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L.A. Confidential
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L.A. Confidential (1997) More at IMDbPro »

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L.A. Confidential (1997) -- A shooting at an all night diner is investigated by three LA policemen in their own unique ways.
L.A. Confidential (1997) -- A shooting at an all night diner is investigated by three LA policemen in their own unique ways.
L.A. Confidential (1997) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
James Ellroy (novel)
Brian Helgeland (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for L.A. Confidential on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 September 1997 (USA) more
Tagline:
Off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush... more
Plot:
A shooting at an all night diner is investigated by three LA policemen in their own unique ways. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 69 wins & 43 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(71 articles)
Lambs Named Best Thriller
 (From WENN. 3 June 2009, 12:00 PM, PDT)

Actor Sandeen Dies
 (From WENN. 11 February 2009, 3:55 AM, PST)

User Reviews:
hard-hitting, smart movie more (539 total)
US TV Schedule:

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Kevin Spacey ... Jack Vincennes

Russell Crowe ... Bud White

Guy Pearce ... Ed Exley

James Cromwell ... Dudley Smith

Kim Basinger ... Lynn Bracken

Danny DeVito ... Sid Hudgens

David Strathairn ... Pierce Patchett

Ron Rifkin ... D.A. Ellis Loew

Matt McCoy ... 'Badge of Honor' Star Brett Chase
Paul Guilfoyle ... Mickey Cohen
Paolo Seganti ... Johnny Stompanato

Elisabeth Granli ... Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner

Sandra Taylor ... Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner
Steve Rankin ... Officer Arresting Mickey Cohen
Graham Beckel ... Dick Stensland
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for strong violence and language, and for sexuality.
Runtime:
138 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Mickey Cohen, the mobster who gets locked up which causes the war for control of the drug trade in the story, was a real-life Los Angeles mobster from the late '30s until his death in 1976 after two imprisonments for tax evasion. He was a small-time hood who joined forces with New York gangster Bugsy Siegel when Siegel came to L.A. to run the rackets (see the film Bugsy (1991)). After Siegel's murder in 1947, Cohen took over the rackets that Bugsy had built up, including labor union shakedowns at the studios, drug trafficking, gambling and prostitution. He was so hated by the police that he was constantly arrested for any crime, big or small (he was once arrested for using foul language on the street). As shown in the movie, he was eventually imprisoned for income tax evasion and spent nearly ten years in prison. After his release, he was semi-retired from the rackets and lived off his wealth, remaining a colorful character in Los Angeles until his death in 1976. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: When we see the kidnapper of Inez Soto watching TV just before White sneaks up on him and shoots him, the carton of milk on the coffee table is of today's "fold-open top" design, which was not invented until well after the early 1950s. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Sid Hudgens: [voiceover] Come to Los Angeles! The sun shines bright, the beaches are wide and inviting, and the orange groves stretch as far as the eye can see. There are jobs aplenty, and land is cheap. Every working man can have his own house, and inside every house, a happy, all-American family. You can have all this, and who knows... you could even be discovered, become a movie star... or at least see one. Life is good in Los Angeles... it's paradise on Earth." Ha ha ha ha. That's what they tell you, anyway.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Best of Film Noir (1999) (V) more
Soundtrack:
How Important Can It Be more

FAQ

What photos did Dudley and Patchett have on the D.A.?
Is this movie based on a book?
Was Sid in on everything with Dudley and Patchett?
more
92 out of 110 people found the following review useful.
hard-hitting, smart movie, 15 March 2005
10/10
Author: trvpup from United States

Although this movie 'flopped' at the box office at $53 million, this just may be one the smartest movies you haven't seen. With great performances from an ensemble all-star cast and a clever script, the dramatic tension of this modern film-noir classic is an absolute must-see! Told through a variation on the theme of "good cop, bad cop" with an overarching corruption angle, this film cleverly deals with issues of racism, social justice and ethics in a non-discriminatory manner. Character development is well-done and the dramatic tension is superb. If you are a fan of crime-drama and detective stories, you won't be disappointed!

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