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IMDbPro

Best Seller

  • 19871987
  • RR
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
5.6K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
21,365
2,013
James Woods and Brian Dennehy in Best Seller (1987)
Hit man Cleve approaches writer/cop Dennis about a story for his next book: How Cleve made a living, working for one of the most powerful politicians in the country. To get the story right, they travel around the country to gather statements and evidence, while strong forces use any means they can to keep the story untold.
Play trailer1:45
1 Video
66 Photos
ActionCrimeDrama
A hitman approaches a writer to help him create his next best seller, but the violent world he was a part of has other plans.A hitman approaches a writer to help him create his next best seller, but the violent world he was a part of has other plans.A hitman approaches a writer to help him create his next best seller, but the violent world he was a part of has other plans.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
5.6K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
21,365
2,013
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • John Flynn
    • Writer
      • Larry Cohen
    • Stars
      • James Woods
      • Brian Dennehy
      • Victoria Tennant
    Top credits
    • Director
      • John Flynn
    • Writer
      • Larry Cohen
    • Stars
      • James Woods
      • Brian Dennehy
      • Victoria Tennant
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 40User reviews
    • 40Critic reviews
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:45
    Trailer

    Photos66

    Still of James Woods, Brian Dennehy and Sydney Urshan in Best Seller (1987)
    James Woods and Brian Dennehy in Best Seller (1987)
    James Woods and Brian Dennehy in Best Seller (1987)
    James Woods and Brian Dennehy in Best Seller (1987)
    James Woods and Brian Dennehy in Best Seller (1987)
    Best Seller (1987)
    James Woods in Best Seller (1987)
    Best Seller (1987)
    James Woods and Brian Dennehy in Best Seller (1987)
    James Woods in Best Seller (1987)
    Best Seller (1987)
    Brian Dennehy in Best Seller (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Woods
    James Woods
    • Cleve
    Brian Dennehy
    Brian Dennehy
    • Dennis Meechum
    Victoria Tennant
    Victoria Tennant
    • Roberta Gillian
    Allison Balson
    Allison Balson
    • Holly Meechum
    Paul Shenar
    Paul Shenar
    • David Madlock
    George Coe
    George Coe
    • Graham
    Anne Pitoniak
    • Mrs. Foster
    Mary Carver
    Mary Carver
    • Cleve's Mother
    Sully Boyar
    Sully Boyar
    • Monks
    Kathleen Lloyd
    Kathleen Lloyd
    • Annie
    Charles Tyner
    Charles Tyner
    • Cleve's Father
    • (as Harold Tyner)
    E. Brian Dean
    • Taxi Driver
    Jeffrey Josephson
    • Pearlman
    Edward Blackoff
    • Thorn
    Branscombe Richmond
    Branscombe Richmond
    • Longshoreman #1
    J.P. Bumstead
    • Rothman
    William Bronder
    • Foley
    Jenny Gago
    Jenny Gago
    • Woman in Laundry
    • Director
      • John Flynn
    • Writer
      • Larry Cohen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      James Woods had just quit smoking prior to filming. When it came time to shoot the cigarette on the palm scene, Woods suggested he take an already lit cigarette off of a patron--that way he wouldn't have to light and smoke a cigarette.
    • Goofs
      While the robbery at the beginning of the movie was set in 1972, the robbers are driving a 1975-1978 Ford Econoline van.
    • Quotes

      Cleve: [as he menaces Roberta Gillian with a knife] Am I sympathetic? Will they like me? Please don't lie to me! Is it an important book?

    • Connections
      Referenced in Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau (2014)

    User reviews40

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Cop/Killer; two sides of the same coin.
    Best Seller is directed by John Flynn and written by Larry Cohen. It stars James Woods, Brian Dennehy and Victoria Tennant. Music is by Jay Ferguson and cinematography by Fred Murphy.

    Cop Dennis Meechum (Dennehy) survives being shot during a robbery at the police evidence storage and writes a well received book about the events. Years later he's widowed, raising his daughter on his own and suffering from writers block as he tries to write another novel. Into his life comes Cleve (Woods), a mysterious man who saves Meechum's life and announces that he is a paid assassin and wishes Meechum to write a book about his work for a top name in industry......

    Only in America Dennis.

    It's a lovely hook is this, a cop and a killer paired together, their relationship explored via an uneasy buddy buddy formula, where the fruits of their partnership will bring very differing rewards. Along with the crackerjack turns from Dennehy (lovable burn-out) and Woods (cold-blooded calm), it's the smart screenplay from Cohen that makes Best Seller worthy of a rental at least. How it is going to pan out always keeps one interested in the tale, while there's clearly some snarky observations on America's lust for capital gain. Violence flits in and out to add some bloody pulp to proceedings, but ultimately it's the dialogue, the suspicious mood crafted by Flynn and characterisations that give the film its vitality.

    Released in the same year as Lethal Weapon, it appears that Best Seller got lost in the slip-stream of that higher octane fuelled picture (in fact Dennehy gets to say the same "too old for this" line that Glover trademarked in Lethal Weapon). It's not on a par with Donner's movie, and it's far from perfect; the ending is a bit tamer than we would perhaps like and Paul Shenar's villain is a standard suit job, but there's good craft here on the page and on both sides of the camera. 7/10
    helpful•12
    3
    • hitchcockthelegend
    • Mar 3, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 25, 1987 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Hard Cover
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles City Hall - 200 North Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Hemdale
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $4,278,150
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $905,399
      • Sep 27, 1987
    • Gross worldwide
      • $4,278,150
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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