Just Cause (1995)

A Harvard professor is lured back into the courtroom after twenty-five years to take the case of a young black man condemned to death for the horrific murder of a child.

Director:

Arne Glimcher

Writers:

John Katzenbach (novel), Jeb Stuart (screenplay)

Stars:

Sean Connery, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Capshaw

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Connery	...	Paul Armstrong
Laurence Fishburne	...	Sheriff Tanny Brown
Kate Capshaw	...	Laurie Prentiss Armstrong
Blair Underwood	...	Bobby Earl
Ed Harris	...	Blair Sullivan
Christopher Murray	...	Detective T.J. Wilcox
Ruby Dee	...	Evangeline
Scarlett Johansson	...	Katie Armstrong
Daniel J. Travanti	...	Warden
Ned Beatty	...	McNair
Liz Torres	...	Delores Rodriguez
Lynne Thigpen	...	Ida Conklin
Taral Hicks	...	Lena Brown
Victor Slezak	...	Sgt. Rogers
Kevin McCarthy	...	Phil Prentiss

Storyline

Bobby Earl (Blair Underwood) is facing the electric chair for the murder of a young girl. Eight years after the crime, he calls in Paul Armstrong (Sir Sean Connery), a professor of law, to help prove his innocence. Armstrong quickly uncovers some overlooked evidence to present to the local police, but they aren't interested, Bobby was their killer.

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Plot Keywords:

child gagged | murder | florida | prison interview | african american | 

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Taglines:

Buried deep in the Florida Everglades is a secret that can save an innocent man or let a killer kill again.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ed Harris plays a character named 'Blair' and one of his costars in the film is Blair Underwood.

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Goofs

During the chase scene as they approach the draw-bridge, both sides of the bridge are raised to 45 degrees. Seconds later, when the car jumps the bridge, the far side is down again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Bobby Earl: Hey, you want my money, you best start throwing some elbow into that, boy. A dollar fifty, that's two bits shy of a car wash.
Kid Washing Car #1: A dollar fifty *each*.
Bobby Earl: Oh man, now you must got me confused with some other idiot.

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Connections

References Cape Fear (1991)

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Soundtracks

Guantanamera
Written by Julian Orbon, José Fernández Díaz, Hector Angulo and José Martí
Arranged by Pete Seeger
Sung by Delores

User Reviews

There is one terrific performance

The film is mediocre, but seeing Ed Harris' performance as a manipulative serial killer (I'm not giving anything away by telling you this) is worth the entire movie. Too often serial killers are played as geniuses--Jack in "The Profiler" or Kevin Spacey's character in "Seven"; Harris creates a malignant redneck monster that really will startle and chill you. No one goes from zero to sixty like Harris since George C. Scott left us; in this film he modulates his voice amazingly, sounding quietly venomous one moment and then thundering like a fire and brimstone Southern minister. In Connery's case, it's just bad casting: he plays an academic consulting lawyer (a la Dershowitz {sp?}) who combats Fishburne's menacing but canny Southern cop. Connery's other roles and the notion of him they have created in us make it impossible for him to play the effete lawyer that the script seems to call for.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 February 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Just Cause

Filming Locations:

Collier County, Florida, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,607,932, 20 February 1995

Gross USA:

$36,853,222

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$36,853,222

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Fountainbridge Films, Lee Rich Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1