The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)

Director:

Milos Forman

Writers (WGA):

Scott Alexander (written by) &
Larry Karaszewski (written by)

Release Date:

25 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

You may not like what he does, but are you prepared to give up his right to do it?

Plot:

A partially idealized film of the controversial pornography publisher and how he became a defender of free speech for all people.

Plot Keywords:

Magazine | Hustler Magazine | Hustler | Pornography | Courtroom

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 20 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Woody Harrelson	...	Larry Flynt
Courtney Love	...	Althea Leasure Flynt
Edward Norton	...	Alan Isaacman
Brett Harrelson	...	Jimmy Flynt
Donna Hanover	...	Ruth Carter Stapleton
James Cromwell	...	Charles Keating
Crispin Glover	...	Arlo
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Chester
Miles Chapin	...	Miles
James Carville	...	Simon Leis
Richard Paul	...	Reverend Jerry Falwell
Burt Neuborne	...	Roy Grutman
Jan Triska	...	The Assassin
Cody Block	...	10-Year-Old Larry
Ryan Post	...	8-Year-Old Jimmy

Also Known As:

Larry Flynt (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual material, nudity, language and drug use.

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | USA:R (certificate # 34339) | France:U | Australia:MA | Austria:12 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Abandoned train station, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The real Larry Flynt, when asked who he would like to play him in the movie, picked Michael Douglas.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the beginning of the film, Larry is shown running a strip club in his early days (around mid '70s). On the wall of the club was a centerfold of Playboy Playmate Patricia Farinelli, Miss December 1981.

Quotes:

Jerry Falwell: What?
Roy Grutman: Yeah, Jerry, he's suing you.
Jerry Falwell: He's suing me? For heaven's sakes, on what grounds?
Roy Grutman: Well, you xeroxed his ad, and you sent it out in a million fundraiser letters.
Jerry Falwell: Yeah, so?
Roy Grutman: But you didn't get his permission. And that's copyright infringement.
Jerry Falwell: The depth of his depravity sickens me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ellie Parker (2005)

Soundtrack:

Pick Up the Pieces

Career milestone for Woody Harrelson & Courtney Love

THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT (1996) **** Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, Edward Norton, James Carville, James Cromwell, Richard Paul, Crispin Glover, Vincent Schiavelli, Miles Chapin, Brett Harrelson, Donna Hanover, Norm MacDonald. Superb biographical account of smut publisher Larry Flynt (portrayed by Best Actor nominee Harrelson in arguably the role of his career) whose bouts with the courts regarding libel, pornography and ultimately first amendment rights to the freedom of speech are captured like a tempest in a teacup that depicts the rise and near fall of Flynt (who was paralyzed in an assassination attempt) and the uncomparable love affair with his doomed yet dedicated wife, bisexual, drug-addicted and tragically AIDS afflicted wife Althea Leasure (Love in a toweringly brilliant turn at acting that deserves all the recognition she mustered) who stood by her man as she withered away. Funny, insightful, important and some masterful filmmaking overall thanks largely to the cleverly constructed screenplay by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski ("Ed Wood"), costumes by Theodore Pistek and Arianne Phillips, and all too believeable production design by Patricia von Brandenstein. And yes that is real-life Flynt as one of the judges passing sentence and yes it is real-life brother Brett of Woody playing siblings. Kudos to Best Director nominee Milos Forman (who was sorely passed over in the Best Picture nomination as well as practically getting shut out come to mention it) for pulling off a difficult hat trick: making scum respectable.