A Civil Action
“Justice has its price.”
Synopsis
Jan Schlickmann is a cynical lawyer who goes out to 'get rid of' a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obsession, to the extent that he is willing to give up everything—including his career and his clients' goals—in order to continue the case against all odds.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2014-12-12
Top Cast
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John Travolta
Jan Schlichtmann
Robert Duvall
Jerome Facher
Tony Shalhoub
Kevin Conway
William H. Macy
James Gordon
Željko Ivanek
Bill Crowley
Bruce Norris
William Cheeseman
John Lithgow
Judge Walter J. Skinner
Kathleen Quinlan
Anne Anderson
Peter Jacobson
Neil Jacobs
Mary Mara
Kathy Boyer
James Gandolfini
Al Love
Stephen Fry
Pinder
Denise Dowse
Judge Constance Mullen
Dan Hedaya
John Riley
David Thornton
Richard Aufiero
Sydney Pollack
Al Eustis
Ned Eisenberg
Uncle Pete
Margot Rose
Donna Robbins
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 25, 1998
Wide Cinema Exhibition
November 3, 1999
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$70M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$56.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.81x
-$13.3M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Steven Zaillian
- Screenplay & Story
- Steven Zaillian
- Original Score
- Danny Elfman
- Original Title
- A Civil Action
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 55m
- Production Budget
- $70M
- Worldwide Gross
- $56.7M
- Production Studios
- Touchstone Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Wildwood Enterprises, Scott Rudin Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Steven Zaillian
Steven Zaillian, Jonathan Harr
Danny Elfman
Conrad Hall
Wayne Wahrman
Scott Rudin, Steven Zaillian, Rachel Pfeffer, Robert Redford
Department Leadership Roster
Scott Rudin
Producer
Steven Zaillian
Producer
Steven Zaillian
Screenplay
Steven Zaillian
Director
Wayne Wahrman
Editor
Rachel Pfeffer
Producer
Danny Elfman
Original Music Composer
Conrad Hall
Director of Photography
Robert Redford
Producer
Shay Cunliffe
Costume Design
David Gropman
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for A Civil Action.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About A Civil Action
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is A Civil Action about?
Jan Schlickmann is a cynical lawyer who goes out to 'get rid of' a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obsession, to the extent that he is willing to give up everything—including his career and his clients' goals—in order to continue the case against all odds.
Who directed A Civil Action?
A Civil Action was directed by Steven Zaillian.
Who stars in A Civil Action?
The principal cast of A Civil Action includes John Travolta, Robert Duvall, Tony Shalhoub, William H. Macy, Željko Ivanek.
When was A Civil Action released and how long is it?
A Civil Action was released in 1998 with a total runtime of 1h 55m.
What was the box office and production budget of A Civil Action?
A Civil Action had a reported production budget of $70M and grossed $56.7M at the worldwide box office (0.81 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for A Civil Action?
The original motion picture soundtrack for A Civil Action was composed by Danny Elfman.
Is A Civil Action based on a book or true story?
A Civil Action is adapted from the following source material: Book: "Jonathan Harr".
What is the age rating and content advisory for A Civil Action?
A Civil Action holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).