L.A. Confidential (2003)

Unsold TV pilot based on the James Ellroy novel. An ambitious internal affairs investigator, a simple but tough patrolman and a morally gray vice squad detective investigate corruption and a mysterious heroin smuggling ring in 1950s L.A.

Director:

Eric Laneuville

Writers:

James Ellroy (novel), Walon Green

Stars:

Kiefer Sutherland, David Conrad, Josh Hopkins

Cast

Credited cast:
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Det. Jack Vincennes
Josh Hopkins	...	Officer Bud White
David Conrad	...	Det. Ed Exley
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Sid Hudgens
Melissa George	...	Lynn Bracken
Tom Nowicki	...	Capt. Smith
Eric Roberts	...	Pierce Patchett
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bruno Angelico	...	Chuey
J.R. Cacia	...	Drug Dealer (as Joseph Cacia)
Shannon Collis	...	Girl
Robert Foxworth	...	Ed Exley's father
Anna Gunn
David Hutchison	...	Officer #3
Damon Kirsche	...	Ranny Sanson
Jack McGee	...	Jack's Partner

Storyline

Originally made in 2000 and pitched unsuccessfully to both HBO and Fox, this unsold TV pilot based, like the Academy Award-winning L.A. Confidential (1997), on the novel of the same name by James Ellroy, follows an ambitious internal affairs investigator, a simple but tough patrolman and a morally gray vice squad detective investigating corruption and a mysterious heroin smuggling ring in 1950s L.A. Detective Ed Exley is an ambitious young internal affairs investigator with an influential father, who may or may not have gotten him the job. He is brought in to put corrupt cops under control but only faces mockery and hostility from his peers. Simple but tough patrolman, Bud White, who's still haunted by childhood memories of his father abusing his mother, bravely intervenes when two robbers take a woman hostage in her home, making him an ideal candidate for his precinct's captain's special clandestine police unit. Vice squad detective, Jack Vincennes, is still paying for his crime of ...

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Plot Keywords:

reference to marcel proust | reference to remembrance of things past the novel | reference to robert mitchum | reference to joseph conrad | reference to lord jim the novel | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

L.A. Confidential

Company Credits

Production Co:

Regency Television, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

47 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

James Cromwell, who played Captain Smith in the film, later played Kiefer Sutherland's father in season six of 24 (2001).

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Connections

Spun-off from L.A. Confidential (1997)

User Reviews

Absolutely Dreadful

I finished a repeat viewing of the masterful 1997 noir film of the same name on blu-ray, investigated the special features, and saw this TV pilot that never got picked up as a series... and you'd better thank your lucky stars for that, too! The story, dialogue, acting, direction, EVERYTHING is just beyond terrible. Thankfully, this one-and-done TV episode never got picked up, because if it had we'd never have been treated to Kiefer Sutherland's signature character, Jack Bauer, on "24" the following year.