When a prosecutor leaks a false story that a liquor warehouse owner is involved in the murder of a union head, the man's life begins to unravel.
Director:
Sydney PollackWriter:
Kurt Luedtke
From metacritic.com
We played a round of "Pick Up or Ignore" with some classic "Better Call Saul" items and Nacho Varga himself.
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Title: Absence of Malice (1981)
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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 |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Mike Gallagher is a Miami liquor wholesaler whose deceased father was a local mobster. The FBI organized crime task force have no evidence that he's involved with the mob but decide to pressure him into perhaps revealing something - anything - about a murder they're sure was a mob hit. They 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. Written by garykmcd
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. See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
18 December 1981 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Ausencia de malicia See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$12,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$64,775, 22 November 1981, Limited ReleaseGross USA:
$40,716,963Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Michael Colin Gallagher: Everybody in this room is smart, and everybody was just doing their job, and Teresa Perrone is dead. Who do I see about that?
James A. Wells, Assistant U.S. Attorney General: Ain't nobody to see. I wish there was. You're excused, sir.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The lead male role of Michael Gallagher was originally conceived as an Italian man as per the initial intention of the filmmakers approaching star Al Pacino. The 11th March 1981 edition of show-business trade paper 'Variety' reported that originally the character had a father who was part of the Mafia. When 'Paul Newman' was cast, the ethnicity of the character had to be changed, with the character's name also changed, to the name of Michael Gallagher, and it was also decided to dispense with the character's mafia connection altogether. See more »Goofs
On the boat, Meg tucks the strap of her bag under her lapel. In the next shot, it is over her lapel. See more »Quotes
James A. Wells, Assistant U.S. Attorney General: You're a smart man, Mr. Gallagher. I'm pretty smart myself. Don't get too smart.Michael Colin Gallagher: Everybody in this room is smart, and everybody was just doing their job, and Teresa Perrone is dead. Who do I see about that?
James A. Wells, Assistant U.S. Attorney General: Ain't nobody to see. I wish there was. You're excused, sir.
See more »
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There's really no other word for it. I find the whole of this movie compelling, from Sally Fields' naivete to Paul Newman's innocent who turns the tables on his prosecutors, to the various supporting characters who all have their little niche. The best of all is Wilford Brimley, who gets to chew scenery and totally steal the scene he's in. It's an intelligent drama, addressing a subject as relevant today as it was in '81, with just enough humor to leaven the whole thing.