Presumed Innocent (1990)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Alan J. Pakula

Writers (WGA):

Scott Turow (novel)
Frank Pierson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 July 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Sometimes it's dangerous to presume.

Plot:

When the woman deputy prosecutor R.K. Sabich had an affair with is murdered the prosecutor asks him to lead the investigation. When Sabich digs too deeply he finds himself framed for the murder.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Prosecutor | Suspect | Attorney | Lawyer

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Harrison Ford	...	Rusty Sabich
Brian Dennehy	...	Raymond Horgan
Raul Julia	...	Alejandro 'Sandy' Stern
Bonnie Bedelia	...	Barbara Sabich
Paul Winfield	...	Judge Larren Lyttle
Greta Scacchi	...	Carolyn Polhemus
John Spencer	...	Det. Lipranzer
Joe Grifasi	...	Tommy Molto
Tom Mardirosian	...	Nico Della Guardia
Anna Maria Horsford	...	Eugenia
Sab Shimono	...	'Painless' Kumagai
Bradley Whitford	...	Jamie Kemp
Christine Estabrook	...	Lydia 'Mac' MacDougall
Michael Tolan	...	Mr. Polhemus
Madison Arnold	...	Sgt. Lionel Kenneally
Ron Frazier	...	Stew Dubinsky
Jesse Bradford	...	Nat Sabich
Joseph Mazzello	...	Wendell McGaffney
Tucker Smallwood	...	Det. Harold Greer
Leland Gantt	...	Leon Wells
Teodorina Bello	...	Ernestine
David Wohl	...	Morrie Dickerman
John Michael Bennett	...	Guerasch
Bo Rucker	...	Mike Duke
Peter Appel	...	Glendenning
John Ottavino	...	Chet
Robert Katims	...	Cody
Joseph Carberry	...	Mr. McGaffney
John Seitz	...	Louis Balestrieri
Bill Winkler	...	Tom
John C. Vennema	...	Judge Mumphrey (as John Vennema)
Michael Genet	...	Court Clerk
Richard L. Newcomb	...	Undercover Cop
Ed Wheeler	...	Arresting Detective Jim
Miles Watson	...	Arresting Detective #2
DeAnn Mears	...	Loretta, Horgan's Secretary
Julia Meade	...	Moderator
Thom Cagle	...	Camp Counselor
Ricky Rosa	...	Camper
Allison Field	...	Reporter #1
Janis Corsair	...	Reporter #2
Bill Corsair	...	Reporter #3
Carla Barnett	...	Reporter #4 (as Carla Goff)
Rick De Furia	...	Prosecuting Attorney
Victor Truro	...	Prosecuting Attorney
Elizabeth Williams	...	Prosecuting Attorney
Jeffrey Wright	...	Prosecuting Attorney
Ted Neustadt	...	Prosecuting Attorney
Kimberleigh Aarn	...	Prosecuting Attorney
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anibal O. Lleras	...	Arrested Convict (uncredited)
Nick Pernice	...	Reporter (uncredited)
John Reidy	...	Police Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Alan J. Pakula

Writing credits (WGA)
Scott Turow		(novel)
Frank Pierson		(screenplay) and
Alan J. Pakula		(screenplay)

Produced by
Sydney Pollack	....	producer
Mark Rosenberg	....	producer
Susan Solt	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Gordon Willis

Film Editing by
Evan A. Lottman		(as Evan Lottman)

Casting by
Alixe Gordin

Production Design by
George Jenkins

Art Direction by
Robert Guerra		(as Bob Guerra)

Set Decoration by
Carol Joffe

Costume Design by
John Boxer

Makeup Department
Fern Buchner	....	makeup artist
Colleen Callaghan	....	hair stylist
Vincent Callaghan	....	assistant makeup artist
Judi Goodman	....	assistant hair stylist
Craig Lyman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Celia D. Costas	....	assistant unit production manager
David A. Starke	....	unit production manager (as David Starke)
Joel Chernoff	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Adler	....	second assistant director
Randy N. Barbee	....	second second assistant director (as Randy Barbee)
Alex Hapsas	....	first assistant director
Lisa Stein	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Teresa Carriker-Thayer	....	assistant art director (as Teresa Carriker)
Steven Gamiello	....	assistant set decorator
Gilbert Gertsen	....	construction coordinator
Peter M. Gurski	....	set dresser
Beth Kuhn	....	assistant art director (as Mary Beth Kuhn)
Loren Levy	....	assistant property master
Michele Poulik	....	assistant property master: Detroit
Janet Shaw	....	property master
Patty Shelley	....	art department assistant
Catherine Solt	....	art department coordinator
Dick Tice	....	chief set dresser
Patricia Walker	....	master scenic artist (as Patricia A. Walker)
Robert D. Wilson Jr.	....	assistant property master (as Bob Wilson Jr.)
Anthony Zappia	....	construction coordinator
Don Zappia	....	construction foreman

Sound Department
Ron Bochar	....	supervising sound editor
Gail Carroll-Coe	....	sound recordist: Detroit
Kam Chan	....	assistant sound editor
Laura Civiello	....	dialogue editor
Chris Fielder	....	assistant sound editor
Joan Franklin	....	assistant sound editor
Frank Graziadei	....	sound recordist
Darrell Hanzalik	....	adr editor
Yvette Nabel	....	assistant sound editor
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Pross	....	foley editor
James Sabat	....	production sound mixer
Louis Sabat	....	boom operator
Jeffrey Stern	....	dialogue editor
Steven Visscher	....	foley editor
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer (as Paul Zydel)
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Crudo	....	second assistant camera
Craig DiBona	....	camera operator
James Fitzpatrick	....	chief lighting technician
Kevin Fitzpatrick	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Bob Gaulin	....	video technician
Douglas C. Hart	....	first assistant camera
Robert Hayward	....	assistant chief lighting technician: Detroit
Richard Mader Jr.	....	video technician
Tim O'Dea	....	second grip: Detroit (as Timothy O'Dea)
Billy Patsos	....	second grip (as William Patsos)
George Patsos	....	key grip
James Pollard	....	dolly grip
John Seakwood	....	still photographer
Val Sklar	....	second assistant camera: Detroit
Joseph Trammell	....	video technician

Casting Department
Lisa M. Marfleet	....	casting assistant
Joy Todd	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Klein	....	wardrober
Robert Musco	....	wardrober
Suzanne Schwarzer	....	assistant costume designer
Guy Tanno	....	wardrober
Rose Trimarco	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Rose Trimarco-Cuervo)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Gregory D'Agostino	....	assistant film editor
Lee Fonvielle	....	first assistant film editor
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer
Diane Witter	....	apprentice editor: film (uncredited)

Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Todd Kasow	....	music editor: New York
John Neufeld	....	orchestrator
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
Armand Steiner	....	music recording engineer
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor (as Ken Wannberg)

Other crew
Martha Appel	....	production aide
Roe Bressan-Soto	....	assistant production office coordinator
Francis Connolly Jr.	....	teamster co-captain
Richard Dooley	....	location coordinator (as Richard W. Dooley)
William N. Fordes	....	legal technical consultant
Barbara Gurski	....	craft service: Detroit
Karen Hale Wookey	....	script supervisor
Catherine Hall	....	coordinator for Mr. Pakula (as Catherine Hall)
Jody Cregan Henry	....	production associate
Jude Aubrey Hindle	....	craft service
Deborah D. Johnson	....	production controller
Stephanie Koules	....	assistant: Mr. Pakula
Joe Lafata	....	production assistant
John-Michael Maas	....	production aide
Abby Margolis	....	production aide
Linda Marshall-Smith	....	location assistant
Robert McClung	....	production office assistant
Frank McKenna	....	craft service
Beth Minsky	....	legal research associate
Eric Myers	....	unit publicist
Lois Nalepka	....	assistant production office coordinator: Detroit
Jono Oliver	....	production office assistant (as Jonathan Oliver)
Robert Palo	....	production accountant
Peter Pastorelli	....	location manager
Jane Raab	....	production office coordinator
John Richardson	....	production accountant
Diana Schmidt	....	assistant production office coordinator
Ted Shuttleworth	....	production aide
Robert I. Smith Jr.	....	assistant: Ms. Solt
Cathy Thomas	....	location coordinator: Detroit (as Catherine Thomas)
George Ward	....	technical advisor
Matthew T. Weiner	....	production aide (as Matthew Weiner)
James Patrick Whalen Jr.	....	teamster captain (as James P. Whalen)
Matt Widman	....	location assistant
Nicholas Wolfert	....	production assistant
Tim Monich	....	dialect coach (uncredited)
Anthony 'Spike' Simms	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirage
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1995) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1990) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1990) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1991) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (1999) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• B.A.S.E.  mulitdimensional sound
• C-5  foley and sound effects design
• C5  post-production sound services
• Effects House, The  titles and opticals (as The Effects House, N.Y.)
• General Camera Corporation  camera package
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  post-production facilities (as Todd-AO Studios East)
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack
• West Publishing Company  Westlaw and West books

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:15 (original rating) (cut) | South Korea:18 | UK:18 (video rating) (uncut) | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:11 | USA:R | Canada:A (Nova Scotia)

Filming Locations:

Allendale, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Mirage

Trivia:

The ending was given away in an episode of "The Kids in the Hall" (1988).

Goofs:

Continuity: Bottle of Dewer's Scotch on desk turns clockwise between shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Rusty Sabich: [voiceover] I'm a prosecutor. I'm part of the business of accusing, judging and punishing. I explore the evidence of a crime and determine who is charged, who is brought to this room to be tried before his peers. I present my evidence to the jury and they deliberate upon it. They must determine what really happened. If they cannot, we will not know whether the accused deserves to be freed or should be punished. If they cannot find the truth, what is our hope of justice?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Asylum: (#1.4)" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Let The Drummer Loose

Never presume anything

Since it's Harrison Ford on trial for the murder of his coworker/mistress, and most everyone loves Harrison Ford, you want to believe he's innocent. But that belief is never a sure thing in "Presumed Innocent": a gripping, suspenseful whodunit that keeps you guessing mercilessly. All the leads here are right on target, especially Ford as the mumbling, elusive murder defendant. Most importantly, all the main players are ambiguous in one way or another, and while I certainly will not give away the ending (which is a beauty, I promise you) keep that in mind as you watch. Can you trust anyone??

The final scene was shocking and thought-provoking. And I couldn't help but think of the title, "Presumed Innocent." Naturally.