Twilight (1998)

Director:

Robert Benton

Writers (WGA):

Robert Benton (written by) &
Richard Russo (written by)

Release Date:

6 March 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

Some people can buy their way out of anything. Except the past.

Plot:

A retired ex-cop and private detective (Newman) who lives with a rich actor (Hackman) who is dying from...

Plot Keywords:

Money | Private Detective | Actress | Blackmail | Disappearance

Cast

Paul Newman	...	Harry Ross
Susan Sarandon	...	Catherine Ames
Gene Hackman	...	Jack Ames
Reese Witherspoon	...	Mel Ames
Stockard Channing	...	Lt. Verna Hollander
James Garner	...	Raymond Hope
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Reuben Escobar
Liev Schreiber	...	Jeff Willis
Margo Martindale	...	Gloria Lamar
John Spencer	...	Capt. Phil Egan
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Lester Ivar
Peter Gregory	...	Verna's Partner
Rene Mujica	...	Mexican Bartender
Jason Clarke	...	Young Cop #1
Patrick Malone	...	Younger Cop (as Patrick Y. Malone)

Also Known As:

The Magic Hour (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Cedric Gibbons/Dolores Del Rio house, Santa Monica, California, USA

Company:

Cinehaus

Trivia:

Newman's character has a few similarities with Lew Harper, the private eye played by Newman in Harper (1966) and The Drowning Pool (1975). It is quite possible that "Twilight" is meant to be an unofficial end to the saga of Harper. Newman said he liked returning to his old characters, he did it with Eddie Felson in The Color of Money (1986) 25 years after The Hustler (1961) with great success. Lew Harper was the movie version of Lew Archer, the protagonist in Ross MacDonald's famous novels. In "Twilight", Newman plays Harry Ross, which is probably a nod to MacDonald. Gene Hackman played a detective named "Harry Moseby" in Night Moves (1975), also based on a P.I. created by Ross MacDonald.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Harry and Gloria are under the pier, their conversation doesn't match how and when their lips are moving.

Quotes:

Catherine: I can't help but notice how...familiar you've become with everything in this house.
Harry: You know what I think? (Dumping out drink) I think you're right.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

Soundtrack:

The Very Thought of You

a movie for grownups

With all the action-schlock movies coming out of Hollywood, and all the obsession with special effects, it is nice to have a movie about real characters with some real acting. This is a great cast with Newman in his usual fine form, and Hackman, Sarandon, and Garner reminding us what real acting is all about. I don't know why this film reminded me of L.A.Confidential in the story line, but this film's characters have depth and texture, unlike the cardboard cutouts of that movie. The gritty plot, about past crime, betrayal, friendship, and loyalty, is not without its moments of sardonic humor, and Elmer Bernstein, who has been around forever, still churns out a great score. A grownup movie for grownups.