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L.A. Confidential (1997)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Release Date:
19 September 1997 (USA)
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Tagline:
Off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush... more
Plot:
A shooting at an all night diner is investigated by three LA policemen in their own unique ways. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars.
Another 69 wins
&
43 nominations
more
NewsDesk:
(71 articles)
Lambs Named Best Thriller
(From WENN. 3 June 2009, 12:00 PM, PDT)
Actor Sandeen Dies
(From WENN. 11 February 2009, 3:55 AM, PST)
(From WENN. 3 June 2009, 12:00 PM, PDT)
Actor Sandeen Dies
(From WENN. 11 February 2009, 3:55 AM, PST)
User Comments:
On of the best movies of the past 20 years.
more (535 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Kevin Spacey | ... | Jack Vincennes | |
| Russell Crowe | ... | Bud White | |
| Guy Pearce | ... | Ed Exley | |
| James Cromwell | ... | Dudley Smith | |
| Kim Basinger | ... | Lynn Bracken | |
| Danny DeVito | ... | Sid Hudgens | |
| David Strathairn | ... | Pierce Patchett | |
| Ron Rifkin | ... | D.A. Ellis Loew | |
| Matt McCoy | ... | 'Badge of Honor' Star Brett Chase | |
| Paul Guilfoyle | ... | Mickey Cohen | |
| Paolo Seganti | ... | Johnny Stompanato | |
| Elisabeth Granli | ... | Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner | |
| Sandra Taylor | ... | Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner | |
| Steve Rankin | ... | Officer Arresting Mickey Cohen | |
| Graham Beckel | ... | Dick Stensland |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for strong violence and language, and for sexuality.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
138 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Iceland:16 |
South Korea:18 |
USA:R (certificate #35218) |
Philippines:R-18 |
Brazil:18 |
USA:TV-MA (TV rating) |
Australia:M (TV rating) |
Argentina:16 |
Australia:MA |
Belgium:KT |
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:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Twice the project was pitched to television: first, producer David L. Wolper wanted to produce the project as a mini-series, and later, it was being developed as a weekly series by HBO.
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Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: At the Victory Motel shoot out, Dudley Smith is clearly seen shooting Bud White in the right cheek after he stabs Dudley in the leg. At the end of the movie when Bud White is sitting in a vehicle saying goodbye to Ed Exley, the bandage is on his left cheek. However, Bud also has clearly visible barely closed wound on the right cheek. Exit wounds are usually more severe than entry wounds so the bandage on the left side on the face is justified, assuming that the bullet penetrated both cheeks.
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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.
more
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.
more
Movie Connections:
References When Worlds Collide (1951)
more
Soundtrack:
The Christmas Blues
more
FAQ
How did Exley know they were talking about a hero?Did Exley actually testify at the beginning?
What photos did Dudley and Patchett have on the D.A.?
more
more (535 total)
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L.A. Confidential most likely falls into the category of one of the best movies of the past twenty years. The complex story line seemed to burst at the seams with intelligence. I found the complexity of several different sub-plots working together challenged the intellectual part of my brain while the intense action through out the entire movie satisfied the craving of the not-so-intellectual part of my brain that enjoys seeing a good brawl followed by a good shoot-out. Brian Helgeland and Curtis Hanson did and excellent job of combining many elements of several different kinds of films into one. They seem to have made this movie with several different audiences in mind. I for one, as I have mentioned, enjoyed the intellectual aspect as well as the action, while my wife enjoyed the combination of a love story with drama. It really has something for everyone. Bringing together all of these elements into one film sets it apart from many others. Of course the best aspect of L.A. Confidential is the way that not everything is as it seems, and then, in an instant, all of the plots are sprung like a trap and come together for a grand finale. Overall L.A. Confidential is an exceptional film that contains something for everyone.