Absence of Malice (1981)

When a prosecutor leaks a false story that a liquor warehouse owner is involved in the murder of an union head, the man's life begins to unravel.

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writer:

Kurt Luedtke

Stars:

Paul Newman, Sally Field, Bob Balaban

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Phanie Napoli	...	Nickie (as Anna Marie Napoles)
Shelley Spurlock	...	Sarah Wylie
Shawn McAllister	...	Hood 1
Joe Petrullo	...	Hood 2

Storyline

Mike Gallagher is a Miami liquor wholesaler whose deceased father was a local mobster. The FBI organized crime task force has no evidence that he's involved with the mob but decide to pressure him perhaps revealing something - anything - about a murder they're sure was a mob hit. The let Megan Carter, a naive but well-meaning journalist, know he is being investigated and Gallagher's name is soon all over the newspaper. Gallagher has an iron-clad alibi for when the murder occurred but won't reveal it to protect his fragile friend Teresa. When Carter publishes her story, tragedy ensues. Needing to make amends, Carter tells Gallagher the source of the first story about him and he sets out to teach the FBI and the Federal Attorney a lesson.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | reporter | mafia | slander | ethics | 

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Taglines:

The D.A., Feds and the police set her up to write the story that explodes his world. Now he's going to write the book on getting even.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

18 December 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ausencia de malicia

Filming Locations:

Coral Gables, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$40,700,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Mirage Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This picture has often been considered as being the thematic opposite or reverse of All the President's Men.

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Goofs

Other date continuity errors: After Meghan says that the year is 1981 and Michael prints a cashier's check dated Dec. 11, 1980, Meghan gives him the clipping announcing that the investigation is off; the clipping is dated November 22, 1980. Still later Michael gets another cashier's check dated December 16.

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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.

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Connections

Referenced in Seinfeld: The Junk Mail (1997)

User Reviews

Absence of Feeling

This movie looks to have all the elements of a classic but somehow falls short. Unscrupulous prosecutor dupes reporter Field into creating (false) impression that businessman Newman was involved in a murder, in the hope that will somehow help his investigation. The lie has unexpected and tragic consequences, after which Newman turns the tables. Field is fine as liberated yet vulnerable thirty-something, Newman is also good if a little obscure in a difficult role; but Brimley as Asst US Attorney steals the show when he finally blows the whistle on everyone. Brimley's short time in this movie really is classic and Oscar-quality. The overall problem here is a little too much soapbox and not enough real emotion from nearly everyone.