RICHARD MARQUAND

Bil’s rating (out of 5):   BBB.5. 

USA, 1985.  Columbia Pictures Corporation, Delphi IV Productions.  Screenplay by Joe Eszterhas.  Cinematography by Matthew F. Leonetti.  Produced by Martin Ransohoff.  Music by John Barry.  Production Design by Gene Callahan.  Costume Design by Ann Roth.  Film Editing by Sean Barton, Conrad Buff IV.  

While this film doesn’t offer a murder mystery much different from any popular paperback novel, the experience of going through the colour-by-numbers plot is fun.   Glenn Close is excellent as a criminal lawyer (in criminally tight miniskirts) who hasn’t handled a murder case in years when a desperate man (Jeff Bridges) asks her to represent him. His wife was murdered in their home and he’s the prime suspect, on trial for her death and in need of a good lawyer. Close takes the case, eventually falling in love with Bridges but always sure to keep eyes peeled in case of emergency. Robert Loggia contributes terrific support as a policeman friend of Close’s who wants her to be more careful, and the script by Joe Eszterhas is a clever collection of twists and engaging courtroom dramatics.

Academy Award Nomination:  Best Supporting Actor (Robert Loggia)