Have always liked film noir, and there are many classics that are too numerous to list. Consider Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre to be fine actors and always loved seeing them together, at their best they were dynamite. Don Siegel did some great films, with 'Dirty Harry' for example being iconic and 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (deservedly a landmark in its genre) and 'The Shootist' also among his best.
Thought 'The Verdict' to be a very good film. Much better than credit for, although well liked by a lot here also did read reviews from others that ranged from mixed to unimpressed. And it deserves to be much better known. Both Greenstreet and Lorre have done better, individually and together, and 'The Verdict' is not one of Siegel's best. They all come off well though, and do find the film to be much better than modestly suspenseful as has been described/indicated in reviews read.
It did slow down somewhat in pace at times in the middle. Joan Lorring to me felt bland in her role.
While the reveal and murderer identity was a genuine shock and had me floored, the staging of the ending itself is a touch melodramatic.
Both Greenstreet and Lorre excel though, in the last of their teamings, with roles well suited to them and play to their strengths. Greenstreet's is bigger and he shows no signs of fatigue or disinterest, while Lorre has the more colourful role and he is very entertaining to watch. Their chemistry is as riveting as one expects, bringing the right amount of tension and entertainment value. George Coulouris makes a big impression here as well.
Siegel, in his first feature film, does a more than credible job and while he did better films and his directing style became more refined this is hardly the work of an amateur. 'The Verdict' looks great, with moody photography and a handsomely rendered and vividly atmospheric Victorian setting. The music, while not mind-blowing, fits very well rather than being discordant with the atmosphere.
'The Verdict' further benefits from a tightly structured and intelligent script, that treats its viewers with respect, and to me the story did have suspense and thrills (not quite nail-biting but more than modest), going at a mostly crisp pace while meandering a little in the middle. Didn't find it predictable or implausible.
On the whole, very well done film. 7/10
