la confidential ending explained

Fortunately, the script was passed on to New Regency Productions CEO Michael Nathanson, who loved it, although he concedes in the making of documentary on the DVD that when he later became the head of MGM, that he wouldnt have greenlit the film either. Now that's out of the way, a brief introduction. Along with Wendell and Exley, Vincennes arrests the men responsible for the aforementioned robbery and murder and starts to investigate Captain Smith, who kills him because of what he knows. I didn't want actors audiences knew and already liked."[14]. Confidential essays are academic essays for citation. Jack also stars in some of Hudgens' scoops. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Here are 10 facts about how it got made. It contains all the elements of police action, but in a sharply clipped, more economical style; the action exists not for itself but to provide an arena for the personalities". Confidential author James Ellroy slams Curtis Hanson's 1997 adaptation of his novel and star Russell Crowe's leading performance. The movie was stuffed with nostalgic nods to the 1950s, but it also constantly reminded the viewer of how troublesome that time was for many, especially people of color and women. Miller's Crossing from the same year was much better received, with the Coen brothers gangster movie still considered one of their finest. The two become the target of many corrupt officers and they are caught in a shootout, killing all officers who try to get in. Read on for more. Location favorite Boardners on 1652 North Cherokee Avenue (also seen in Ed Wood) is where Dudley Smith and Bud White meet, and Jack suffers a crisis of conscience at Bobs Frolic Room on 6245 Hollywood Boulevard, while the Liquor Store where White meets Lynn Bracken for the first time is Ramons Cane Shop on 1277 South Cochran Avenue. He and other producers bypassed the studio and sent a print directly to the festival's selection committee, which loved it. The movie also documents a specific time when the world of police work edged into show business. Her speech to Exley, about how she sees Bud White, is a monologue as simple as it is touching. In the scene where Officer Exley confronted Bracken at her home to get information out of her, it was revealed that she seduced him, but photographs of their tryst were taken by Sid Hudgens. The screenplay by Hanson and Brian Helgeland is based on James Ellroy's 1990 novel of the same name, the third book in his L.A. Quartet series. Confidential" finished at No. Buckaroosamurai 7 yr. ago L.A. L.A. That style of rounded cuff case was not introduced until the early to mid 70s. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Every character in the film had their own motivations for their actions, and Officer Exley revealed his to Detective Vincennes when telling the story of his father's murder. With gangster Mickey Cohen imprisoned for tax evasion, Smith recruits White to torture and frighten away out-of-town criminals trying to gain a foothold in Los Angeles. tries to put them off with a clever line about "good cop, bad cop," until he finds out in a horrifying way what "bad cop" can really mean. [44], It was also voted the best film set in Los Angeles in the last 25 years by a group of Los Angeles Times writers and editors with two criteria: "The movie had to communicate some inherent truth about the L.A. experience, and only one film per director was allowed on the list. The end scenes from L.A. Vincennes compromises himself by ratting on fellow cops, something he says he would never do -- until his job on the TV show is threatened. James Ellroy 's 1990 book, the third of his " L.A. Quartet " (preceded. The title refers to the 1950s scandal magazine Confidential, portrayed in the film as Hush-Hush. One of the most famous comes when Vincennes and Exley enter the Formosa Cafe, a Chinese restaurant close to a Warner Bros. lot, to question the mobster Johnny Stompanato. 1. Confidential resurrected classic Hollywood when it was released in 1997, but its complicated ending was anything but straightforward. Terry Rodman, Roland N. Thai, Kirk Francis, Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, and Kirk Francis, Best Foreign Language Film (Readers' Choice Award), Online Film & Television Association Awards, Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards, Michael McCleery as Detective Sergeant William Carlisle, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 10:11. Ed Exley: A hooker cut to look like Lana Turner is still a hooker.Johnny Stampanato: Hey!Ed Exley: She looks just like Lana Turner.Jack Vincennes: She is Lana Turner.Ed Exley: What?Jack Vincennes: She IS Lana Turner. The Question and Answer section for L.A. One of L.A. Confidential study guide contains a biography of director Curtis Hanson, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. 'LA Confidential' Was an Adaptation That Wasn't Afraid to Be Unfaithful By Andrew Taylor Published Sep 19, 2022 Turning 25 years old, Curtis Hanson's adaptation of James Ellroy's book is one of. He is also in deep with Capt. book, which ties things up much more messily. During a final confrontation with Smith, Exley calls him Rollo Tomassi too, because "You're the guy who gets away with it." For more information, please see our He used his power as a witness to strong-arm his way to a promotion when testifying against Stensland, and by going along with the department's cover-up of Smith, he also negotiated a better spot for himself. Confidential into a miniseries, or HBO show, so its no surprise that the films success saw New Regency put together a TV version of the material in 2000. While interrogating Hudgens, Smith arranges for White to see photos of Lynn having sex with Exley, which sends an enraged White to find him. Confidential. Confidential's strongest aspects was that no character was truly innocent and that the corruption of L.A. politics had tainted each one of them. He then interrogates Johnny Stompanato, Cohen's ex-bodyguard, who says Meeks was trying to sell a large stash of heroin he had stolen. Calling sternly for justice to be done in all of these cases is ramrod-stiff Capt. But they did, and the tipping point when that era ended must have been in the early 1950s, with the rise of instant celebrities, scandalous tabloid magazines like Confidential, the partnership between Hollywood and law enforcement agencies and the end of the media's reticence about seamy subject matter. There are many films regarding police corruption and LA Confidential is not at all distinct in pointing out the consequences of bad cops . Vincennes does die in the novel, but its almost random, killed by a escaped con after a breakout from a prison train. Confidential" is described as film noir, and so it is, but it is more: Unusually for a crime film, it deals with the psychology of the characters, for example in the interplay between the two men who are both in love with Basinger's hooker. Confidential" are devoted to establishing the three central characters, all cops. Vincennes later confronts Smith with evidence that Meeks and Stensland worked together under Smith's direct command a decade earlier, and dropped an investigation on Patchett, who had Hudgens photographing businessmen with prostitutes in a blackmail scam. "The Big Lebowski" (1998) Entertainment News Service. it opens with the death of Buzz Meeks (the protagonist of The Big Nowhere) at the hands of Dudley Smiths men, but in the film, Meeks character is very different, and is killed off-screen. Anderson's "Boogie Nights" and Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown." Izabella Scorupco was offered the lead female role but turned it down. Confidential, an unsuspecting Bud White, while trying to aid Ed Exley, gets shot thrice by Dudley at the Victory Motel shootout. The LAPD decides to protect their image by saying Smith died a hero in the shootout, while awarding Exley a second medal for bravery. The film was mostly shot on location, despite being a period piece. Confidential had been in development before the death of Chadwick Boseman, who would have played a young cop named James Muncie. "[29] Desson Howe's review for The Washington Post praised the cast: "Pearce makes a wonderful prude who gets progressively tougher and more jaded. "[8] The director purposely did not watch the actor in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, afraid that it might influence his decision. Confidential" seems episodic -- one sensational event after another, with no apparent connection. Set in the early 1950s, the film brought the bygone decade to life with stunning accuracy and had an all-star cast, including Russell Crowe and Danny DeVito, that was reminiscent of the film noir classics of the '30s and '40s. ", Contact me | Privacy policy | Join the mailing list | Links. Most police films fall on one side or the other when it comes to the issue of police integrity, but L.A. "L.A. "Boogie Nights" (1997) 3. Cookie Notice Smith lures Exley and White into an ambush. According to Amy Taubin in Sight & Sound, Hanson screened Vincente Minnellis The Bad And The Beautiful, for its depiction of classic Hollywood, Nicholas Rays In A Lonely Place, for its look at the dark underbelly of that world, Don Siegels The Lineup and Private Hell 36 for the efficiency of its storytelling, and Robert Aldrichs Kiss Me Deadly for its look at a future-conscious 1950s atomic age. Confidential's ending intentionally existed in the gray area which was more true to life. Confidential and was drawn to its characters, not the plot. Confidential one of the best films of the past 30 years. plot-explanation. Even before the film was made, thered been talk of turning L.A. [4] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. Question: What is Lynn's connection to the Nite Owl killings? "Boyz N the Hood" (1991) 5. The pilot was included on the recent DVD/Blu-ray re-release of the film, and its not hard to see why it wasnt picked up: necessarily watered down, its pretty much a generic cop show in period garb, and virtually every actor is woefully miscast (Hopkins probably fares the best, but pales in comparison to Russell Crowes performance). Smith, who uses him as a strong-arm man to beat up "suspects," including out-of-town mobsters (the message: go home). MORE: 10 Best Modern Film Noir Movies, Ranked According To IMDb. The D.A. In addition to the features from the original DVD, there are four new featurettes, the 1999 pilot of the proposed TV series starring Kiefer Sutherland, and film commentary by writer (novel) James Ellroy, writer (screenplay)/co-producer Brian Helgeland, actors Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito & David Strathairn, production designer Jeannine Oppewall, director of photography Dante Spinotti, costume designer Ruth Myers and American film critic Andrew Sarris. One of the great joys for any reader delving into James Ellroy's . In fact, the film's ending served to twist audience's expectations that had been building over the movie's extended run time. The second character which the film introduces audiences to is Officer Wendell, who audiences quickly learn is a violent but resolute man who has a set of principles that he invariably sticks with. Moreover, various conspirators wanted to get some dirt on Exley do derail his investigation into the Nite (or was it Night?) Furthermore, Hanson and DoP Dante Spinotti looked at the Cinemascope look of Minnellis Some Came Running and Douglas Sirks The Tarnished Angels as inspiration for their widescreen framing, while Russell Crowe took Sterling Hayden in Kubricks The Killing for inspiration for his take on Bud White. His most valued contact is Detective Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), the technical adviser on "Badge of Honor,' a "Dragnet"-style TV show. Design and text 1996 - 2023 Jon Sandys. Some sets included a six-song sampler from the film's soundtrack. "[9] They worked on the script together for two years, with Hanson turning down jobs and Helgeland writing seven drafts for free. The site's critical consensus reads: "Taut pacing, brilliantly dense writing and Oscar-worthy acting combine to produce a smart, popcorn-friendly thrill ride. But it's no idle exercise in style. Lefferts had the bandage on her nose at the time, which sparked Bud's curiosity and prompted him to seek out Lynn after Lefferts was murdered. "[46] In 2009, the London Film Critics' Circle voted L.A. Perhaps the biggest change revolves around the films most memorable scene the shocking death of Jack Vincennes at the hands of Dudley Smith, at the subsequent pay off of Rollo Tomassi, the invented name given by Exley to the anonymous mugger who killed his own cop father. Related Smith frequently used murder against his own compatriots to cover up his plots, and it was entirely possible that Exley's father was a cop who stood in Smith's way on his rise to power. [43] The National Society of Film Critics also ranked it the year's best film and Curtis Hanson was voted Best Director. Smith responds by shooting Jack in the chest, and as the stunned detective is dying, the Captain asks him if he has last words; Jack responds with "Rollo Tomassi," and chuckles with small satisfaction at Smith's confusion as he dies. To say that L.A. Any thoughts. His political motivations throughout the film, often at odds with his rigorous views of justice, are satisfied. Confidential " wasn't greeted with especially high expectations in the run up to its release. 3. Exley accepts this request to testify, but is heavily chastised by his fellow officers because of it. Ed tells the Heads of the Department how the whole Nite Owl Massacre was a plot to get rid of Dick Stensland who (along with Leland 'Buzz' Meeks) betrayed Dudley over some heroin. [3][4] It was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, winning two: Best Supporting Actress (Basinger) and Best Adapted Screenplay; Titanic won in every other category L.A. Patchett ran the Fleur-de-lis escort service, and he was brought into the story when one of his girls was killed at the Night Owl coffee shop. He eventually teams with Bud White (Crowe), and the two mismatched partners discover Smith was attempting to take over a drug empire in the city, and the trail of bodies all lead back to him and his men. [88], In October 2020, Brian Helgeland confirmed a sequel to L.A. Confidential has is its reliance on unsettling bursts of violence, both bloody shootings and intense physical beatings that give the picture a palpable air of menace. [21], Jerry Goldsmith's score for the film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score, but lost to James Horner's score for Titanic. The light, the architecture, the slang, the music a wonderful Lana Turner joke. It's Me, Margaret' to 'R.M.N. The arc of his character seemed complete at the end of the motel shootout. I knew I could grow to respect and understand him. The Nite Owl Cafe was in fact the J&J Sandwich Shop on 119 East 6th Street, while Pierce Patchetts home is the gorgeous 1929 Lovell House on 4616 Dundee Drive. One of the film's backers, Peter Dennett, was worried about the lack of established stars in the lead roles, but supported Hanson's casting decisions, and the director had the confidence also to recruit Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, and Danny DeVito. Exley's real motivations were found in his desire to annoy Bud White, an officer he repeatedly clashed with before they finally teamed up. Confidential brought classic noir back into the spotlight in the 1990s, but its complicated finale left audiences with a lot of questions. On top of that, after Exley receives his medal, the movie sends us off with a bro handshake and nothing but smiles between White and Exley, presenting the turn of events as if theyre supposed to be happy. Lefferts' mother tells White that Stensland was Susan's "boyfriend"; White searches the crawl space under the mother's house and finds Meeks' corpse. Confidential was shot at the Linda Vista Community Hospital in the Los Angeles area. Confidential brought classic noir back into the spotlight in the 1990s, but its complicated finale left audiences with a lot of questions. At the police station, White and Exley fight, but stop when both realize that Smith is corrupt. "[33] Richard Schickel, in his review for Time, wrote, "It's a movie of shadows and half lights, the best approximation of the old black-and-white noir look anyone has yet managed on color stock. Penned by Walon Green (Sorceror, Robocop 2), it toplined a pre-24 Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Vincennes, less Dean Martin-type smoothie and more haunted, generic 1950s Jack Bauer, with Josh Hopkins (Cougar Town) as Bud White, David Conrad (The Ghost Whisperer) as Ed Exley, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Sid Hudgens, Alias star Melissa George as Lynn Bracken (now a Marilyn Monroe impersonator), TV vet Tom Nowicki as Dudley Smith, Breaking Bad star Anna Gunn as a junkie hooker, and most unlikely of all, Eric Roberts taking over from David Strathairn as Pierce Patchett. "[12] But Hanson wanted to debut the film at a high-profile international venue. When/how did this flip flop in Exleys character happen? It's safe to say that " L.A. Unlike its predecessors though, the movie was an unflinching look at the corruption of big city politics and found a strong balance between old Hollywood gloss, and the grim reality of true crime and political scandals. Hanson held a mini film-festival for cast and crew in the run up to the start of production. Chris Hemsworth was initially a bit wary about signing on to the new Netflix action movie "Extraction.". Hanson prepared a presentation that consisted of 15 vintage postcards and pictures of L.A. mounted on posterboards, and made his pitch to Milchan. Consider the business of the call girls who have been "cut" to make them look like movie stars. As Exley holds Smith at gunpoint, Smith assures him that he will deal with the arriving police and have Exley promoted. Confidential. Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. "The Player" (1992) 7. White tracks her down because she's the friend of a girl who was killed at the Nite Owl. [8], The two men also got Ellroy's approval. 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