 | $22,767,088 | 5 |
| Jan 14, 1983 | 3 | $3,631,148 | -17% | 719 | $5,050 | $27,954,178 | 6 |
| Jan 21, 1983 | 3 | $3,262,576 | -10% | 838 | $3,893 | $32,482,995 | 7 |
| Jan 28, 1983 | 3 | $2,808,166 | -14% | 904 | $3,106 | $36,456,529 | 8 |
| Feb 4, 1983 | 5 | $2,215,317 | -21% | 854 | $2,594 | $39,556,424 | 9 |
| Feb 11, 1983 | 7 | $1,354,078 | -39% | 808 | $1,676 | $41,411,925 | 10 |
| Feb 18, 1983 | 10 | $1,770,154 | +31% | 579 | $3,057 | $43,821,008 | 11 |
| Feb 25, 1983 | 9 | $1,299,939 | -27% | 655 | $1,985 | $45,503,156 | 12 |
| Mar 4, 1983 | 7 | $1,124,537 | -13% | 626 | $1,796 | $47,005,480 | 13 |
| Mar 11, 1983 | 8 | $919,040 | -18% | 548 | $1,677 | $48,331,408 | 14 |
| Mar 18, 1983 | 9 | $745,111 | -19% | 478 | $1,559 | $49,419,748 | 15 |
| Mar 25, 1983 | 16 | $430,886 | -42% | 272 | $1,584 | $50,159,494 | 16 |
| Apr 1, 1983 | 15 | $428,443 | -1% | 266 | $1,611 | $50,776,656 | 17 |
| Apr 8, 1983 | 14 | $744,669 | +74% | 452 | $1,647 | $51,771,248 | 18 |
| Apr 15, 1983 | 17 | $521,208 | -30% | 325 | $1,604 | $52,564,686 | 19 |
| Apr 22, 1983 | 18 | $388,473 | -25% | 292 | $1,330 | $53,157,482 | 20 |
| Apr 29, 1983 | 18 | $346,759 | -11% | 272 | $1,275 | $53,663,069 | 21 |
| May 6, 1983 | 20 | $174,585 | -50% | 210 | $831 | $53,977,250 | 22 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 1982 | 12 | $169,017 | 3 | $56,339 | $211,300 | 2 | |
| Dec 17, 1982 | 8 | $4,107,608 | +2,330% | 615 | $6,679 | $4,318,908 | 3 |
| Dec 24, 1982 | 7 | $7,348,370 | +79% | 615 | $11,949 | $11,667,278 | 4 |
| Dec 31, 1982 | 3 | $6,748,721 | -8% | 646 | $10,447 | $18,415,999 | 5 |
| Jan 7, 1983 | 3 | $5,907,031 | -12% | 658 | $8,977 | $24,323,030 | 6 |
| Jan 14, 1983 | 3 | $4,897,389 | -17% | 719 | $6,811 | $29,220,419 | 7 |
| Jan 21, 1983 | 3 | $4,427,944 | -10% | 838 | $5,284 | $33,648,363 | 8 |
| Jan 28, 1983 | 3 | $3,692,744 | -17% | 904 | $4,085 | $37,341,107 | 9 |
| Feb 4, 1983 | 5 | $2,716,740 | -26% | 854 | $3,181 | $40,057,847 | 10 |
| Feb 11, 1983 | 7 | $1,993,007 | -27% | 808 | $2,467 | $42,050,854 | 11 |
| Feb 18, 1983 | 10 | $2,152,363 | +8% | 579 | $3,717 | $44,203,217 | 12 |
| Feb 25, 1983 | 8 | $1,677,726 | -22% | 655 | $2,561 | $45,880,943 | 13 |
| Mar 4, 1983 | 7 | $1,531,425 | -9% | 626 | $2,446 | $47,412,368 | 14 |
| Mar 11, 1983 | 7 | $1,262,269 | -18% | 548 | $2,303 | $48,674,637 | 15 |
| Mar 18, 1983 | 9 | $1,053,971 | -17% | 478 | $2,205 | $49,728,608 | 16 |
| Mar 25, 1983 | 16 | $619,605 | -41% | 272 | $2,278 | $50,348,213 | 17 |
| Apr 1, 1983 | 15 | $678,366 | +9% | 266 | $2,550 | $51,026,579 | 18 |
| Apr 8, 1983 | 15 | $1,016,899 | +50% | 452 | $2,250 | $52,043,478 | 19 |
| Apr 15, 1983 | 17 | $725,531 | -29% | 325 | $2,232 | $52,769,009 | 20 |
| Apr 22, 1983 | 15 | $547,301 | -25% | 292 | $1,874 | $53,316,310 | 21 |
| Apr 29, 1983 | 18 | $486,355 | -11% | 272 | $1,788 | $53,802,665 | 22 |
Top International Territories
Box Office Summary Per Territory
| Territory | Release Date |
Opening Weekend |
Opening Weekend Screens/Theaters |
Maximum Screens/Theaters |
Theatrical Engagements |
Total Box Office |
Report Date |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 3/1/1983 | $0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | $1,099 | 6/30/2026 | |||
| International Total | $1,099 | 6/30/2026 | ||||||||
Note: Territories vary in whether they report screens or theaters. Full details on international box office data are available via our OpusData service.
| Jack Warden | Mickey Morrissey | |
| James Mason | Edward J. Concannon, Chief Defense Attorney | |
| Charlotte Rampling | Laura Fischer | |
| Lindsay Crouse | Kaitlin Costello Price, Former Nurse | |
| Milo O'Shea | Judge Hoyle |
Leading
| Paul Newman | Frank Galvin |
Cameo
| Bruce Willis | Courtroom Observer |
Production and Technical Credits
| Sidney Lumet | Director |
Cast and crew with above-the-line roles are marked in bold. The line marks the division between above-the-line and below-the-line roles.
Synopsis
Frank Galvin is a boozy washed-up attorney with a losing streak a mile long. so when he’s handed a lucrative out-of-court settlement, everyone expects him to take the money and run. But Frank is tired of running. In a desperate bid to reclaim his self-respect, he recklessly brings the case to court—only to discover that if finding the whole truth is a little like trial and error, then finding real justice is a lot like trial by fire.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $100,982 (0.2% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 11.47 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $16,000,000 (worldwide box office is 3.4 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 3 opening theaters/904 max. theaters, 12.9 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $198,003,254 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | December 8th, 1982 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| International Releases: | March 1st, 1983 (Wide), released as O Veredicto (Portugal)
June 25th, 2026 (Limited), released as O Veredicto (Portugal) |
| Video Release: | May 7th, 2013 by Fox Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | R |
| Running Time: | 129 minutes |
| Award nomination: | 1983 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Subgenre: | Courtroom / Legal Drama |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production Countries: | United States |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 1982 | 15 | $100,982 | 3 | $33,661 | $143,265 | 1 | |
| Dec 17, 1982 | 7 | $2,331,805 | +2,209% | 615 | $3,792 | $2,543,105 | 2 |
| Dec 24, 1982 | 6 | $3,048,801 | +31% | 615 | $4,957 | $7,367,709 | 3 |
| Dec 31, 1982 | 5 | $4,706,382 | +54% | 646 | $7,285 | $16,373,660 | 4 |
| Jan 7, 1983 | 3 | $4,351,089 | -8% | 658 | $6,613 | $22,767,088 | 5 |
| Jan 14, 1983 | 3 | $3,631,148 | -17% | 719 | $5,050 | $27,954,178 | 6 |
| Jan 21, 1983 | 3 | $3,262,576 | -10% | 838 | $3,893 | $32,482,995 | 7 |
| Jan 28, 1983 | 3 | $2,808,166 | -14% | 904 | $3,106 | $36,456,529 | 8 |
| Feb 4, 1983 | 5 | $2,215,317 | -21% | 854 | $2,594 | $39,556,424 | 9 |
| Feb 11, 1983 | 7 | $1,354,078 | -39% | 808 | $1,676 | $41,411,925 | 10 |
| Feb 18, 1983 | 10 | $1,770,154 | +31% | 579 | $3,057 | $43,821,008 | 11 |
| Feb 25, 1983 | 9 | $1,299,939 | -27% | 655 | $1,985 | $45,503,156 | 12 |
| Mar 4, 1983 | 7 | $1,124,537 | -13% | 626 | $1,796 | $47,005,480 | 13 |
| Mar 11, 1983 | 8 | $919,040 | -18% | 548 | $1,677 | $48,331,408 | 14 |
| Mar 18, 1983 | 9 | $745,111 | -19% | 478 | $1,559 | $49,419,748 | 15 |
| Mar 25, 1983 | 16 | $430,886 | -42% | 272 | $1,584 | $50,159,494 | 16 |
| Apr 1, 1983 | 15 | $428,443 | -1% | 266 | $1,611 | $50,776,656 | 17 |
| Apr 8, 1983 | 14 | $744,669 | +74% | 452 | $1,647 | $51,771,248 | 18 |
| Apr 15, 1983 | 17 | $521,208 | -30% | 325 | $1,604 | $52,564,686 | 19 |
| Apr 22, 1983 | 18 | $388,473 | -25% | 292 | $1,330 | $53,157,482 | 20 |
| Apr 29, 1983 | 18 | $346,759 | -11% | 272 | $1,275 | $53,663,069 | 21 |
| May 6, 1983 | 20 | $174,585 | -50% | 210 | $831 | $53,977,250 | 22 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 1982 | 12 | $169,017 | 3 | $56,339 | $211,300 | 2 | |
| Dec 17, 1982 | 8 | $4,107,608 | +2,330% | 615 | $6,679 | $4,318,908 | 3 |
| Dec 24, 1982 | 7 | $7,348,370 | +79% | 615 | $11,949 | $11,667,278 | 4 |
| Dec 31, 1982 | 3 | $6,748,721 | -8% | 646 | $10,447 | $18,415,999 | 5 |
| Jan 7, 1983 | 3 | $5,907,031 | -12% | 658 | $8,977 | $24,323,030 | 6 |
| Jan 14, 1983 | 3 | $4,897,389 | -17% | 719 | $6,811 | $29,220,419 | 7 |
| Jan 21, 1983 | 3 | $4,427,944 | -10% | 838 | $5,284 | $33,648,363 | 8 |
| Jan 28, 1983 | 3 | $3,692,744 | -17% | 904 | $4,085 | $37,341,107 | 9 |
| Feb 4, 1983 | 5 | $2,716,740 | -26% | 854 | $3,181 | $40,057,847 | 10 |
| Feb 11, 1983 | 7 | $1,993,007 | -27% | 808 | $2,467 | $42,050,854 | 11 |
| Feb 18, 1983 | 10 | $2,152,363 | +8% | 579 | $3,717 | $44,203,217 | 12 |
| Feb 25, 1983 | 8 | $1,677,726 | -22% | 655 | $2,561 | $45,880,943 | 13 |
| Mar 4, 1983 | 7 | $1,531,425 | -9% | 626 | $2,446 | $47,412,368 | 14 |
| Mar 11, 1983 | 7 | $1,262,269 | -18% | 548 | $2,303 | $48,674,637 | 15 |
| Mar 18, 1983 | 9 | $1,053,971 | -17% | 478 | $2,205 | $49,728,608 | 16 |
| Mar 25, 1983 | 16 | $619,605 | -41% | 272 | $2,278 | $50,348,213 | 17 |
| Apr 1, 1983 | 15 | $678,366 | +9% | 266 | $2,550 | $51,026,579 | 18 |
| Apr 8, 1983 | 15 | $1,016,899 | +50% | 452 | $2,250 | $52,043,478 | 19 |
| Apr 15, 1983 | 17 | $725,531 | -29% | 325 | $2,232 | $52,769,009 | 20 |
| Apr 22, 1983 | 15 | $547,301 | -25% | 292 | $1,874 | $53,316,310 | 21 |
| Apr 29, 1983 | 18 | $486,355 | -11% | 272 | $1,788 | $53,802,665 | 22 |
Top International Territories
Box Office Summary Per Territory
| Territory | Release Date |
Opening Weekend |
Opening Weekend Screens/Theaters |
Maximum Screens/Theaters |
Theatrical Engagements |
Total Box Office |
Report Date |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 3/1/1983 | $0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | $1,099 | 6/30/2026 | |||
| International Total | $1,099 | 6/30/2026 | ||||||||
Note: Territories vary in whether they report screens or theaters. Full details on international box office data are available via our OpusData service.
| Jack Warden | Mickey Morrissey | |
| James Mason | Edward J. Concannon, Chief Defense Attorney | |
| Charlotte Rampling | Laura Fischer | |
| Lindsay Crouse | Kaitlin Costello Price, Former Nurse | |
| Milo O'Shea | Judge Hoyle |
Leading
| Paul Newman | Frank Galvin |
Cameo
| Bruce Willis | Courtroom Observer |
Production and Technical Credits
| Sidney Lumet | Director |
Cast and crew with above-the-line roles are marked in bold. The line marks the division between above-the-line and below-the-line roles.