A Civil Action_
"Justice has its price."
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.
Starring
John Travolta, Robert Duvall, Tony Shalhoub
Box Office
$56.7M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
A Civil Action earned $56.7M against a $70.0M budget.
Year context
A Civil Action was released 28 years ago in 1998.
A Civil Action is a Drama film with a runtime of 1h 55m.
CAST (20)
John Travolta
Jan Schlichtmann
Robert Duvall
Jerome Facher
Tony Shalhoub
Kevin Conway
William H. Macy
James Gordon
Zeljko 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
Daniel von Bargen
Mr. Granger
CC
Caroline Carrigan
Evelyn Love
BOX OFFICE
$70.0M
Budget
$56.7M
Revenue
-19%
ROI
UNDERPERFORMED
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
115 min (1h 55m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
6.5/10 (478 votes)
Popularity
2
Budget
$70,000,000
Box Office
$56,709,981
Profit
$-13,290,019
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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.
How long is A Civil Action?
A Civil Action has a runtime of 115 minutes (1h 55m).
Who stars in A Civil Action?
The cast of A Civil Action includes John Travolta, Robert Duvall, Tony Shalhoub, William H. Macy, Zeljko Ivanek.
How much did A Civil Action make at the box office?
A Civil Action earned $56,709,981 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $70,000,000.
What is the rating of A Civil Action?
A Civil Action has a rating of 6.5 out of 10 based on 478 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Drama
