john travolta movie where he plays a lawyer

by Christopher Waters 5 min read

A Civil Action

What is the movie John Travolta as a lawyer about?

Starring opposite Robert Duvall in this legal drama film, Travolta plays the role of a personal injury lawyer, making money off his clients’ misery. Based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr, the movie is set in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1980s.

What kind of movies does John Travolta appear in?

Although his acting career declined through the 1980s, Travolta also enjoyed a resurgence in the 1990s with his role in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, and he has since starred in films such as Face/Off, Swordfish, Wild Hogs, and Hairspray.

What was John Travolta’s role in civil action?

A Civil Action (1998) Starring opposite Robert Duvall in this legal drama film, Travolta plays the role of a personal injury lawyer, making money off his clients’ misery. Based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr, the movie is set in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1980s.

Who is John Travolta’s lawyer Jan Schlichtmann on ‘the Big Bang theory’?

Cocky Boston attorney Jan Schlichtmann (John Travolta) and his small firm of personal injury lawyers are asked by Woburn resident Anne Anderson (Kathleen Quinlan) to take legal action against those responsible.

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Was A Civil Action based on a true story?

'A Civil Action' is based on a true story of a court case about environmental pollution that took place in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1970s. It was a tragic time, for the people who lost their loved ones.

Who is the lawyer in A Civil Action movie?

In particular, Grace lawyer William Cheeseman (Bruce Norris) is said not to be a doofus in real life. For the facts, read the book or study the case; the movie is more concerned with how the law works, and how perhaps the last thing you want is a lawyer who is committed heart and soul to your cause.

What is the movie civil action about?

In this legal thriller based on a true story, John Travolta stars as Jan Schlichtmann, a tenacious personal-injury attorney whose fierce determination entangles him in a case that threatens to destroy him. The case -- which appears straight forward -- instead evolves into a labyrinthine lawsuit of vast dimensions, in the intelligent, fast-paced drama, "A Civil Action."A Civil Action / Film synopsis

Is the movie A Civil Action on Netflix?

Watch A Civil Action | Netflix.

Is dark waters a remake of A Civil Action?

Todd Haynes' new film Dark Waters wades into some of the most complicated topics in public health, chemistry, and the law to dramatize the story of environmental attorney Robert Bilott and his nearly two decades of civil actions against DuPont.

What movies has John Travolta?

Grease1978Pulp Fiction1994Saturday Night Fever1977Hairspray2007Face/Off1997Look Who's Talking1989John Travolta/Movies

What happened at the end of the civil action movie?

The EPA files charges against the tannery's owners, and a much higher settlement is eventually offered and accepted, which included an apology and cleanup. At the end, it's revealed that it took Jan several years to pay off all of his debts, and he has since taken another polluted water case.

Who won the Woburn case?

Jerome Facher, a lawyer who successfully defended a Woburn tannery accused of water pollution that plaintiffs linked to a cluster of childhood leukemia deaths — a case that became the basis of a best-selling book and a Hollywood movie — died on Sept.

What happens to John Travolta's character in a civil action?

Jan ends up alone, living in a small apartment and running a small-time law practice. He manages to find the last key witness to the case, but lacks resources and courage to appeal the judgement. The files are archived while Jan later files for bankruptcy.

When was the movie A Civil Action made?

January 8, 1999 (USA)A Civil Action / Release date

Where is a civil action set?

Woburn, MassachusettsA Civil Action is a 1995 non-fiction book by Jonathan Harr about a water contamination case in Woburn, Massachusetts, in the 1980s. The book became a best-seller. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for nonfiction.

Who was the attorney that turned down Jan's offer to be a lawyer?

After a lengthy trial, the case is dismissed in favor of Beatrice, after Jan turned down an offer of $20 million from Beatrice attorney Jerry Facher during jury deliberations.

What was the case in Anne Anderson v. Cryovac?

A lawsuit was filed over industrial operations that appeared to have caused fatal cases of leukemia and cancer, as well as a wide variety of other health problems, among the citizens of the city. The case involved is Anne Anderson, et al., v. Cryovac, Inc., et al..

Storyline

Speedboat racing champion and multimillionaire, Ben Aronoff, leads a double life that lands him in trouble with the law and drug lords.

Did you know

In an interview with GQ John Travolta reportedly drank the sea water claiming it made him: "feel alive."

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By what name was Speed Kills (2018) officially released in India in English?

What is John Travolta's filmography?

John Travolta filmography. The following is the filmography of American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, singer, dancer, musician and pilot John Travolta. Travolta first became well known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever ...

When did John Travolta start?

Travolta first became well known in the 1970s , after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease.

Storyline

The story takes place in alternative America where the blacks are members of social elite, and whites are inhabitants of inner city ghettos. Louis Pinnock is a struggling white worker in a chocolate factory, loving husband and father of two children.

Did you know

John Travolta took the role of Louis Pinnock at Quentin Tarantino 's urging.

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By what name was White Man's Burden (1995) officially released in Canada in English?

What movie did John Travolta play in?

10. Broken Arrow (1996) The action-thriller features John Travolta in a villainous role. Starring alongside Christian Slater, the two play the role of US Airforce pilots sent on an overnight mission carrying nuclear weapons.

What is the name of the movie that John Travolta hijacked a subway train?

12. The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) One of his most recent works, the crime thriller features John Travolta as a criminal mastermind and a messed-up soul, who hijacks a subway train demanding a large ransom.

What was the best movie of 1978?

Grease (1978) Considered as one of the best films of 1978 and a blockbuster musical movie of all time, Grease features high school kids on their adventures of friendship and summer love. With timeless musical numbers and a clichĂŠ romance between Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, the film is quite entertaining.

How much money did John Travolta make?

John Travolta has been a Hollywood sensation for almost half a century, with each of his films grossing over $4 million worldwide. The American actor, singer, dancer, film producer, and pilot brought out a new flair in his every performance. Nominated twice for an Oscar and named as one of the Most Valuable Actors of All Time, ...

What is the movie Tribal Rites based on?

It is based on a 1976 New York magazine article by Nik Cohn, “Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night”, which was later discovered to have been fabricated. The movie received an excellent response from critics, was named as one of the best movies of 1977, and the finest drama of the 1970s.

Where is the movie A Civil Action set?

Based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr, the movie is set in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1980s.

Who was the actress who played Clinton in the movie?

Kathy Bates received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, Elaine May for Best Adapted Screenplay, while Travolta was nominated again for a Golden Globe. Despite the amazing response from critics and high praise for Travolta’s portrayal of Clinton, the movie did not perform well at the box office. 6.

What movie did John Travolta play in?

In 1989, Travolta starred with Kirstie Alley in Look Who's Talking, which grossed $297 million, making it his most successful film since Grease. He subsequently starred in Look Who's Talking Too (1990) and Look Who's Talking Now (1993), but it was not until he played Vincent Vega in Quentin Tarantino 's hit Pulp Fiction (1994), with Samuel L. Jackson, for which he received an Academy Award nomination, that his career was revived. The movie shifted him back onto the A-list and he was inundated with offers. Notable roles following Pulp Fiction include a movie-buff loan shark in Get Shorty (1995), White Man's Burden (1995), a corrupt U.S. Air Force pilot in Broken Arrow (1996), an FBI agent and terrorist in Face/Off (1997), a desperate attorney in A Civil Action (1998), a Bill Clinton –esque presidential candidate in Primary Colors (1998), and a military investigator in The General's Daughter (1999).

Who is John Travolta?

John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor and singer. He rose to fame during the 1970s, appearing on the television sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes Carrie (1976), Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978) and Urban Cowboy (1980). His acting career declined throughout the ...

What did John Travolta do after Jett's death?

After a mistrial, Travolta dropped the charges and has credited his immediate family and Scientology with helping him to cope with Jett's death and move forward with his career. In memory of Jett, Travolta created the Jett Travolta Foundation, a nonprofit organization to help children with special needs.

What was John Travolta's career in the 1980s?

1980s downturn. Travolta in 1983. After Urban Cowboy, Travolta starred in a series of commercial and critical failures that sidelined his acting career. These included Two of a Kind (1983), a romantic comedy reuniting him with Olivia Newton-John, and Perfect (1985), co-starring Jamie Lee Curtis.

How old was John Travolta when he got his Oscar nomination?

Saturday Night Fever earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, making him, at age 24 , one of the youngest performers ever nominated for the Best Actor Oscar.

What award did John Travolta receive?

In 2014, he received the IIFA Award for Outstanding Achievement in International Cinema. In 2016, Travolta received his first Primetime Emmy Award, as a producer of the first season of the anthology series American Crime Story, subtitled The People v. O. J. Simpson.

What was John Travolta's role in Battlefield Earth?

Ron Hubbard, in which he played the villainous leading role as a leader of a group of aliens that enslaves humanity on a bleak future Earth . The film was a dream project for Travolta since the book's release in 1982, when Hubbard wrote to him to try to help make a film adaptation. The film received almost universally negative reviews and did very poorly at the box office. Travolta's performance in Battlefield Earth also earned him two Razzie Awards .

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Overview

A Civil Action is a 1998 American legal drama film written and directed by Steven Zaillian, based on the 1995 book of the same name by Jonathan Harr. Starring John Travolta, Robert Duvall, James Gandolfini, Dan Hedaya, John Lithgow, William H. Macy, Kathleen Quinlan, and Tony Shalhoub, it tells the true story of a court case about environmental pollution that took place in Woburn, Massachu…

Plot

Environmental toxicants in the city of Woburn, Massachusetts contaminate the area's water supply and become linked to a number of deaths of local children. Cocky Boston attorney Jan Schlichtmann and his small firm of personal injury lawyers are asked by Woburn resident Anne Anderson to take legal action against those responsible. After originally rejecting a seemingly unprofitable case, Jan finds a major environmental issue involving groundwater contamination th…

Cast

• John Travolta as Jan Schlichtmann
• Tony Shalhoub as Kevin Conway
• William H. Macy as James Gordon
• Željko Ivanek as Bill Crowley

Differences from the book

As with many such works, the plotline of the film has been simplified from the book, e.g. later findings by the Environmental Protection Agency and its potential consequences that might have allowed the plaintiffs another trial against Beatrice, and which did ultimately lead to a conviction of perjury against John Riley, and improper conduct for Mary Ryan, are referred to only briefly in the epilogue.

Release

Despite showing promise on its initial limited release, A Civil Action was a box office failure on wide release, earning a domestic gross of $56 million against its $75 million budget. The film was released in competition with a number of films that became hits, earning between $120 and $290 million each, including Shakespeare in Love, The Prince of Egypt, Star Trek: Insurrection, You've Got Mail, Stepmom and Patch Adams.

External links

• A Civil Action at IMDb
• A Civil Action at AllMovie
• A Civil Action at the TCM Movie Database
• A Civil Action at the American Film Institute Catalog