Mystery

Crime

Thriller

Presumed Innocent

Mirage Enterprises

Warner Bros. Pictures

United States of America

English

Harrison Ford

Brian Dennehy

Raúl Juliá

Bonnie Bedelia

Paul Winfield

Greta Scacchi

John Spencer

Joe Grifasi

Tom Mardirosian

Anna Maria Horsford

Sab Shimono

Bradley Whitford

Christine Estabrook

Michael Tolan

Madison Arnold

Ron Frazier

Jesse Bradford

Joseph Mazzello

Tucker Smallwood

Leland Gantt

Teodorina Bello

David Wohl

John M. Bennett

Bo Rucker

Peter Appel

John Ottavino

Robert Katims

Joseph Carberry

John Seitz

Bill Winkler

John C. Vennema

Michael Genet

Richard L. Newcomb

Ed Wheeler

Miles Watson

DeAnn Mears

Julia Meade

Thom Cagle

Ricky Rosa

Allison Field

Janis Corsair

Bill Corsair

Carla Barnett

Rick De Furia

Victor Truro

Elizabeth Williams

Jeffrey Wright

Ted Neustadt

Kimberleigh Aarn

David Hummel

Anibal O. Lleras

Nick Pernice

John Reidy

Sheri Mann Stewart

John Williams

Frank Pierson

Gordon Willis

Sydney Pollack

Evan A. Lottman

Alan J. Pakula

Craig Lyman

George Jenkins

Susan Solt

Alixe Gordin

Scott Turow

Carol Joffe

Robert Guerra

John Boxer

Mark Rosenberg

Tony Adler

Suzanne Schwarzer

George Patsos

Paul Zydel

Colleen Callaghan

Gilbert Gertsen

Karen Hale Wookey

Fern Buchner

Vincent Callaghan

Frank Graziadei

Richard Portman

Alex Hapsas

David Starke

Craig DiBona

Richard Crudo

John Seakwood

Ron Bochar

Darrell Hanzalik

Judi Goodman

James Fitzpatrick

Anthony Zappia

Don Zappia

Laura Civiello

James Pollard

Kenneth Wannberg

James Sabat

Douglas C. Hart

Louis Sabat

Janet Shaw

Jeffrey Stern

Richard Dooley

Peter Pastorelli

Beth Kuhn

Teresa Carriker-Thayer

Steven Gamiello

Dick Tice

Val Sklar

Gail Carroll-Coe

Kevin Fitzpatrick

Robert Hayward

Lee Fonvielle

Gregory D'Agostino

Bruce Pross

Steven Visscher

Kam Chan

Chris Fielder

Yvette Nabel

Joan Franklin

Randy N. Barbee

Lisa M. Marfleet

Joy Todd

Love - it's a killer.

Presumed Innocent is directed by Alan J. Pakula, who also co-adapts for the screen with Frank Pierson from the Scott Turow novel. It stars Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, Bonnie Bedelia, Raúl Juliá, Paul Winfield, John Spencer and Greta Scacchi. Music is scored by John Williams and Richard Wolf, and cinematography is by Gordon Willis.

Prosecuting attorney Rusty Sabich (Ford) suddenly finds himself a murder suspect after his one time lover, Carolyn Polhemus (Scacchi), is found raped and murdered in her home. As the evidence piles up against him, and his marriage comes under further strain, Rusty hires top lawyer Sandy Stern (Juliá) to represent him when the case goes to trial. Battling the system that he knows inside out, Rusty finds that there's a big can of worms about to be opened.

A tip top court room mystery drama that we could do with seeing more of these days. Expertly strung together by the director of All the Presidents Men and Sophie's Choice, Presumed Innocent isn't just a by the numbers legal who done it? The makers get in deep with the political machinations of a district attorney's office, the intricate steps of a police investigation, and of course the legal eagle operations of a court room. In to the mix is an horrendous crime, of which a lawyer himself is charged with committing, he may or may not be guilty of the crime, but wonderfully we are never sure until the astonishing finale plays out. The air of mystery hangs heavy throughout, nagging away like an itch you can't scratch, with Pakula neatly unfolding the drama in a collage of flashbacks, side-plots and present time intricacies. Mood is heightened by the photography of Gordon Willis, who along with Pakula's looming camera work, manages to convey a claustrophobic feel in keeping with an unstable marriage and a court room itself.

A great cast is assembled for the picture. Ford expertly plays it low key, brooding intently, he makes us unsure as to his guilt or innocence, and that's a testament to how good his performance is. Bedelia is excellent as the stoic wife, holding it together as the marital cracks begin to appear, and Juliá dominates the second half of the picture as we shift to the court room. Dennehy does a nice line in morally compromised smarm, and Scacchi wonderfully exudes a femme fatale sexuality. Winfield is a mighty presence as the judge presiding over such a tricky case, and Spencer is as reliable as ever. Only disappointments come with the performances of Joe Grifasi and Tom Mardirosian, who as the prosecutors come across as wimpy and hardly brick tight lawyers trying a high profile murder case.

An intense and intellectual adult drama, Presumed Innocent is one of the best of its type from the modern era. 8.5/10

Pretty good mystery-legal-drama features fine performances, especially from Ford and Raul Julia, though does rely a lot on coincidences (lucky draw to get that judge) but still finely directed and liked John Williams's score. **3.75/5**

"Presumed Innocent" is an incredible pedigree of film on every level which opens by painting a portrait of the main protagonist Rusty Sabich, although the picture which slowly emerges is a far from perfect one. His marriage isn't all it could be or appears to be and his past is blighted by an obsessive and torrid love affair with co-worker Carolyn Polhemus. He suddenly finds himself on trial for her murder and all these unsavoury and unseemly past misdemeanours gradually and inevitably rise to the surface once more to create a fresh strain on his already fragile marriage. This is one of the many strengths of this film and it is perfectly balanced alongside the more investigatory aspects to produce a splendid film capable of some marvellously enigneered revelations which keep you completely hooked until the very end.

Presumed Innocent (1990)

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Presumed Innocent

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Cast

Harrison Ford

Brian Dennehy

Raúl Juliá

Bonnie Bedelia

Paul Winfield

Greta Scacchi

John Spencer

Joe Grifasi

Tom Mardirosian

Anna Maria Horsford

Box office

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