The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)

A partially idealized film of the controversial pornography publisher and how he became a defender of free speech for all people.

Director:

Milos Forman

Writers:

Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski

Stars:

Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, Edward Norton

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 24 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Woody Harrelson	...	Larry Flynt
Courtney Love	...	Althea Leasure Flynt
Edward Norton	...	Alan Isaacman
Brett Harrelson	...	Jimmy Flynt
Donna Hanover	...	Ruth Carter Stapleton
James Cromwell	...	Charles Keating
Crispin Glover	...	Arlo
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Chester
Miles Chapin	...	Miles
James Carville	...	Simon Leis
Richard Paul	...	Reverend Jerry Falwell
Burt Neuborne	...	Roy Grutman
Jan Tríska	...	The Assassin
Cody Block	...	10-Year-Old Larry
Ryan Post	...	8-Year-Old Jimmy

Storyline

Larry Flynt is the hedonistically obnoxious, but indomitable, publisher of Hustler magazine. The film recounts his struggle to make an honest living publishing his porn magazine and how it changes into a battle to protect the freedom of speech for all people.

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Plot Keywords:

magazine | hustler magazine | publisher | publishing | porn magazine | 

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Taglines:

You may not like what he does, but are you prepared to give up his right to do it?

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual material, nudity, language and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Larry Flynt

Filming Locations:

Abandoned train station, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$36,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

ITL 707,929,000 (Italy) (28 February 1997)

Gross:

$20,191,312 (USA) (25 April 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Filmhaus, Illusion Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Larry Flynt originally wanted Ashley Judd to play Althea.

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Goofs

Cincinnati is misspelled "Cincinatti" multiple times in the end credits.

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Quotes

Larry Flint: Opinions are like assholes, everybody's got one.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Mike Myers/Aerosmith (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Tannhauser Overture"
Written by Richard Wagner (uncredited)
Performed by New York Philharmonic
Conducted by Pierre Boulez
Courtesy of Sony Classical
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Unusual, audacious film

As Larry Flynt is hardly the usual type of person you think of when you think of the word "hero," it's fitting that this biopic opts not for the standard approach, but to make an offbeat comedy(as writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski did in their screenplay for ED WOOD and the upcoming MAN ON THE MOON, about controversial comedian Andy Kaufman). You may not like him(and one of two faults I had with this film was I think the filmmakers lionized him a little too much), but certainly any society which calls itself free needs to make room for him. Harrelson does a good job in the title role, but the real force for me came from Courtney Love, in an astonishing performance as Flynt's wife, and Edward Norton, one of the best new talents, as Flynt's reluctant lawyer.

Besides that it does lionize Flynt a little too much, there is one problem I had, though. If you believe the film, all of Flynt's opposition came from right-wing blowhards like Charles Keating and Jerry Falwell. Certainly, they did have the most publicized tussles with him. But to ignore the problems he had with feminists makes it rather limited. I don't agree with Gloria Steinhem's contention that the film ignores his depraved side, but I think the film would have been more interesting if it had addressed the opposition he had from both the left and the right. Still, this is a terrific and important film to remind us what freedom really is.