L.A. Confidential (1997)

Director:

Curtis Hanson

Writers (WGA):

James Ellroy (novel)
Brian Helgeland (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 September 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush...

Plot:

A shooting at an all night diner is investigated by three LA policemen in their own unique ways.

Plot Keywords:

Hidden In Crawl Space | Homosexual | Hollywood California | Twin Towers | Drunkenness

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 68 wins & 43 nominations

Cast

Kevin Spacey	...	Det. Sgt. Jack Vincennes
Russell Crowe	...	Officer Wendell 'Bud' White
Guy Pearce	...	Det .Lt. Edmund Jennings 'Ed' Exley
James Cromwell	...	Capt. Dudley Liam Smith
Kim Basinger	...	Lynn Bracken
David Strathairn	...	Pierce Morehouse Patchett
Danny DeVito	...	Sid Hudgens
Graham Beckel	...	Det. Sgt. Richard Alex 'Dick' Stensland
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Meyer Harris 'Mickey' Cohen
Ron Rifkin	...	Dist. Atty. Ellis Loew
Matt McCoy	...	Brett Chase
Paolo Seganti	...	Johnny Stompanato
Sandra Taylor	...	Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner
Steve Rankin	...	Officer Arresting Mickey Cohen
Elisabeth Granli	...	Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner

Runtime:

138 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:R-18 | South Korea:18 | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #35218) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KT | Brazil:14 | Canada:18A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:12 (original rating) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

1714 Gramercy Place, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Monarchy Enterprises B.V.

Trivia:

Pierce Patchett's business is based on the long-time rumor that there really was a house of prostitution in Hollywood that supplied ladies meticulously dressed and made up to resemble famous movie stars. In his memoir "Hollywood: Stars and Starlets, Tycoons and Flesh-Peddlers, Moviemakers and Moneymakers, Frauds and Geniuses, Hopefuls and Has-Beens, Great Lovers and Sex Symbols", screenwriter Garson Kanin describes a visit to a place called Mae's where the madam dressed as Mae West and presided over a cast of replicas of Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Crawford, Carole Lombard, Marlene Dietrich and Ginger Rogers, among others.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Exley talks to Vincennes about Rolo Tomassi, Guy Pearce's Australian accent accidentally slips when he tells Jack, "I just wanna solve this thing".

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sid Hudgens: [voiceover] Come to Los Angeles! The sun shines bright, the beaches are wide and inviting, and the orange groves stretch as far as the eye can see. There are jobs aplenty, and land is cheap. Every working man can have his own house, and inside every house, a happy, all-American family. You can have all this, and who knows... you could even be discovered, become a movie star... or at least see one. Life is good in Los Angeles... it's paradise on Earth." Ha ha ha ha. That's what they tell you, anyway.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mystic River: From Page to Screen (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Lady Is A Tramp

Three Phenomenal Actors Give The Performances Of A Life Time

Six years ago, a director by the name of Curtis Hansen came out with a small time film named L.A. Confidential. Though the movie garnered several big nominations at the 1997 Academy Awards, the nation had been swept up by the gigantic and romantic blockbuster, Titanic, thus shrinking the chances of this brilliant movie from garnering any real awards. 1997 completely screwed this phenomenal film, in which three brilliant actors gave the performances of their careers.

Russell Crowe plays Detective Bud White, a tough L.A. cop who bends the rules in order to bring justice to the city. He is ruthless, and unforgiving of anyone, which brings him into direct conflict with Detective Lieutenant Ed Exley, played by Guy Pearce. Russell Crowe became with this role a full pledged character actor,: the cop with a steel physique, and a vulnerable heart. He becomes so believable and real to the audience, you can not help but sympathize for his character under the circumstances. From this role, Crowe went on to garner three best actor nominations, winning for his role in Gladiator.

Guy Pearce, the little known Australian body builder, became the character known as Ed Exley, a straight, uptight detective trying to live up to the legend his father created before him. Exley has so much to prove to the LAPD, trying to show them that he is just as good, maybe even better, than his father. He plays the politics in a corrupted police department very well, and is able to use these skills in solving the corrupt and mysterious case of the Night Owl murders. This film officially put Guy Pearce in the big leagues of film, making his next appearances in Memento and The Count of Monte Cristo. He is a severely underrated actor who deserves better than what he has been getting.

Finally, the ever wonderful Kevin Spacey. Spacey plays Lieutenant Jack Vincenes, a cop who gives a popular LA police show, Badge of Honor, real solved cases in return for money. Jack sees his life as an ever going soap opera, until he comes across a case that somehow has a connection to the Night Owl murders. Kevin Spacey has proved time and again his abilities as an actor, and he continues with this performance.

Curtis Hansen does a wonderful job bringing this story to the big screen. His talents, although recognized, have not been awarded as of yet. I can only hope that someday, someone will give this amazing director something worthy of his talents.

Highly Recommended.

MJR