A
big movie in the classic film noir style, with tough cops,
cops on the take, gangsters, drugs, prostitutes and tabloid sensationalism.
That's what I call entertainment! Set in post-war Los Angeles, it's
the age old story about cops getting a piece of the action, whether
that means drug money, prostitutes or money for tipping off the local
tabloid. The movie mixes the growing glamour of the film industry
with its dark underside and throws in enough big performances to fill
the Academy Award nominations (but only Kim Basinger won for best
supporting actress in this the Titantic year).
One of my favorite
scenes (but there are so many) is during a near confrontation
between two of the cops, played by Russell Crowe (who plays a hothead)
and Guy Pearce (who plays a do gooder). Crowe wants to beat up Pearce,
mainly because they're both after Kim Basinger. The police captain
(James Cromwell) tells Pearce to avoid Crowe "when he's got his
blood up." Pearce complains that "his blood is always up."
To which Cromwell responds, "well then you should avoid him altogether."
My Movie of the Year!
—
marty
