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

The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Jennifer Connelly, Richard Sylbert and Louise Fletcher; and six Oscar nominees: Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, Virginia Madsen, Bruce Dern, John Malkovich and Chazz Palminteri.

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Goofs

During the fight in the plane, two gunshots are heard before anyone draws a gun. Later, two muzzle flashes are visible (including the one that punctures the cockpit), but no sound effects accompany them.

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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 Open Water (2003)

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Soundtracks

Harbour Lights
Written by Jimmy Kennedy and Will Grosz (as Hugh Williams)
Arranged by Jimmie Haskell
Performed by Aaron Neville
Aaron Neville appears courtesy of A&M Records

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:

Black and White (home movie sequences) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1