True Crime (1999)

Can an over-the-hill journalist uncover the evidence that can prove a death row inmate's innocence just hours before his execution?

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Andrew Klavan (novel), Larry Gross (screenplay)

Stars:

Clint Eastwood, Isaiah Washington, LisaGay Hamilton

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clint Eastwood	...	Steve Everett
Isaiah Washington	...	Frank Louis Beechum
LisaGay Hamilton	...	Bonnie Beechum
James Woods	...	Alan Mann
Denis Leary	...	Bob Findley
Bernard Hill	...	Warden Luther Plunkitt
Diane Venora	...	Barbara Everett
Michael McKean	...	Reverend Shillerman
Michael Jeter	...	Dale Porterhouse
Mary McCormack	...	Michelle Ziegler
Hattie Winston	...	Angela Russel
Penny Bae Bridges	...	Gail Beechum
Francesca Eastwood	...	Kate Everett (as Francesca Fisher-Eastwood)
John Finn	...	Reedy
Laila Robins	...	Patricia Findley

Storyline

Steve Everett, Oakland Tribune journalist with a passion for women and alcohol, is given the coverage of the upcoming execution of murderer Frank Beachum. His attractive colleague Michelle died in a car accident the night before. Bob Findley, Steve's boss and husband to Steve's current affair, wants him dead and gone as soon as possible. When Steve stumbles across the possibility of Frank Beachum being innocently on death row, Bob feels his time to have come. Now Steve only has a few hours left to prove the innocence of Frank and to be right with this theory, as he definitely will be history if he's not.

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Plot Keywords:

reporter | execution | death row | needle | recovering alcoholic | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 March 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

True Crimes

Filming Locations:

Cotati, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,276,109, 21 March 1999

Gross USA:

$16,635,339

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., The Zanuck Company, Malpaso Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Appearing in the movie as D.A. Cecilia Nussbaum is Frances Fisher, the former partner of Clint Eastwood. The pair's relationship ended in 1995 and the two worked together four years later on this film.

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Goofs

When Michelle drives away from the bar in her car, she turns on her lights. Then, in the next shot, she turns them on again.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. Roger Waters: [examining Beechum] Blood pressure: 120 over 70. Normal. All right, open wide. Looks fine. Healthy as a horse. Just one more thing, Luther.
Warden Luther Plunkitt: You got to whiz in the cup, Frank. Then we're done.

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Connections

Referenced in Just Visiting (2001)

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Soundtracks

Why Should I Care
Written by Clint Eastwood, Carole Bayer Sager and Linda Thompson
Produced by David Foster and Tommy LiPuma
Performed by Diana Krall
Courtesy of The Verve Music Group

User Reviews

Hurrah for Clint

No C.E. movie can ever be a complete disappointment but this one came close. Clint kissing a girl almost 50 years younger, Clint with a kid, while he could be her grand-grandfather etc. These are hopeless scenes, to be forgotten as quickly as we can. But with James Woods and is his pursuit for the truth it is still the good-old Clint Eastwood.

Unfortunately the story isn't strong enough to tip the balance. The film drags on till a ridiculous ending that fits in every Hollywood tradition, but is just a little bit too optimistic about the working of the judicial system for my taste. Oh, what the heck, I still had a good evening in front of the tv.