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IMDbPro

L.A. Confidential

  • 19971997
  • RR
  • 2h 18m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
577K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
721
107
Kim Basinger, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito, and Guy Pearce in L.A. Confidential (1997)
Trailer for L.A. Confidential
Play trailer2:16
2 Videos
99+ Photos
CrimeDramaMystery
As corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.As corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.As corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
577K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
721
107
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Curtis Hanson
    • Writers
      • James Ellroy(based on the novel by)
      • Brian Helgeland(screenplay by)
      • Curtis Hanson(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • Kevin Spacey
      • Russell Crowe
      • Guy Pearce
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Curtis Hanson
    • Writers
      • James Ellroy(based on the novel by)
      • Brian Helgeland(screenplay by)
      • Curtis Hanson(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • Kevin Spacey
      • Russell Crowe
      • Guy Pearce
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 793User reviews
    • 151Critic reviews
    • 90Metascore
    Top rated movie #113
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 92 wins & 86 nominations total

    Videos2

    L.A. Confidential
    Trailer 2:16
    L.A. Confidential
    L.A. Confidential
    Trailer 0:31
    L.A. Confidential

    Photos229

    Russell Crowe in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Danny DeVito in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Russell Crowe and Danny DeVito in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Kevin Spacey and Symba in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, James Cromwell, and Guy Pearce in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Ron Rifkin in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Kim Basinger and Guy Pearce in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Guy Pearce in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Paul Guilfoyle in L.A. Confidential (1997)
    Kim Basinger, Russell Crowe, David Strathairn, and Amber Smith in L.A. Confidential (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kevin Spacey
    Kevin Spacey
    • Jack Vincennes
    Russell Crowe
    Russell Crowe
    • Bud White
    Guy Pearce
    Guy Pearce
    • Ed Exley
    Kim Basinger
    Kim Basinger
    • Lynn Bracken
    James Cromwell
    James Cromwell
    • Dudley Smith
    Danny DeVito
    Danny DeVito
    • Sid Hudgens
    David Strathairn
    David Strathairn
    • Pierce Patchett
    Ron Rifkin
    Ron Rifkin
    • D.A. Ellis Loew
    Matt McCoy
    Matt McCoy
    • 'Badge of Honor' Star Brett Chase
    Paul Guilfoyle
    Paul Guilfoyle
    • Mickey Cohen
    Paolo Seganti
    Paolo Seganti
    • Johnny Stompanato
    Elisabeth Granli
    Elisabeth Granli
    • Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner
    Sandra Taylor
    Sandra Taylor
    • Mickey Cohen's Mambo Partner
    Steve Rankin
    Steve Rankin
    • Officer Arresting Mickey Cohen
    Graham Beckel
    Graham Beckel
    • Richard 'Dick' Stensland
    Allan Graf
    Allan Graf
    • Wife Beater
    Precious Chong
    Precious Chong
    • Wife
    Symba
    Symba
    • Jack's Dancing Partner
    • (as Symba Smith)
    • Director
      • Curtis Hanson
    • Writers
      • James Ellroy(based on the novel by)
      • Brian Helgeland(screenplay by)
      • Curtis Hanson(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      At the time the film takes place, no building in Los Angeles was allowed to be taller than City Hall, so the cameras were placed at certain points so that any building taller than City Hall would not be seen.
    • Goofs
      In one shot, when Bud White is dangling the D.A. out the window, the actor's safety cable is visible.
    • Quotes

      Captain Dudley Smith: Have you a valediction, boyo?

      Jack Vincennes: [gasping out a name] ... Rollo Tamasi.

      [laughs, painfully, to himself as he dies]

    • Crazy credits
      At the end of all the credits, there is a brief scene from "Badge of Honor" featuring a onscreen dedication in honor Sgt. who served as an advisor to the film. The scene shows a black-and-white closing moment of "Badge of Honor" with the credits as Badge of Honor actor (Matt McCoy) closes the door on the HOMICIDE office and walks sorrowfully away.
    • Alternate versions
      In the Hong Kong television version, during the scene where Bud breaks into the interrogation room, the part where he removes all the bullets from the gun but one is removed for some reason. So it cuts straight from his coming into the room and then sticking the gun into the rapist's mouth without giving it a Russian roulette feel.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Game/The End of Violence/L.A. Confidential/The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive
      Written by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen

      Performed by Johnny Mercer

      Courtesy of Capitol Records

      Under license from EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets

    User reviews793

    Review
    Top review
    Great Detective Movie
    L.A. Confidential is the most classy, intriguing, thought provoking and sexiest detective movie ever to be made in the history of detective films.

    When you look back at it and see that Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey and Guy Pearce actually appeared in the same film back in 97 then you wouldn't have believed it since they have all gone on to better things but before that we had L.A. Confidential which was Crowe's and Pearce's ticket into Hollywood. Spacey had already made it with his Best Supporting Actor nod for The Usual Suspects but what puzzles me is how everybody apart from Kim Basinger didn't get any acting nominations at the Oscars. James Cromwell is the most chilled out villain you'll ever going to see in a film like this and has been criminally ignored by the Academy. Curtis Hanson was also someone who had made some good films but no masterpieces till this came along.

    They all must have sold their souls to make this because when you get big cast get together to make a Hollywood film then you become a bit intrigued by it because if the cast is big then is the story any good? In L.A. Confidential's case it had both and a lot more to say the least.

    I still think that this is Spacey's, Crowe's and Pearce's best film of there career. Russell Crowe as tough guy but sentimental towards women Bud White is flawless and is quite like the real Russell Crowe which is scary. Guy Pearce as the quick witted but dumb looking Ed Exley is someone one you either love or you hate as the annoying rookie. Kevin Spacey is just as cool as anything that Bogart and Mitchium could have pulled off as Jack Vincennes and there is the movie along with a great script by Brain Heagland of Mystic River fame and Curtis Hanson himself who put together a great script from James Elroy's novel.

    Kim Basinger is as sexy as she is going to get and her acting is very good and well deserving of her Oscar if the boys were robbed. I liked how we had three different stories and one case that all had something to do with another but were all separate anyway till the end. It was like watching a movie with three stories based on a trio of detectives. L.A. Confidential was a treat as far as storytelling goes because it enthrals you into the film straight away as well as it being more exciting than a night out in Vegas.

    We don't see Detective films like this so we should be grateful that this came along when it did.
    helpful•147
    30
    • oneflewovertheapocalypse
    • Apr 15, 2004

    FAQ19

    • Is this movie based on a book?
    • Right before Bloody Christmas, Exley says that the two officers who were beaten by the Mexican men sustained minor injuries. How did the other officers come to the conclusion that their injuries were worse?
    • Did Exley actually testify at the beginning?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 19, 1997 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bí Mật Los Angeles
    • Filming locations
      • Frolic Room - 6245 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • New Regency Productions
      • The Wolper Organization
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $64,616,940
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,211,198
      • Sep 21, 1997
    • Gross worldwide
      • $126,216,940
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 18 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

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