Legal Eagles (1986)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Ivan Reitman

Writers:

Jim Cash (screenplay)
Jim Cash (story)

Release Date:

18 June 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

Tom Logan has a law partner who put a dog on the witness stand. A client who can't enter a room without a crime being committed. And a case that could turn out to be the murder of the year. His.

Plot:

District Attorney Tom Logan is set for higher office, at least until he becomes involved with defence...

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Painting | City | Scam | Insurance

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Robert Redford	...	Tom Logan
Debra Winger	...	Laura J. Kelly
Daryl Hannah	...	Chelsea Deardon
Brian Dennehy	...	Cavanaugh
Terence Stamp	...	Victor Taft
Steven Hill	...	Bower
David Clennon	...	Blanchard
John McMartin	...	Forrester
Jennifer Dundas	...	Jennifer Logan (as Jennie Dundas)
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Judge Dawkins
Christine Baranski	...	Carol Freeman
Sara Botsford	...	Barbara
David Hart	...	Marchek
James Hurdle	...	Sebastian Dearden
Gary Howard Klar	...	Hit Man

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:14A | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Debra Winger actually left the powerful CAA agency over this film. She felt that since all the major cast and crew members were with CAA at the time, they did not hire the best people, they hired only clients who could get the film made.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The action of the movie appears to take place during a winter-like season (lots of rain and occasional snowflakes) yet a shot of the Empire State building has the lighting at the top in red, white and blue, coloring usually used around the Fourth of July or other non-Winter holidays.

Quotes:

Tom Logan: Ladies and gentlemen, Chelsea Deardon didn't kill Victor Taft. The prosecution has suggested a possible motive, but one based on hearsay, conjecture and circumstantial evidence. Evidence that appears to have some substance, but upon closer examination, will prove to have no relevance whatsoever to this case.
[stops and looks at the jury]
Tom Logan: You're not buying this, are you? You're not listening to a word I'm saying. Yeah? Guess what? I don't blame you. After listening to Mr. Blanchard lay out the prosecution's evidence, even I'M convinced my client murdered Victor Taft.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Soundtrack:

LOVE TOUCH

Subtle in parts, lightweight and easy to watch

You don't get actors like Redford and Winger anymore. The subtleties in their facial expressions, the humanness of their characters are evident in each move they make and each action. In a sense, there is no 'acting', since the storyline, the characters and the flow reach a natural confluence. The only character that makes me feel a bit uncomfortable is Daryl Hannah's Chelsea - the performance artist. Brian Dennehy is also a little underutilised, but the movie is really a swinger for both Winger and Redford who make their attraction and talent as attorneys believable.

I've seen this movie about 5 times over the years and I never get sick of it. Though I know the plot, each time I find myself watching the actors rather than predicting the storyline. Its just great and really, so easy to watch and enjoy. There is humour, old fashioned romance, good IL' bad guys vs good guys, a bit of blood and gore and a lot of fine art thrown in. I highly recommend it!