Legal Eagles (1986)

A New York district attorney works and flirts with his adversary and her kooky artist client, who is on trial for a murder she didn't commit.

Director:

Ivan Reitman

Writers:

Ivan Reitman (story), Jim Cash (story)

Stars:

Robert Redford, Debra Winger, Daryl Hannah

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Redford	...	Tom Logan
Debra Winger	...	Laura Kelly
Daryl Hannah	...	Chelsea Deardon
Brian Dennehy	...	Cavanaugh
Terence Stamp	...	Victor Taft
Steven Hill	...	Bower
David Clennon	...	Blanchard
John McMartin	...	Forrester
Jennifer Dundas	...	Jennifer Logan (as Jennie Dundas)
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Judge Dawkins
Christine Baranski	...	Carol Freeman
Sara Botsford	...	Barbara
David Hart	...	Marchek
James Hurdle	...	Sebastian Dearden
Gary Howard Klar	...	Hit Man (as Gary Klar)

Storyline

District Attorney Tom Logan is set for higher office, at least until he becomes involved with defence lawyer Laura Kelly and her unpredictable client Chelsea Deardon. It seems the least of Chelsea's crimes is the theft of a very valuable painting, but as the women persuade Logan to investigate further and to cut some official corners, a much more sinister scenario starts to emerge.

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Plot Keywords:

time bomb | bare chested male | detective | birthday party | cake | 

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Taglines:

A new comedy from the director of Ghostbusters

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the end credits, one can see that one of the works of art used in the film is from the collection of Mr. Cary Grant. As Grant would pass away the same year of the film's release, 1986, this would be one of his last screen credits.

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Goofs

At no point in the murder trial is bail discussed for the defendant. In a murder case, something should have been set.

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Quotes

Laura J. Kelly: That look in your eyes... pure blue steel.

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Alternate Versions

SPOILER: The syndicated broadcast version offers a considerably changed ending, in which the Daryl Hannah character goes from being innocent of murder to being guilty of one of the murders. (There are also differently edited versions of the Chelsea-is-guilty ending.)

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Connections

Featured in Rod Stewart: Love Touch (1986)

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Soundtracks

Love Touch
Performed by Rod Stewart
Written by Mike Chapman, Holly Knight and Gene Black
Available exclusively on Warner Bros. Records

User Reviews

Romance And Justice

I really do love Legal Eagles, it's a film that hearkens back to the stuff that William Powell and Myrna Loy did at MGM. I can see a younger Tracy and Hepburn in this film as well.

Robert Redford is the Jack McCoy of the New York County District Attorney's office and wouldn't you know it, Steven Hill plays the New York County DA here. Hill's thinking of hanging it up, but obviously as fans of Law and Order know, he eventually didn't. He's thinking of promoting Redford as his candidate to succeed him come the next election.

But for budding politico Redford, his life gets real complicated when defense attorney Debra Winger and her client Darryl Hannah enter his life. Hannah is the daughter of a famed artist who was killed in a loft fire where she barely escaped from when she was about 6. Since then she's become something of a wild child.

Hannah steals a picture from art dealer Terrence Stamp that she says is really hers. That starts a chain of events in which she's eventually accused of Stamp's murder. That same night Hannah decides she needs a little tender loving care and who better than the assistant district attorney to give it. The police bust her when she and Redford are in flagrato.

After that Redford decides to see how the other half lives working with Debra Winger on Hannah's defense.

What I liked about Legal Eagles is that it glided nicely from comedy to drama with little effort. The climax at Terrence Stamp's gallery was very well staged and Redford is being a most heroic lawyer.

Also in the cast are Roscoe Lee Browne as the judge at Hannah's trial and Brian Dennehy as a most interesting investigator. It's one of Robert Redford's best films and it's got style and substance.

With Redford, style is a given.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 June 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Legal Eagles

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,043,360, 22 June 1986

Gross USA:

$49,851,591

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$93,151,591

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Mirage Enterprises, Northern Lights Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1