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
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Title: Absence of Malice (1981)
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Edit
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:
Suppose you picked up this morning's newspaper and your life was a front page headline... And everything they said was accurate... But none of it was true. See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
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: Uh, not tonight.
Megan Carter: You said you wanted me to know you fast. You're not interested?
Michael Colin Gallagher: Maybe I'd like to think it was my idea.
Megan Carter: I'd like that too. Gallagher, I'm 34 years old. I don't need courting.
Michael Colin Gallagher: I'm from the Stone Age. I guess I do.
Megan Carter: I'll send you a dozen roses.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
One of two feature films where actress Melinda Dillon was Oscar nominated for Best Supporting Actress (the other is Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)). Both films were produced by Columbia Pictures. See more »Goofs
The articles in the newspaper use "dummy text" unrelated to the headlines. See more »Quotes
Megan Carter: Are you gonna follow me?Michael Colin Gallagher: Uh, not tonight.
Megan Carter: You said you wanted me to know you fast. You're not interested?
Michael Colin Gallagher: Maybe I'd like to think it was my idea.
Megan Carter: I'd like that too. Gallagher, I'm 34 years old. I don't need courting.
Michael Colin Gallagher: I'm from the Stone Age. I guess I do.
Megan Carter: I'll send you a dozen roses.
See more »
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Mighty good drama depicting corruption in the justice department intending, on the surface, to solve a crime, but, beneath the waters, to further political careers. Sally Field played the self centered, self deluded reporter perfectly against Newman's confused, angry victim. Worth seeing.