The Firm (1993)

A young lawyer joins a prestigious law firm only to discover that it has a sinister dark side.

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

John Grisham (novel), David Rabe (screenplay)

Stars:

Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Cruise	...	Mitch McDeere
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Abby McDeere
Gene Hackman	...	Avery Tolar
Hal Holbrook	...	Oliver Lambert
Terry Kinney	...	Lamar Quinn
Wilford Brimley	...	William Devasher
Ed Harris	...	Wayne Tarrance
Holly Hunter	...	Tammy Hemphill
David Strathairn	...	Ray McDeere
Gary Busey	...	Eddie Lomax
Steven Hill	...	F. Denton Voyles
Tobin Bell	...	The Nordic Man
Barbara Garrick	...	Kay Quinn
Jerry Hardin	...	Royce McKnight
Paul Calderon	...	Thomas Richie

Storyline

Mitch McDeere is a young man with a promising future in Law. About to sit his Bar exam, he is approached by 'The Firm' and made an offer he doesn't refuse. Seduced by the money and gifts showered on him, he is totally oblivious to the more sinister side of his company. Then, two Associates are murdered. The FBI contact him, asking him for information and suddenly his life is ruined. He has a choice - work with the FBI, or stay with the Firm. Either way he will lose his life as he knows it. Mitch figures the only way out is to follow his own plan...

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Plot Keywords:

seduction | frame up | briefcase | law | law firm | 

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Taglines:

Power can be murder to resist.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the movie was first released on VHS in December 1993, the cassettes were colored blue.

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Goofs

The law firm inundates the new hire with every possible benefit, lavish starting salary, house, car etc. But then they don't pay for their move from Boston to Memphis? A U-Haul hooked behind a beat-up Supra? With a job like this, one would expect that a moving company would be hired to do a door-to-door move including packing the whole household, while they would fly first class.

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Quotes

Mitch McDeere: You are Agent Wayne Terrance.
Wayne Tarrance: Yeah, you're goddamn right I am, and maybe local cops can't...
[stops as he realizes Mitch has baited him, then answers phone when it rings]
Wayne Tarrance: . Yeah?
Tammy: Is this Wayne Terrance?
Wayne Tarrance: Who is this?
Tammy: Is this Wayne Terrance?
Wayne Tarrance: Yeah, this is Wayne Terrance.
Tammy: So is this.
[plays tape of previous, self-incriminating conversation with Mitch]
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Since laundering drug money is a major theme, this appears: "The producers wish to thank the Cayman Islands Government...for their cooperation in the making of this film and acknowledge that the Cayman Islands have strict antidrug and money laundering laws which are rigorously enforced."

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Alternate Versions

In the scene when Mitch is at the Cayman Islands, and is talking to his new client Sonny Capps about tax representation, there is a line that had a strange overdubbing. Mitch's line "You'd feel like you were fucked with a dick big enough for an elephant to feel it" was re-shot for television. In the TV version, the line was replaced with "You'd feel like you had a prostate exam with a beach umbrella to feel it."

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Connections

Featured in Home and Away: Episode #1.1536 (1994)

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Soundtracks

Down De Road
Written & Performed by Andy Narell

User Reviews

Joining a law firm from hell can be detrimental to your health...

All the elements to make a hard-hitting melodrama of corruption (with FBI and Mafia aspects present) are unfolded here in a gripping yarn from John Grisham's novel. Tom Cruise is excellent as a young man who joins a small but prosperous law firm, only to discover that all the perks he enjoys come at great expense to his integrity, not to mention his life. The plot thickens when members of the firm are murdered and Cruise gets drawn into the unmasking of the firm, risking his life to reveal the criminals. Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter and Hal Holbrook all give strong performances, with Hunter fully deserving her Oscar nomination. The pacing is good despite the film's length (well over 2 1/2 hrs.) and there's seldom a dull moment. Especially gripping is the supercharged climax.

Not having read the book, I see where others are disappointed with the ending. Having no comparison to make, I can only say that it kept me absorbed until the final scene. Definitely a must-see if you enjoy action thrillers with a climactic punch. One of the best films of the '90s, full of suspenseful twists and turns.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 June 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Firm

Filming Locations:

Front Street Deli, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$42,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$25,400,000, 4 July 1993

Gross USA:

$158,348,367

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$270,248,367

Company Credits

Production Co:

Davis Entertainment, Mirage Enterprises, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

154 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1