Tag: Law

#Noirvember: “The Turning Point” (1952) starring William Holden, Edmond O’Brien, & Alexis Smith

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Today’s most sensational story of racket-busting! -A tagline for the movie

In a Midwestern city, Jerry McKibbon (William Holden), a cynical/no-nonsense newspaperman reconnects w/ a childhood pal, John Conroy (Edmond O’Brien) who was just promoted to special prosecutor. Johnny is engaged to a smart/elegant socialite, Amanda Waycross (Alexis Smith), who thinks he should aim for higher office. As a plain-spoken/idealist, Johnny insists that he has “no political ambitions” and is only concerned re: rooting out corruption. He starts investigating rich/influential businessman, Neil Echelberger (Ed Begley), as well as the police force; Johnny’s father, Matt Conroy (Tom Tully), is also a cop.

The director of this film, Wilhelm Dieterle, joined a traveling theater at age 16 in his native Germany. After 6 yrs, the ambitious/handsome young actor was noticed by producer/director Max Reinhardt (a big proponent of Expressionism in theater). Dieterle acted in nearly 20 movies before he also began directing in 1923. His 1st female lead was a young Marlene Dietrich- wow! In Hollywood, he directed for Warner Bros. from 1931-1934. Dieterle directed The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) at RKO starring Charles Laughton (Quasimodo); this was the 1st film for O’Brien and (future star) Maureen O’Hara. (I still need to watch this movie!) The dream-like romance/drama, Portrait of Jennie (1948) stars Joseph Cotten (a frequent collaborator).

Eddie Muller (TCM) called this is “an A-picture inspired by the Senate’s Committee to Investigate Organized Crime.” He felt that Carolyn Jones (in her 1st film) “steals the scene” playing a parody of Bugsy Siegel’s moll- Virginia Hill. I watched this film 2x; I was tired/sleepy on my 1st watch. There is a LOT of fast-paced/clever dialogue, so you have to pay close attention. O’Brien (a reliable character actor) and Holden (up-and-coming in Hollywood) are quite believable as friends. As Muller pointed out, there is steamy romantic chemistry btwn. Holden (one of my mom’s faves) and Smith (“perhaps ahead of her time”). The large supporting cast does a fine job; they add flavor to enrich the story. Check this out; it’s free on YouTube.

[1] Based on a Horace McCoy story, this is a fine, complex noir feature rooted in the events of its time. William Dieterle directs with his usual sure hand, pulling out fine performances.

[2] The corrupt city angle is pretty familiar. Quite a few noir films have such a premise. But, it’s all handled pretty well and I loved the VERY snappy and tough dialog. It’s a fine film for lovers of the genre and worth your time.

[3] The 85-minutes amounts to a surprisingly good blend of a complexly constructed narrative. The personal, romantic, and political all combine here in what’s clearly an effort to tap into Kefauver anti-racketeering hearings of the time. […]

While dual leads, Holden and O’Brien, low-key their parts effectively. Together, the cast makes the material more plausible than it should be.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Lawless” (2012) starring Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce, & Jason Clarke

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When the law became corrupt, outlaws became heroes. -Tagline

Tom is a big draw for actors, b/c people wanna work w/ him. Well, when you think about it, my character is a fan of his brother. He’s the leader, the shot-caller essentially. […] There’s a lot of my dichotomy w/ Tom in my life and btwn. Jack and Forrest. I look up to Tom as an actor, and I respect him as an actor. -Shia LaBeouf, during press tour for Lawless (Spring 2012)

In 1931, in Franklin Co, VA, Forrest Bondurant (Tom Hardy) is a legend among the locals. Together w/ his older brother, Howard (Jason Clarke), and younger brother, Jack (Shia LaBeouf), he runs a distillery/bootlegging biz. When the D.A. Mason Wardell arrives w/ Special Deputy Charles Rakes (Guy Pearce), the Bondurants refuse to pay the required bribes. Meanwhile, Forrest hires a waitress for their gas station/cafe, Maggie (Jessica Chastain), who has a mysterious past in Chicago. Jack becomes interested in a Mennonite preacher’s daughter, Bertha Minnix (Mia Wasikowska). Jack and his friend, Cricket (Dane DeHaan), deal a big load of liquor w/ a powerful gangster, Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman). Jack shows off w/ his new car/clothes, attracting the attention of Rakes.

Jack [in opening voiceover]: You can make moonshine whiskey from just about anything. Turnips, pumpkins, blackberries, cornmeal, tree bark. Anything.

This movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival; it’s based on real events, as explained in the 2008 book The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant (grandson of Jack). The timeline and sequence of events found in the book differs from the film. Chastain had her hair cut/dyed, as she didn’t want to wear a wig. Forrest was supposed to look slimmer, BUT Hardy had to bulk up for The Dark Knight Rises (2012). LaBeouf (who naturally has a slight build) gained 40 lbs. The 3 onscreen bros all lived in the same house while filming on location (in Georgia). Hardy and LaBeouf got into “a physical altercation” during the shoot. Hardy later said that LaBeouf “knocked me out;” the younger actor said that Hardy started aggressively wrestling w/ him (w/o warning). LaBeouf said he drank moonshine during filming (as part of his process). He admitted that his drinking and aggressive attitude caused Wasikowska to try and leave the film- wow! If you know re: LaBeouf’s (troubled) personal life, this won’t shock you.

Forrest: It is not the violence that sets men apart, alright, it is the distance that he is prepared to go.

There is much to admire re: Lawless, BUT it is an uneven movie. I liked the (unique) way that modern and period music were blended; it was quite effective. The movie drags on about 10-15 mins. TOO long and is light on character development (w/ an international ensemble cast). Warning: The blood and violence may be TOO much for sensitive viewers. The main villain (Pearce) is vain, sadistic, and prejudiced; as one journo at Cannes commented, this performance was “somewhat campy.” We know that Hardy is a strong screen presence, BUT could’ve had a few more lines; his character “talks” w/ his fists (like most of the men in this community). Much more could’ve been done w/ the 2 separate romances, esp. btwn. Hardy and Chastain (who had a LOT of chemistry on the promo tour). I was a BIT surprised that Maggie was the one who approached Forrest; he’d just been watching her for some time. As Chastain commented: “In some ways, he’s like a little boy.”

[1] This is a dark movie where it seems those out of the religious community live and survive by force. In comes law enforcers from outside led by a sadistic sergeant, and we have an explosive mix. […]

This film isn’t about gung-ho good v evil. This is a lot more. […]

Action comes generally in short sharp moments, but thankfully doesn’t detract from the rest of the movie. Surprisingly some great acting and great camera work.

[2] You are left with the impression that Hillcoat is pulling out all the stops to give this commercial appeal. Not only are the good guys a bit too good, the bad guys a bit too bad, leaving the audience in no doubt who to cheer for, but is also trying to make a film trying to appeal to both teenagers and a female audience. […] …the story loses focus and is trying to do too much.

[3] Unfortunately, Lawless is tedious through and through. It’s sequences go from bursts of heartless violence to development-less talking. The problem is its atmosphere, which could also be attributed to the choice of digital photography. It tries to be gritty, with its music hinting back to one of my favourite western TV shows, Deadwood, but the slick cinematography is just completely lifeless. […] It was a huge mistake to try and force some romance subplots in here. There’s nothing too bad about Lawless, besides its humourless and cold approach, it’s just disappointingly average given the talent.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Re-Watch: “Jagged Edge” (1985) starring Jeff Bridges, Glenn Close, Peter Coyote, & Robert Loggia

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When a murder case is this shocking, which do you trust… your emotions or the evidence? -Tagline

Jack: You still think I’m guilty? How can you defend me if you think I’m guilty?

Teddy: It happens all the time. It’s the way our legal system works.

San Fran publishing heiress, Page Forrester, is brutally murdered in her luxurious beach house. Her husband, Jack (Jeff Bridges), seems devastated by the crime; he is soon accused of her murder. He hires Teddy Barnes (Glenn Close) to defend him, despite the fact she hasn’t handled a criminal defense case in several years. There’s chemistry between them; the lawyer soon finds herself falling hard for her client.

The movie is about layers and layers and layers of truth. It’s like peeling an onion down to the core. Here we have a very intelligent, very attractive, very warm, very modern mother/career woman who has made a definite commitment to a moral standard, and makes one more moral stand when she says that she will only defend the man who is accused of a terrible crime, if she is convinced of his innocence. The rollercoaster begins. Is he innocent? Is he guilty? Is he lying? Or is he not? It’s a classic high-tension psychological thriller. -Richard Marquand, director (when asked re: the movie during promo)

This movie is the 1st of screenwriter Joe Eszterhas’ San Fran thriller trilogy; the later films are Basic Instinct (1992) and Jade (1995). Eszterhas originally titled the screenplay Hearts of Fire. Columbia disliked the title and decided it had to be changed; they assigned a secretary to go through the script. She came upon “jagged edge” (in description of the murder weapon: “a knife with a jagged edge”). Kevin Costner turned down the role of Jack (thank goodness)! Jane Fonda was originally attached to play Teddy. When she demanded that changes be made to the script, the studio sided w/ Eszterhas and replaced her w/ Close. Fonda and Bridges co-starred in another thriller- The Morning After (1986)- directed by Sydney Lumet.

Who did it? Tom Krasny, the district attorney with political aspirations, is quick to make a case against Forrester. But there is reason to believe that Krasny is as eager to ride this case into a senate seat as he is to convict the right man. Teddy is sharp. She launches her own investigation with the help of a crusty gumshoe named Sam Ransom. She finds what she is looking for: the holes in Krasny’s case and the fact that Forrester is not the only suspect. But she also finds something she wasn’t looking for: emotional and romantic involvement with her client. -Martin Ransohoff, producer

Martin Ransohoff (who went on to produce the movie) took the story idea to Columbia president (Guy McElwaine) in 1983; McElwaine was interested in a courtroom piece (an intense story that’d raise some pressing Qs about the legal system). According to Eszterhas’ book Hollywood Animal, Ransohoff was against the casting of Glenn Close (saying she was “too ugly” for the part). Close heard about this; she said she didn’t want Ransohoff on set during her scenes. The director (Richard Marquand- best known for Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi) supported Close and sent Ransohoff away. The producer was so mad that he went to studio heads trying to get them both fired! The studio later denied this happened (of course). Teddy has 2 young kids (David and Jenny); in their bedroom is a poster of The Return of the Jedi.

This tension between Krasny and Forrester is intense. There is history between them. The courtroom begins to take on the feeling of the O.K. Corral. -Jeff Bridges, actor

This is one of the earliest movies of the erotic thriller genre (and it’s quite effective). Now, there are some problematic elements (esp. when viewed through modern eyes). The acting is quite strong; Robert Loggia received a Best Supporting Oscar nom! Loggia plays Sam Ransom (former investigator in the DA’s office/Teddy’s trusted friend) who curses, drinks (a LOT), and looks rumpled. Teddy and Sam still regret what occurred on one of their past cases. At first, you may wonder if the DA (Teddy’s former boss), Thomas Krasny (Peter Coyote), will be the lead; he’s the focus of the opening 10 mins. To lend to the authenticity, the exteriors of the courtroom were San Fran’s City Hall.

Teddy: Sam! He didn’t do it!

Sam: Yeah? Is that your head talking, or another part of your anatomy? [Teddy gives him a sour look]

Sam: Hey, ok, what the hell, f**k me! [runs for the door]

Today’s viewers may NOT 100% buy into Teddy getting into a relationship w/ Jack; this is crucial for the plot. Teddy is recently divorced; her (nice/bland) ex-hubby doesn’t get much screen time (though the kids want their parents together). She desperately wants to believe that this client is innocent, BUT there are doubts. Here we have the (common) trope of the professional woman who makes a mess of her personal life. She leads w/ her heart, NOT her head. It doesn’t seem like Jack would be ready for romance after the recent tragedy. Jack works his charm on Teddy (w/o her suspecting); he takes her horseback riding, they walk on the beach, and have wine w/ takeout. Jeans, cozy sweaters, business suits- y’all know Bridges looks FAB in all the outfits. Close and Bridges are V well-matched; they create good chemistry together. In the tense/revelatory courtroom scenes, they convey much w/o dialogue.

[1] Bridges and Close show why they’re among the greatest stars of their generation. I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t find this movie boring. 

[2] This courtroom thriller was one of the films that spawned a huge wave of copycats through the mid ’80’s and early ’90’s. […]

…the film works very well on a visceral level, providing twists and shocks along the way (including one startling break-in near the end which is jarring no matter how many times it is seen.) The film’s greatest strength is the acting, notably Close. […] She brings great conviction to her poorly conceived role. Bridges does well also as the perfectly moussed, tan dreamboat who might be a savage murderer. Loggia brings a welcome salty edge to the film with his foul-mouthed portrayal of Close’s investigator friend.

The discordant music by Barry is very unsettling and his use of low piano keys doubtlessly inspired Jerry Goldsmith for “Basic Instinct.” It’s the same type of sound. Folks expecting a watertight story will be disappointed. Those who just want to be entertained and spooked should love it.

[3] The ending was cause for much discussion back in the day, and viewing it now it still feels like a moment of cheek mixed in with some form of clarity, but rest assured it works well, as does, funnily enough, the whole film. No world beater here, but highly accomplished and worth the time of any thriller obsessed movie fan. 

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Mulholland Falls” (1996) starring Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, & Jennifer Connelly

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The power of love vs. the love of power. -A tagline for the film

This neo noir is set in the 1950s; the LAPD cops we meet are part of the anti-organized crime squad (“the Hat Squad”). These men are big/tough and do NOT hesitate to break the law, IF it suits their purposes; the drive around in a black convertible (1949 Buick Roadmaster). The leader of this unit is Det. Max Hoover (Nick Nolte); he and his wife, Katherine (Melanie Griffith), seem to have a V happy marriage. A local young woman, Allison Pond (Jennifer Connelly), is brutally murdered and dumped at building site; the investigation reveals she’d been romantically linked to several prominent men. One of her lovers was Gen. Thomas Timms (John Malkovich), the head of the Atomic Energy Commission; he is shown w/ her on a film. Hoover gets a shock when he sees Allison’s body; he knew her as well!

It kind of shocked everyone who knows me that I wound up doing this movie, because I had always been so careful about nudity; it was very much a part of this character and I couldn’t be coy or guarded or self-conscious, otherwise it wouldn’t work. It was sort of a challenge I wanted to take on, I guess. -Jennifer Connelly on her nude scenes

There are SO many familiar (some who became famous) faces here in cameos or supporting roles: Rob Lowe, Louise Fletcher, William Petersen (before his CSI days), Andrew McCarthy (as Allison’s gay bestie), Treat Williams (who passed away last wk.), Kyle Chandler, Michael Madsen, Daniel Baldwin (older bro of Alec), and Chazz Palminteri (as a somewhat sensitive cop). All of Connelly’s scenes are shown in flashbacks. This was the 1st American film directed by a New Zealander (Lee Tamahori); his mother is British and his father is Maori. He gained the attn. of Hollywood after getting critical acclaim for the indie drama Once Were Warriors (1994); I need to check that out soon. The DP is Haskell Wexler; he is considered one of the best in the field of cinematography.

Gen. Timms: These tiny particles of matter, which are so small that no one’s ever seen them – never – they contain enough energy to blow up this house, an entire city, every person on Earth. Now that is inconceivable.

Hoover: General, I really don’t think much about those things. I’d probably see too much.

Gen. Timms: What do you see?

Hoover: People dead before their time.

Gen. Timms: That’s the history of the world, Lieutenant. Some people die before their time so that others can live. It’s the cornerstone of civilization. War, religion, democracy. A hundred die so that a thousand may live.

This was a time of great change is the U.S. We see the suburbs being built; some cops are skeptical about these planned developments (long drive from the city). Max’s partner, Elleroy (Palminteri), has been seeing a (female) therapist. Unlike Max (who keeps things bottled up), Elleroy is able to talk about his (conflicting) feelings on the job. Malkovich gets some of the best lines; he plays a cold/smart/privileged man who thinks he’s above the law. The costumes, sets, and atmosphere reminded me V strongly of the older noirs. As one astute viewer wrote: “It isn’t your traditional cop drama/political thriller because of the nature of the main characters. They don’t always play by the rules, but in the end, they are the good guys. And, it’s got a good finale.”

Quick Reviews of Four Neo Noirs

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The Big Easy (1986) starring Dennis Quaid & Ellen Barkin

He’s got to hide the truth. She’ll stop at nothing to find out. But tonight, everything’s off the record.

-Taglines for the film

Lt. Remy McSwain (Quaid), a cop in Homicide, finds that he has 2 probs: 1) a brutal series of gang killings and 2) Ann Osborne (Barkin), an attorney from the D.A.’s police corruption task force. He begins a relationship w/ her as the killings continue, only to have charges filed against him for accepting bribes (after he stumbles into a sting operation). Meanwhile, the criminal leaders insist that none of their gangs are behind the killings. FYI: Jim Garrison (the judge in Remy’s bribery case) was a real lawyer and judge. He was, for a time, the DA of NOLA. A case he had while in that position was the subject of Oliver Stone’s JFK (1991); Garrison was played by Kevin Costner.

In the opening credits, we see over the bayous and countryside rushing by below (w/ the energetic zydeco music- played through the film). The filmmakers do a good job at bringing NOLA to life w/ its sights and sounds (incl. Creole dialects). Quaid (TOO pushy to get a date in the first 20 mins; this kind of behavior would NOT work today) plays a man who is energetic, obstinate, and self-assured. However, he gets to reveal another (emotional) side when the story asks for it. Quaid also sings a song! Barkin does an better job at selling the movie (as some critics noted); Anne is a woman who is strong, BUT also vulnerable (being unlucky w/ romance in the past). Barkin and Quaid (both 32 y.o.) have a chemistry that is playful and hot; they both said this was their fave movie! There is a (much discussed) love scene where they’re partly clothed, BUT he goes down on her (V rare to see onscreen at that time). A phone call interrupts them (of course), so they have to rush over to a crime scene. A bit later on, there is another (also good) love scene. The supporting characters (cops) incl. John Goodman, Lisa Jane Persky, and Ned Beatty. Unfortunately, the few Italian and Black characters aren’t shown in a nuanced manner.

Mortal Thoughts (1991) starring Demi Moore, Glenne Headly, & Bruce Willis

Something terrible happened that night. Something everyone wanted to talk about. Something no one was telling the truth about. -Taglines for the film

A young hairdresser/wife/mom, Cynthia Kellogg (Moore- w/ big/permed hair), is in a police station (in Bayonne, NJ) being interrogated by an experienced cop, Det. John Woods (Harvey Keitel), and his younger/female partner. Through flashbacks, Cynthia explains how her bestie/co-worker, Joyce (Glenne Headly), married her loud/macho/jobless hubby, James Urbaniak (Bruce Willis); how hard Joyce’s marriage was; and why Joyce ended up killing James (in self-defense). The cop (who is smarter than he acts) finds some contradictions in her statement and pushes Cynthia, trying to get her to disclose the whole truth.

The film’s title refers to Macbeth (Act I, Scene 5), in which Lady Macbeth says: “Come, you spirits / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here / And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of direst cruelty…” Siskel and Ebert noted that they liked the movie, esp. the friend relationship btwn. Moore and Headley (who has appeared in theater and many indies). Willis plays a wholly unredeemable villain; he creates a cartoonish character (w/ a NOT so cute goatee). Moore and Willis were married at this time. I found the themes here compelling and it kept my interest; Moore does a good job here (as she is adept at projecting vulnerability). There is a twist in this movie, which makes sense, BUT I didn’t see coming!

Under Suspicion (1991) starring Liam Neeson, Laura San Giacomo, & Kenneth Cranham

How close can you get to a killer before you’re too close? -Tagline for the film

I learned about this movie (set in 1959 in the seaside town of Brighton, England) on the Fatal Attractions podcast. Disgraced cop turned PI, Tony Aaron (Neeson), falsifies adulteries for use as evidence in divorce cases. He involves his wife as the fictional co-respondent for painter Carlo Stasio, BUT both of them are shot dead in a hotel room. In charge of the case is Frank (Cranham), Tony’s former partner who still works on the police force. Frank’s most likely suspects are Angeline (San Giacomo), Stasio’s young/American mistress, who is set to inherit his house and paintings, and Tony himself, whose story doesn’t add up.

It’s NOT easy to get a movie made in the UK, so I think these filmmakers deserve respect for giving it a shot. It MAY be tough for some modern viewers to see Neeson in this (loser-type) role; also, there is no chemistry btwn him and San Giacomo. It looks like they don’t believe the words they’re are saying in the love scenes- a bad sign. The pacing is quite slow, BUT there is good dialogue and colorful supporting actors. There are lovely location shots and some cool-looking costumes (esp. hats and jackets). Cranham did a fine job as a weary/experienced detective. There is a twist ending which I did NOT see coming!

China Moon (1994) starring Ed Harris, Madeleine Stowe, Benicio Del Toro, & Charles Dance

He thought it was passion. It was deceit. He thought it was love. It was murder. -Taglines for the film

This movie was filmed in 1990-91, BUT was thrown into limbo when Orion filed for bankruptcy in late ’91. After a reorganization of the production company, the film finally had its release in 1994. This is a tightly edited (99 min.) simple story in the vein of Body Heat (1981), which is also set in a small Florida town. Det. Kyle Bodine (Harris) quickly falls for Rachel (Stowe) who is trapped in a violent marriage w/ a wealthy banker, Rupert Munro (Charles Dance- w/ blonde hair and a posh Southern accent). Many will know Dance from his (more recent) role of Tywin Lannister on GoT; as a younger actor, he played many baddies. After Rachel shoots her hubby during a domestic fight, Kyle (reluctantly) agrees to help her hide the body. Soon after, Kyle’s younger partner, Det. Lamar Dickey (Del Toro- just 24 w/ a baby face), starts showing initiative and finding clues. As one fan of this (lesser-known) noir wrote: “The main reason to check his out is a great performance from Ed Harris. The feeling of him being sucked into something is written all over his face, and the way he goes from cop in control of all the details into a hunted animal is really good. Stowe is also really good and the support cast also has quality…” Siskel and Ebert liked this movie also, incl. the chemistry btwn Harris and Stowe. There is a twist (which was a surprise), BUT makes sense!