History YMMV / TheVerdict

* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/BruceWillis and Creator/TobinBell appear as courtroom observers.
* ValuesDissonance: The presentation of a black person as inherently untrustworthy came off as strange to some viewers in the 2010s. Then the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests and counter protests made it much more plausible.
** The people who think Thompson's race makes him less believable are Concannon and the defense team. It's clear that Galvin knows they think this, but ''his'' concern about Thompson is more about his age and especially his clothing. Watch the scene where they first meet and Galvin kind of reaches out and straightens Thompson's lapels. In those days this was a friendly gesture lots of people did, but it's very clear Galvin is concerned because Thompson's clothes aren't the kind of fine, expensive stuff that most successful doctors wear. He's just a [[SimpleCountryLawyer plain old country doctor]]. Galvin is justifiably worried that Concannon's gonna make him look like a BackAlleyDoctor.
** This film is set in Boston. Anyone who's lived there for any length of time can tell you that both the upper crust and the rank-and-file population of the town are much more racist than you would expect in an East Coast big city. Galvin may not have had anything against black people personally, but he absolutely believed that Thompson being black would hurt his credibility with a Boston jury.

* ValuesDissonance: The presentation of a black person as inherently untrustworthy comes off ''very'' strange now.

** Counterpoint: This film is set in Boston. Anyone who's lived there for any length of time can tell you that both the upper crust and the rank-and-file population of the town are much more racist than you would expect in an East Coast big city. Galvin may not have had anything against black people personally, but he absolutely believed that Thompson being black would hurt his credibility with a Boston jury.

** The people who think Thompson's race makes him less believable are Concannon and the defense team. It's clear that Galvin knows they think this, but ''his'' concern about Thompson is more about his age and especially his clothing. Watch the scene where they first meet and Galvin kind of reaches out and straightens Thompson's lapels. In those days this was a friendly gesture lots of people did, but it's very clear Galvin is concerned because Thompson's clothes aren't the kind of fine, expensive stuff that most successful doctors wear. He's just a [[SimpleCountryLawyer plain old country doctor]]. Galvin is justifiably worried that Concannon's gonna make him look like a BackAlleyDoctor.

* ValuesDissonance: The presentation of a black person as inherently untrustworthy comes off ''very'' strange now.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/BruceWillis and Creator/TobinBell appear as courtroom observers.

* AdaptationDisplacement: The film is based off of a book that precious few will remember. As Sidney Lumet himself noted, that's probably all for the better.
* AwardSnub: The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, but won none of them.

* AdaptationDisplacement: The film is based off of a book that precious few will remember. As Sidney Lumet himself noted, that's probably all for the better.

* AdaptationDisplacement: The film is based off of a book that precious few will remember. As SidneyLumet himself noted, that's probably all for the better.

SceneryPorn: For admirers of grand old buildings. Filmed on location in Boston.