one of the really great films of the '80s is "the verdict," written by david mamet. beautifully told by master director sidney lumet. paul newman plays a kind of washed-up lawyer who was an alcoholic kind of ambulance chaser. what makes it uniquely lumet is that even when it's movie stars, big movie stars, he manages to bring them down in the case of "the verdict" to the boston streets. you can see the stars in the movie, but they have not turned the movie into something glamorous, but on the opposite, have entered the drudge and reality of the world that lumet's painting. >> i never should have taken it. there's no way i could win. >> newman did what he was asked to do. he was often asked to just be the matinee idol, the leading man, be charming and witty and funny. when he does "the verdict," it makes you cry.