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IMDb > Absence of Malice (1981)
Absence of Malice
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Absence of Malice (1981) More at IMDbPro »

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Absence of Malice (1981) -- Open-ended Trailer from Columbia Tristar
Absence of Malice (1981) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   4,377 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Kurt Luedtke (written by)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Absence of Malice on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 December 1981 (USA) more
Genre:
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:
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Paul Newman: 1925 - 2008
 (From IMDb News. 27 September 2008, 8:49 AM, PDT)

Stars Pay Tribute To Pollack
 (From WENN. 27 May 2008, 5:15 AM, PDT)

User Reviews:
Requiem for two heavyweights... more (52 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Paul Newman ... Gallagher

Sally Field ... Megan
Bob Balaban ... Rosen
Melinda Dillon ... Teresa
Luther Adler ... Malderone
Barry Primus ... Waddell
Josef Sommer ... McAdam
John Harkins ... Davidek
Don Hood ... Quinn
Wilford Brimley ... Wells
Arnie Ross ... Eddie Frost
Anna Marie Napoles ... Nickie

Shelley Spurlock ... Sarah Wylie

Shawn McAllister ... Hood 1
Joe Petrullo ... Hood 2
William Kerwin ... Walker (as Rooney Kerwin)
Oswaldo Calvo ... John
Clardy Malugen ... Donna
Sharon Anderson ... Secretary
Jody Wilson ... Raggedy Lady
Ilse Earl ... Nun
Alfredo Álvarez Calderón ... Rodriquez (as Alfredo Alvarez Calderon)
Pat Sullivan ... Meersma
Bill Hindman ... Priest
John Archie ... FBI Agent
Timothy Hawkins ... FBI Agent
Ricardo Márquez ... FBI Agent (as Ricardo Marquez)
Patricia Matzdorff ... Susan
Diane Zolten ... Reporter #1
Kathy Suergiu ... Reporter #2
Jeff Gillen ... Reporter #3
Ted Bartsch ... Beverage Manager
Sugar Ray Mann ... Copy Boy

Richard O'Barry ... Driver (as Richard O'Feldman)
Chuck Lupo ... Dock Boy
John DiSanti ... Longshoreman (as John Di Santi)
Laurie V. Logan ... McAdam's Assistant

Jack McDermott ... News Staff
Mark Harris ... News Staff
Bobbie Ellyne Kosstrin ... News Staff (as Bobbie-Ellyne Kosstrin)
Lynn Parraga ... News Staff
Lee Sandman ... News Staff
Barry Hober ... News Staff
Gary Van Auken ... Marshal
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Directed by
Sydney Pollack 
 
Writing credits
Kurt Luedtke (written by)

David Rayfiel  uncredited

Produced by
Sydney Pollack .... produced by
Ronald L. Schwary .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Dave Grusin (music by)
 
Cinematography by
Owen Roizman 
 
Film Editing by
Sheldon Kahn 
 
Production Design by
Terence Marsh 
 
Set Decoration by
John Franco Jr. 
 
Costume Design by
Bernie Pollack 
 
Makeup Department
Terri Cannon .... hairstylist
Don L. Cash .... make-up artist
Dorothy J. Pearl .... make-up: Ms. Field's (as Dorothy Pearl)
 
Production Management
Ronald L. Schwary .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rafael Elortegui .... second assistant director
David McGiffert .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Edward Aiona .... property master (as Edward A. Aiona)
Robert Boettcher .... assistant property master
Willie Marceau .... construction foreman
William S. Maxwell III .... leadman
John A. Scott III .... leadman
Chuck Stein .... construction coordinator
 
Sound Department
Ralph Babcock .... boom man
Neil Burrow .... sound editor
Tom E. Dahl .... re-recording mixer (as Tom Dahl)
Gordon Davidson .... supervising sound editor
Les Fresholtz .... re-recording mixer
Bert Hallberg .... sound mixer
Arthur Piantadosi .... re-recording mixer
Robert A. Reich .... sound editor
Chester Slomka .... sound editor (as Chester L. Slomka)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
James Glennon .... camera operator
Rob Hahn .... camera assistant
Gary Holt .... gaffer
Bob Rose .... key grip
Beau Gillespie .... video playback operator (uncredited)
Martin Pitts .... camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Tim Ryan .... dolly grip (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert M. Moore .... costumer: men's (as Bob Moore)
Rita Salazar .... costumer: women's
 
Editorial Department
Lois Freeman .... associate editor
Joe Mosca .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Else Blangsted .... music editor
Dan Wallin .... music scoring mixer
 
Transportation Department
Michael McDuffee .... transportation captain (as Mike McDuffee)
Gerald R. Molen .... transportation coordinator
Hank Scelza .... transportation captain: Miami
 
Other crew
Wilma Garscadden-Gahret .... script supervisor
Patricia Matzdorff .... production coordinator
Penny McCarthy .... assistant auditor
Ned McLeod .... location manager
Ken Ryan .... auditor
Beverly Walker .... publicist
Ned McLeod .... additional footage director (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
116 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

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: Except for the character of James Quinn (Don Hood), all of the other attorneys and law enforcement people (played by, among others, Bob Balaban, Wilford Brimley, and Barry Primus) are clearly federal officers. Brimley's character also refers to Quinn at one point as having been appointed by the President. Yet Quinn is also told by Balaban's character that he is too involved in "local politics," and Quinn is consistently referred to as the "district attorney." A federally-appointed prosecutor, however, is always referred to as the "United States Attorney" while only state or county prosecutors are called a "district attorney." more
Quotes:
James A. Wells, Assistant U.S. Attorney General: Now we'll talk all day if you want to. But, come sundown, there's gonna be two things true that ain't true now. One is that the United States Department of Justice is goin' to know what in the good Christ - e'scuse me, Angie - is goin' on around here. And the other's I'm gonna have somebody's ass in muh briefcase. more
Movie Connections:

FAQ

How does the movie end?
Why is Michael Gallagher under investigation?
What does the title "Absence of Malice" mean?
more
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful.
Requiem for two heavyweights..., 3 October 2008
7/10
Author: jc-osms from United Kingdom

I taped this lauded 80's movie months ago and prompted by the recent death of Paul Newman, finally made time to watch it, only realising as I did so that its director too, Sydney Pollack, has also lately taken his last bow. The film is about the corrupting power of trial by newspaper to damage and sometimes destroy innocent lives and in this particular case of one man's courage and ingenuity in fighting back, even for what seems in the end a Pyrrhic victory against his malefactors. Pollack's favoured ouevre certainly seemed to be contemporary thrillers, often positing a faceless establishment body, personified by dehumanised no-names and their usually destructive oppression of innocent individuals. Although dated by things like contemporary fashions and background music, (no-one surely can defend this era for its style and music!) these films (and there were loads of them in the mid 70's and early 80's - "All the President's Men", "Dog Day Afternoon", "The Verdict", to name but a few, often directed by the two Sydneys, Pollack and Lumet, and peopled by acting heavyweights like Pacino, Redford, Newman, Winger and Fonda) represent a largely neglected sub-genre of quality movie-making rarely seen today. The film at hand here, "Absence of Malice" occasionally lacks narrative drive and suspense but makes up for that with everyday realism, for example drawing in themes on disparate subjects like abortion and trade-union relations. With Pollack's usual high-standard cinematography, particularly his naturally-lit interiors and indeed exteriors, you always feel that this fictional story could actually be happening here and now. It's helped by good dialogue and the skills of the ensemble acting cast. Newman walks away with the acting plaudits, effortlessly drawing the viewer's sympathy and admiration although I was very impressed by Melinda Dillon's underplaying of her part as Newman's "close personal friend", caught in the cross-fire and also Wilford Brimley's cameo as the State Department official who effectively acts as judge and jury at the mini-courtroom climax. Sally Field, who was briefly, at this time, the it-girl for modern-day character parts, lacks some heft alongside the predominantly male cast and at times plays the part more like Jean Arthur than Faye Dunaway. You can also see her acting at key points, particularly in the scene when Newman loses his temper and almost assaults her. Despite a brief (perhaps unnecessary) romantic liaison between the two leads, the film ends satisfyingly with an enigmatic shot of Newman sailing (literally) into the sunset leaving a chastened Field behind. In conclusion then, an intelligent, thought-provoking, well-structured and plotted movie, its main theme still relevant today in tabloid-land.

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That was a bad ending (spoilers) weejogs
A better ending. What do you think? (spoilers) chadbellan
6.8? azumahh
viewability? deaston
Wilford Brimley was great bstar56
Is this movie the one I'm thinking? jtrinc
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