The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)

Director:

Milos Forman

Writers (WGA):

Scott Alexander (written by) &
Larry Karaszewski (written by)

Release Date:

25 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Magazine | Publisher | Larry Flynt | Hustler Magazine | Publishing

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 20 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

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 Triska	...	The Assassin
Cody Block	...	10-Year-Old Larry
Ryan Post	...	8-Year-Old Jimmy

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | USA:R (certificate # 34339) | France:U | Australia:MA | Austria:12 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Abandoned train station, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The closing argument by Edward Norton was taken verbatim from Alan L. Isaacman's actual closing arguments. Isaacman revealed this in a documentary of the film.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the beginning of the film, Larry is shown running a strip club in his early days (around mid '70s). On the wall of the club was a centerfold of Playboy Playmate Patricia Farinelli, Miss December 1981.

Quotes:

Larry Flynt: I got money, which gives me the power to shake up the system.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Mike Myers/Aerosmith (#22.16)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Polonaise

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.