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IMDb > Absence of Malice (1981)
Absence of Malice
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Absence of Malice (1981)

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User Rating: 6.8/10 (3,411 votes)
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IMDb Coverage of Comic-Con 2008

Overview

Director:
Sydney Pollack
Writer:
Kurt Luedtke (written by)
more
Release Date:
18 December 1981 (USA) more view trailer
Genre:
Drama | Romance more
Tagline:
Suppose you picked up this morning's newspaper and your life was a front page headline... And everything they said was accurate... But none of it was true. more
Plot:
Michael Colin Gallagher is the son of a long dead Mafia boss who is a simple liquor warehouse owner... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
Stars Pay Tribute To Pollack (From WENN. 27 May 2008, 5:15 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Stinker, Spineless Film with Great Cast more

Cast

 (Cast overview, first billed only)

Paul Newman ... Michael Colin Gallagher

Sally Field ... Megan Carter
Bob Balaban ... Elliott Rosen
Melinda Dillon ... Teresa Perrone
Luther Adler ... Uncle Santos Malderone
Barry Primus ... Bob Waddell
Josef Sommer ... McAdam
John Harkins ... Davidek
Don Hood ... Dist. Atty. James A. Quinn
Wilford Brimley ... Asst. U.S. Atty. Gen. James A. Wells
Arnie Ross ... FBI Agent Eddie Frost
Anna Marie Napoles ... Nickie
Shelley Spurlock ... Sarah Wylie

Shawn McAllister ... Santos Hood 1
Joe Petrullo ... Santos Hood 2
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
116 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Stereo
Filming Locations:
Coral Gables, Florida, USA more
MOVIEmeter: ?
V 16% since last week why?

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Paul Newman and director Sydney Pollack were both gourmet chefs and had a running culinary competition throughout filming with Sally Field as the judge. Though a good sport at first, Sally grew tired of eating gourmet night after night, and began begging off her judging duties in favor of hamburgers and omelettes at local diners. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: Megan sends Gallagher a copy of the front page of the next morning's daily newspaper at least 12 hours before the edition even went to print. In reality, the front page is never laid out until the last minute before deadline to insure the most current news. more
Quotes:
James A. Wells, Assistant U.S. Attorney General: What'd you figure you'd do after government service, Elliott?
Elliott Rosen: I'm not quitting.
James A. Wells, Assistant U.S. Attorney General: You ain't no Presidential appointee, Elliott. One that hired you is me. You got thirty days.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Seinfeld: The Junk Mail (#9.5)" (1997) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful:-
Stinker, Spineless Film with Great Cast, 11 July 2007
3/10
Author: krdement from United States

The acting in this film is uniformly excellent - just look at the cast! For the most part, the tale is told well, too. I just have 2 problems with this film that arouse my complete disdain.

First, after having seen this movie at least twice in its entirety, I am still mystified about what is the least bit attractive about Sally Field's character. That Paul Newman's character is attracted to her is inexplicable; it simply doesn't work for me. She is a self-righteous "journalist" who is absolutely reprehensible and is responsible for the death of Newman's dear friend!

Secondly, while this film certainly exposes abuses within the criminal justice system, that is not the main theme. The main object of this movie's criticism (and justifiably so!) is the press. Yet, in the end, it is too spineless to stick to its guns. In the final scene at Newman's boat, it makes a wretched, misguided effort to gloss over the irresponsibility of the press (in the person of Sally Fields) and to suggest some reconciliation or continuation of a romance between Fields and Newman. In that scene my sense of disgust was deflected from the sanctimoniousness of the press to the spinelessness of the film. This movie is infuriating.

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Message Boards

Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for Absence of Malice (1981)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Great ending. The Media is the enemy. xpress305
Solid Paul Newman Film with a Great Finale ecarle
Wilford Brimley was great bstar56
6.8? azumahh
scariest movie? chips76309
viewability? deaston
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