The Pelican Brief (1993)

A law student uncovers a conspiracy, putting herself and others in danger.

Director:

Alan J. Pakula

Writers:

John Grisham (book), Alan J. Pakula (screenplay)

Stars:

Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julia Roberts	...	Darby Shaw
Denzel Washington	...	Gray Grantham
Sam Shepard	...	Thomas Callahan
John Heard	...	Gavin Vereek
Tony Goldwyn	...	Fletcher Coal
James Sikking	...	FBI Director Denton Voyles (as James B. Sikking)
William Atherton	...	Bob Gminski
Robert Culp	...	President
Stanley Tucci	...	Khamel
Hume Cronyn	...	Justice Rosenberg
John Lithgow	...	Smith Keen
Anthony Heald	...	Marty Velmano
Nicholas Woodeson	...	Stump
Stanley Anderson	...	Edwin Sneller
John Finn	...	Matthew Barr

Storyline

Two Supreme Court Justices have been killed. Now a college professor, who clerked for one of the two men and who is also having an affair with one of his students, is given a brief by her that states who probably wanted to see these two men dead. He then gives it to one of his friends, who works for the FBI. When the FBI director reads it, he is fascinated by it. One of the president's men who read it is afraid that if it ever got out, the president could be smeared. So he advises the president to tell the director to drop it, which he does. But later the professor and the girl were out and he was drunk and when he refused to give her the keys, she stepped out of the car. When he started it, it blew up. She then discovers that her place has been burglarized and what was taken were her computer and her disks. Obviously, her brief has someone agitated. She then turns to her boyfriend's friend at the FBI. He agrees to come meet her but before he does, someone shoots him and takes his ...

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Plot Keywords:

aerial camera shot | murderess | president | fbi | professor | 

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Taglines:

Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. One lone law student has stumbled upon the truth. An investigative journalist wants her story. Everybody else wants her dead.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for momentary language and some violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 December 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

El informe Pelícano

Filming Locations:

Spanish Plaza, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$16,864,404, 19 December 1993, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$100,768,056

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$195,268,056

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

141 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

F. Denton Voyles is the FBI Director in most of John Grisham's books which involve the FBI.

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Goofs

When Darby and Gray are being chased through the parking garage, the manilla envelope and papers in her hand change position repeatedly between shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Justice Rosenberg: Any of those signs got my name on 'em?
Gray Grantham: Quite a few.
Justice Rosenberg: What do they say?
Gray Grantham: The usual: Death to Rosenberg, Retire Rosenberg, Cut off the oxygen.
Justice Rosenberg: [laughs] That's my favorite. Of course you, Mr Grantham, did pretty good by me your last time out: Rosenberg equals the government over business, the individual over government, the environment over everything. And the Indians? Oh, give 'em whatever they want.
Gray Grantham: Well with all due respects sir, that wasn't my line, that was a quote.
Justice Rosenberg: From one of your...

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Connections

Referenced in Vive L'Amour (1994)

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Soundtracks

Clarinet Marmalade
Written by Larry Shields (as L. Shields) and Henry Ragas (as H. W. Ragas)
Performed by Rene Netto & The Sounds of New Orleans
Courtesy of H.E.R. Records

User Reviews

Pakula at his best....I love this movie

This is just a great 'whodunit' legal thriller. Gripping, intelligent, acting is superb, the story is well constructed and builds in this beautiful crescendo. It' a huge cast and everyone is perfectly suited for their role. It moves beautifully, it flows like a movie should flow. I can't find any real flaw worth sharing. Just isn't there. I think it sets up Denzel Washington to continue in his escalating career as a wonderful character actor, a huge movie star, a big talent. Tony Goldwyn, since GHOST has this tendency to play the 'bad guy' but what can I say, he's good in this film too. Robert Culp, I love his impossible character. Julia Roberts is wonderful as the young starry-eyed law student who stumbles upon things bigger than anything she ever imagined. I loved every moment of the film. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys good solid film making. It should be used in teaching film - how to construct a story, how to keep the story one step ahead of the audience, making it suspenseful and exciting without having to resort to unnecessary violence or sex to make a movie work. It almost breaks through 'formula' scripts as suggested by the pundits who often don't have their finger on the pulse of what audiences want. It's one of the few films that when ever on television draws me in again and again and again!