A CIVIL ACTION

 

THREE STARS – Thought-provoking

 

 

       What could be more painful than watching your child slip away in death and knowing there is nothing you can do about it?  When two parents share the struggle of watching their child die of leukemia in their arms, the pain is so intense that every viewer of "A Civil Action," parent or not, feels the stabbing pain of death.

       And, as a parent, what would be our reaction to this loss of our child if we found out that our son's leukemia was caused by a nearby negligent company which was dumping toxic wastes into our source of water?

       Would we turn to the legal system for justice, revenge or money to salve our pain?

       This becomes the underlying question in the true story of eight families in suburban Woburn, Mass., along the banks of the Aberjona River.  And, it becomes the question facing families who have all watched their children die while no one admits any responsibility for this tragedy.

Jonathan Harr's 1995 best-selling book is effectively brought to the screen as a "David and Goliath" story pitting powerless parents against some of the biggest corporations in America.  It is also the story of how one man rolled the dice to mix justice and financial gain into this painful tragedy.

       Jan Schlichtmann (John Travolta) is an arrogant Boston lawyer who relishes a good fight against a deep pocket client.  Part dramatic actor and part egomaniac, Schlichtmann makes his money by dispensing justice for a price.  He rarely loses a case, but it is his slick and crass style that has branded him as a predator living off of a string of personal injury verdicts.

       When he learns of the tragedy that has touched Woburn, Mass., it is the pocketbook of W.R. Grace & Co. and Beatrice Foods, parent companies of the polluters, that draws his attention, not the pain and suffering of grieving parents.

       Anne Anderson (Kathleen Quinlan), one of the grieving mothers, tells Schlichtmann that all she really wants is an apology from the people who caused her son's death.  His response is to convince her that a blood payment would make both of them more satisfied.  In the end, neither get what they really want.

       If there was ever a film to make you distrust the motivation of lawyers, this might be it.  Pitted against each other in this emotional tug of war is an ambulance chaser doing battle in court against the attorneys for two megacorporations who must trivialize the death of children.  By the time the film is over, most of the viewers are disillusioned that truth could ever prevail in court.

       The real life Jan Schlichtmann often revealed to his biographer, "I wanted to become rich and famous by doing good."  As is always the case when our values are in conflict, we may become rich or famous but the common good is rarely served.

       When Jerome Facher (Robert Duvall), the attorney for Beatrice Foods, presents a large cash settlement to dismiss the case,  Schlichtmann refuses knowing that he could squeeze him for more.  When Schlichtmann shrouds his greed in the cloak of seeking "truth", Facher responds:  "Seeking truth?  I thought we were in a court of law!  If you want the truth, you will find it at the bottom of a bottomless pit!"

       The "truth" that is revealed is based in our worst suspicion, namely that the legal system is about power rather than justice.  As the movie portrays, justice has its price.

       Schlichtmann's avarice is contrasted against the blind trust that his law partners place in him.  When the cost of the case escalates to $2,600,000, his partners sell everything, including mortgaging all of their houses, betting on the potential of a large settlement.  Whether driven by blind greed or naive allegiance, Schlichtmann's partners eventually are driven to the brink of destruction themselves.

       In the end, Schlichtmann is reduced to being a storefront lawyer and gone are his high flying partners.  And, in the end, each of the parents get a small cash settlement  - but no apology.  

Eventually, the Environmental Protection Agency does intervene and justice is served through the long arm of the Federal Government.  The land is restored, but the opportunity for the restoration of eight families is lost.

       "A Civil Action" is a stark reminder that our legal system is the best that money can buy.  We enjoy the freedoms that are based in our country's laws, but justice is rarely dispensed without everyone being wounded in a costly civil war.

 

755 Words

 

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