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CrimeMysteryThriller

L.A. Confidential

- Everything is suspect... Everyone is for sale... And nothing is what it seems.

Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.

Release Date : 1997-09-19

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Regency EnterprisesWarner Bros. PicturesWolper Organization

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Guy Pearce

Character Name : Edmund 'Ed' Exley

Original Name : Guy Pearce

Gender : Male

Russell Crowe

Character Name : Wendell 'Bud' White

Original Name : Russell Crowe

Gender : Male

Kevin Spacey

Character Name : Jack Vincennes

Original Name : Kevin Spacey

Gender : Male

Kim Basinger

Character Name : Lynn Bracken

Original Name : Kim Basinger

Gender : Female

Danny DeVito

Character Name : Sid Hudgens

Original Name : Danny DeVito

Gender : Male

James Cromwell

Character Name : Dudley Smith

Original Name : James Cromwell

Gender : Male

David Strathairn

Character Name : Pierce Patchett

Original Name : David Strathairn

Gender : Male

Ron Rifkin

Character Name : D.A. Ellis Loew

Original Name : Ron Rifkin

Gender : Male

Matt McCoy

Character Name : 'Badge of Honor' Star Brett Chase

Original Name : Matt McCoy

Gender : Male

Paul Guilfoyle

Character Name : Mickey Cohen

Original Name : Paul Guilfoyle

Gender : Male

Paolo Seganti

Character Name : Johnny Stompanato

Original Name : Paolo Seganti

Gender : Male

Elisabeth Granli

Character Name : Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner

Original Name : Elisabeth Granli

Gender : Female

Sandra Taylor

Character Name : Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner

Original Name : Sandra Taylor

Gender : Female

Steve Rankin

Character Name : Officer Arresting Mickey Cohen

Original Name : Steve Rankin

Gender : Male

Graham Beckel

Character Name : Dick Stensland

Original Name : Graham Beckel

Gender : Male

Allan Graf

Character Name : Wife Beater

Original Name : Allan Graf

Gender : Male

Precious Chong

Character Name : Wife

Original Name : Precious Chong

Gender : Female

Symba

Character Name : Jack's Dancing Partner

Original Name : Symba

Gender : Female

Bob Clendenin

Character Name : Reporter at Hollywood Station

Original Name : Bob Clendenin

Gender : Male

Lennie Loftin

Character Name : Photographer at Hollywood Station

Original Name : Lennie Loftin

Gender : Male

Will Zahrn

Character Name : Liquor Store Owner

Original Name : Will Zahrn

Gender : Male

Amber Smith

Character Name : Susan Lefferts

Original Name : Amber Smith

Gender : Female

Darrell Sandeen

Character Name : Buzz Meeks

Original Name : Darrell Sandeen

Gender : Male

Michael Warwick

Character Name : Sid's Assistant

Original Name : Michael Warwick

Gender : Male

Simon Baker

Character Name : Matt Reynolds

Original Name : Simon Baker

Gender : Male

Shawnee Free Jones

Character Name : Tammy Jordan

Original Name : Shawnee Free Jones

Gender : Female

Matthew Allen Bretz

Character Name : Officer Escorting Mexicans

Original Name : Matthew Allen Bretz

Gender : Male

Thomas Rosales Jr.

Character Name : First Mexican

Original Name : Thomas Rosales Jr.

Gender : Male

Shane Dixon

Character Name : Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station

Original Name : Shane Dixon

Gender : Male

Norman Howell

Character Name : Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station

Original Name : Norman Howell

Gender : Male

Brian Lally

Character Name : Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station

Original Name : Brian Lally

Gender : Male

Don Pulford

Character Name : Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station

Original Name : Don Pulford

Gender : Male

Chris Short

Character Name : Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station

Original Name : Chris Short

Gender : Male

John Mahon

Character Name : Police Chief

Original Name : John Mahon

Gender : Male

Tomas Arana

Character Name : Breuning - Dudley's Guy

Original Name : Tomas Arana

Gender : Male

Michael McCleery

Character Name : Carlisle - Dudley's Guy

Original Name : Michael McCleery

Gender : Male

George Yager

Character Name : Gangster at Victory Motel

Original Name : George Yager

Gender : Male

Jack Conley

Character Name : Vice Captain

Original Name : Jack Conley

Gender : Male

Ginger Slaughter

Character Name : Secretary in Vice

Original Name : Ginger Slaughter

Gender : Female

Jack Knight

Character Name : Detective at Detective Bureau

Original Name : Jack Knight

Gender : Male

John H. Evans

Character Name : Patrolman at Nite Owl Cafe

Original Name : John H. Evans

Gender : Male

Gene Wolande

Character Name : Forensic Chief

Original Name : Gene Wolande

Gender : Male

Brian Bossetta

Character Name : Forensic Officer

Original Name : Brian Bossetta

Gender : Male

Michael Chieffo

Character Name : Coroner

Original Name : Michael Chieffo

Gender : Male

Gwenda Deacon

Character Name : Mrs. Lefferts

Original Name : Gwenda Deacon

Gender : Female

T.J. Kennedy

Character Name : Bud's Rejected Partner

Original Name : T.J. Kennedy

Gender : Male

Ingo Neuhaus

Character Name : Jack's Rejected Partner

Original Name : Ingo Neuhaus

Gender : Male

Robert Harrison

Character Name : Pierce Patchett’s Bodyguard

Original Name : Robert Harrison

Gender : Male

Jim Metzler

Character Name : City Councilman

Original Name : Jim Metzler

Gender : Male

Robert Barry Fleming

Character Name : Boxer

Original Name : Robert Barry Fleming

Gender : Male

Jeremiah Birkett

Character Name : Ray Collins - Nite Owl Suspect

Original Name : Jeremiah Birkett

Gender : Male

Salim Grant

Character Name : Louis Fontaine - Nite Owl Suspect

Original Name : Salim Grant

Gender : Male

Karr Washington

Character Name : Ty Jones - Nite Owl Suspect

Original Name : Karr Washington

Gender : Male

Noel Evangelisti

Character Name : Stenographer

Original Name : Noel Evangelisti

Gender : Female

Marisol Padilla Sánchez

Character Name : Inez Soto - Rape Victim

Original Name : Marisol Padilla Sánchez

Gender : Female

Jeff Sanders

Character Name : Sylvester Fitch

Original Name : Jeff Sanders

Gender : Male

Steven Lambert

Character Name : Roland Navarette

Original Name : Steven Lambert

Gender : Male

Jordan Marder

Character Name : Officer at Detective Bureau

Original Name : Jordan Marder

Gender : Male

Gregory White

Character Name : Mayor

Original Name : Gregory White

Gender : Male

April Breneman

Character Name : Look-Alike Dancer

Original Name : April Breneman

Gender : Female

Lisa Worthy

Character Name : Look-Alike Dancer

Original Name : Lisa Worthy

Gender : Female

Beverly Sharpe

Character Name : Witness on Badge of Honor

Original Name : Beverly Sharpe

Gender : Female

Colin Mitchell

Character Name : Reporter at Hospital

Original Name : Colin Mitchell

Gender : Male

John Slade

Character Name : Photographer at Hospital

Original Name : John Slade

Gender : Male

Brenda Bakke

Character Name : Lana Turner

Original Name : Brenda Bakke

Gender : Female

Kevin Maloney

Character Name : Frolic Room Bartender

Original Name : Kevin Maloney

Gender : Male

Patrice Walters

Character Name : Police File Clerk

Original Name : Patrice Walters

Gender : Female

Rebecca Klingler

Character Name : Police File Clerk

Original Name : Rebecca Klingler

Gender : Female

Irene Roseen

Character Name : D.A. Ellis Loew's Secretary

Original Name : Irene Roseen

Gender : Female

Scott Eberlein

Character Name : West Hollywood Sheriff's Deputy

Original Name : Scott Eberlein

Gender : Male

David St. James

Character Name : Detective at Hush-Hush Office

Original Name : David St. James

Gender : Male

Bodie Newcomb

Character Name : Officer at Hush-Hush Office

Original Name : Bodie Newcomb

Gender : Male

Jeff Austin

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Jeff Austin

Gender : Male

Robert Foster

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Robert Foster

Gender : Male

Kevin Patrick Kelly

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Kevin Patrick Kelly

Gender : Male

Henry Marder

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Henry Marder

Gender : Male

Monty McKee

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Monty McKee

Gender : Male

Henry Meyers

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Henry Meyers

Gender : Male

Michael Ossmann

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Michael Ossmann

Gender : Male

Dick Stilwell

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Dick Stilwell

Gender : Male

Jess Thomas

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Jess Thomas

Gender : Male

Robert Thompson

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Robert Thompson

Gender : Male

Jody Wood

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Jody Wood

Gender : Male

Jimmy Ortega

Character Name : Second Mexican (uncredited)

Original Name : Jimmy Ortega

Gender : Male

Nectar Rose

Character Name : Marilyn Monroe (uncredited)

Original Name : Nectar Rose

Gender : Female

Rocco Salata

Character Name : Uniformed Patrol Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Rocco Salata

Gender : Male

Dell Yount

Character Name : Court Bailiff (uncredited)

Original Name : Dell Yount

Gender : Male

Scott McKinley

Character Name : Cop (uncredited)

Original Name : Scott McKinley

Gender : Male

Gilbert Rosales

Character Name : Third Mexican (uncredited)

Original Name : Gilbert Rosales

Gender : Male

J.P. Romano

Character Name : Deuce Perkins (uncredited)

Original Name : J.P. Romano

Gender : Male

Chris Palermo

Character Name : Anthony Trombino (uncredited)

Original Name : Chris Palermo

Gender : Male

April Audia

Character Name : Mayor's Wife (uncredited)

Original Name : April Audia

Gender : Female

Priscilla Cory

Character Name : Brunette Police Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Priscilla Cory

Gender : Female

Fred Lerner

Character Name : Dudley's Guy with Shotgun (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Lerner

Gender : Male

Anne Zogby

Character Name : Movie Star (uncredited)

Original Name : Anne Zogby

Gender : Female

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

City of Angels? More Like City of Demons! Curtis Hanson directs and co-adapts the screenplay with Brian Helgeland from legendary pulp novelist James Ellroy's novel. It stars Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito and David Strathairn. Music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Dante Spinotti. It's 1950s Los Angeles and three cops of very different morals and stature are about to be entwined in crime and corruption... I admire you as a policeman, particularly your adherence to violence as a necessary adjunct to the job. Tremendous film making. Hanson takes Ellroy's labyrinthine story and pumps it with period authenticity and seamless direction, the latter of which sees him garner superlative performances from the cast. This is the side of Los Angeles nobody wants to talk about, it's awash with corpses, hookers, seedy set-ups, violence, drugs, racism and corruption a go-go. And that's just involving the politicians, the press and the coppers! Rollo Tomasi. The absence of genuine heroes on show still further keeps "The City of Angels" covered in dark clouds, where even as the plot twists and turns, as the mysteries unravel and brutality unfurls, the final destination of the principal characters is never clear, thus there's a continuing edge of seat pulse beat within the pic. It's also sexy and dangerous, the dialogue sharper than a serpent's tooth, and while the ending is a little too cosy as opposed to original noir wave conventions, this is pure noir in all but black and white photography. It won only two Academy Awards, Basinger for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and for Hanson and Hegeland for Best Writing - Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. Frankly it should have won a dozen or so for it's not just one of the best films of the 1990s, but also one of the best Neo-Noirs ever produced. 10/10

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-04-22

After the seemingly indiscriminate slaughter of the folks at a diner, it's the ambitious "Exley" (Guy Pearce) who suggests to his bosses that it's time for the LAPD to get it's act together and root out the corruption endemic within the force. To that end, he is promoted by "Capt. Smith" (James Cornwall) and sets about trying to assert a bit more of the rule of law rather than the rule of vengeance - that'd be the "White" (Russell Crowe) method, or the more venal and sleazy fashion of "Vincennes" (Kevin Spacey). Needless to say, nobody takes kindly to this new pure as the driven snow approach, but gradually "Exley" starts to make a bit of headway into the world of organised crime, and to realise just how involved the police are in covering up crimes from fraud to murder. He's also aware that someone is pulling his strings, so some sort of rapport with one of his suspicions colleagues is going to have to be forged if he is to stay alive! Each of these characters get their moment in the sun and that allows us to meet the unscrupulous red-top publisher "Hudgens" (an energetic Danny DeVito) and the sophisticated call-girl "Lynn" (Kim Basinger) who is quite often pretending to be Veronica Lake! I think my only problem with this film was that I reckoned on who was doing what really early on, so the jeopardy was a little bit compromised. That said, though, it's one of Crowe's more natural performances and Pearce shows us he can deliver gritty and bruising parts well too. I could have been doing with a little more of Basinger's quite intriguing character, just to break up the relentlessness of the story a bit more, but it's a solid adaptation of James Ellroy's uncompromising book that Curtis Hanson presents and it doesn't hang about.