Jagged Edge (1985)

A wealthy woman is murdered in her beach house. The husband is allegedly knocked out first. He inherits all. He has a female ex criminal prosecutor represent him in court.

Director:

Richard Marquand

Writer:

Joe Eszterhas

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Glenn Close, Peter Coyote

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maria Mayenzet	...	Page Forrester
Peter Coyote	...	Thomas Krasny
Dave Austin	...	Policeman
Richard Partlow	...	Policeman
Lance Henriksen	...	Frank Martin
William Allen Young	...	Greg Arnold
Ben Hammer	...	Dr. Goldman
Jeff Bridges	...	Jack Forrester
James Karen	...	Andrew Hardesty
Sanford Jensen	...	Scott Talbot
Woody Eney	...	Austin Lofton
Al Ruscio	...	Carl Siegal
Sharon Hanian	...	Assistant D.A.
Sarah Cunningham	...	First Judge
Glenn Close	...	Teddy Barnes

Storyline

San Francisco heiress Page Forrester is brutally murdered in her remote beach house. Her husband Jack is devastated by the crime but soon finds himself accused of her murder. He hires lawyer Teddy Barnes to defend him, despite the fact she hasn't handled a criminal case for many years. There's a certain chemistry between them and Teddy soon finds herself defending the man she loves.

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Plot Keywords:

neo noir | two word title | giallo esque | horseback riding | reference to suicide | 

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Taglines:

There are two sides of this mystery. Murder...And Passion.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

First part of screenwriter Joe Eszterhas's San Francisco thriller trilogy. The subsequent films were Basic Instinct (1992) and Jade (1995).

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Goofs

During the final court day scene, Teddy Barnes' clothes change. This is because this scene was originally shot as two separate days, but were later edited into one final court day.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Sam Ransom: Fuck him. He was trash.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Physical Evidence/Parents/Gone with the Wind (50th Anniversary)/The Dressmaker (1989)

User Reviews

days of our knives

Some reviewers have called "Jagged Edge" a manipulative movie, but I didn't find it to be such at all. Granted, the plot seems to be something that we've often seen, but the director and stars know how to keep it from getting silly. When Jack Forrester (Jeff Bridges) is charged with murdering his wife, attorney Teddy Barnes (Glenn Close) defends him in court. In the process, she starts to get attracted to him. But as the story moves forward, questions start to arise: how much do we really know about any of these characters? Can an attorney get manipulated by her own client? Whom can one trust in uncertain situations? Sound hackneyed? Maybe it is a little, but the movie keeps you guessing every step of the way. Both Bridges and Close show why they're among the greatest stars of their generation. I can pretty much guarantee that you won't find this movie boring. It's hard to believe that this was directed by the same guy who did "Return of the Jedi".

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hearts of Fire

Filming Locations:

1761 Potrero Road, Hidden Valley, Thousand Oaks, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,094,091, 6 October 1985

Gross USA:

$40,491,165

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$40,491,165

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Delphi IV Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1