Mulholland Falls (1996)

In 1950's Los Angeles, a special crime squad of the LAPD investigates the murder of a young woman.

Director:

Lee Tamahori

Writers:

Peter Dexter (story) (as Pete Dexter), Floyd Mutrux (story)

Stars:

Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, Jennifer Connelly

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nick Nolte	...	Max Hoover
Melanie Griffith	...	Katherine Hoover
Chazz Palminteri	...	Elleroy Coolidge
Michael Madsen	...	Eddie Hall
Chris Penn	...	Arthur Relyea
Treat Williams	...	Colonel Nathan Fitzgerald
Jennifer Connelly	...	Allison Pond
Daniel Baldwin	...	McCafferty
Andrew McCarthy	...	Jimmy Fields
John Malkovich	...	General Thomas Timms
Kyle Chandler	...	Captain
Ed Lauter	...	Earl
Larry Garrison	...	Perino's Maitre d'
Chelsea Harrington	...	Lolita
Johnna Johnson	...	Bar Woman

Storyline

This film is about the adventures of a 1940's special anti-gangster police squad in Los Angeles, the infamous 'Hat Squad.' The four members of this squad are big, tough, no-nonsense cops who don't hesitate to break the law, if it suits their purposes. When a local woman is murdered, their investigation turns up the fact that she had been romantically linked to several prominent men and had secret films taken of her liaisons. Since one of those men is the powerful U.S. Army General at the head of the then-new Atomic Energy Commission and another is the (married) leader of the Hat Squad, complications ensue. The FBI even gets involved in an attempted cover-up.

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Plot Keywords:

neo noir | murder | military | 1950s | breasts | 

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Taglines:

This isn't America, this is Los Angeles

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, violence and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ridley Scott considered directing this after production on his film "Hot Zone" was cancelled, but he decided to make White Squall (1996) instead.

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Goofs

While on restricted government land, at the time the Nevada Test Site, the Hats peer into the crater from an atomic bomb shot. The crater was actually formed from the Operation Plowshare, Storax Sedan shot on July 6, 1962.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Perino's Maitre d': Good evening, gentlemen can I check your hats, please?

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Connections

Referenced in Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck (2013)

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Soundtracks

So Tired
Written by Russ Morgan and Jack Stuart
Performed by Kay Starr
Courtesy of Capitol Records
By arrangement with CEMA Special Markets

User Reviews

great visuals

This film has an excellent eye appeal due mostly to the efforts of Haskell Wexler (cinematographer). See more of his work in "Matewan","Bound For Glory" and "The Secret of Roan Inish".

Nick Nolte, one of America's best actors, gives us one of Film's best visual performances. Watch closely the scene in the cemetary with Melanie Griffith as Nolte,without words,displays a man who has lost the one thing that makes him love.

Details

Official Sites:

MGM's Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 April 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mulholland Falls

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Studios - 5800 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$29,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,306,221, 28 April 1996

Gross USA:

$11,526,099

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,526,099

Company Credits

Production Co:

Largo Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Polygram Filmed Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

DTS DTS-Stereo

Color:

Color Black and White (home movie sequences)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1