'Absence of Malice' alert

Despite all the hokey things, one of my faves. Particularly the last scene with Wilford Brimley...

coming up on TCM, I guess 10:30 ET.

 

One of my favorite journalism movies...

 

A good story, good acting and good tension, but in terms of journalism, it was a terrible, terrible movie. It depicted female reporters more than willing to jump in the sack at a moment's notice with sources, subjects of stories, alleged Mafia hoods; reporters ruining someone's life with a one-source leak; and inserting personal information (the girl's abortion) in a story where it had no bearing.

 

We watched this film in J-school during class one week and had discussions each day after the prof pushed the pause button.

Lots of lessons to be learned.

 

Always thought Sally Field looked particularly tasty in that movie. That said, it's not realistic at all, especially the part where the lawyer tells her they're not responsible for the story being incorrect as long as they make an attempt to call Gallagher for comment.

 

Yeah, but Brimley steals the movie like nobody ever before stole a movie.

 

"Tell you what we're gonna do: We're gonna sit right here and talk about it. Now, if you get tired of talking here, Mr. Marshal Elving Patrick there will hand you one of them subpeenies he's got stuck down in his pocket, and we'll go downstairs and talk in front of the grand jury.

"Elliot? Jim?

"Fine. All right, Elving, hand whichever one of these fellas you like a subpeeny, and we'll go on downstairs and talk in front of the grand jury."




District Attorney James A. Quinn: "Gallagher's a government witness."
Wells: "Wonderful thing, a subpeeny."




Wells: "You had a leak? You call what's goin' on around here a leak? Boy, the last time there was a leak like this, Noah built hisself a boat."




Wells: "Now, we'll talk all day if you want to, but come sundown, there's gonna be two things true that ain't true now. One is that the United States Department of Justice is goin' to know what in the good Christ -- e'scuse me, Angie -- is goin' on around here. And the other's I'm gonna have somebody's ass in muh briefcase."




Wells: "What'd you figure you'd do after government service, Elliott?"
Elliott Rosen: "I'm not quitting."
Wells: "You ain't no Presidential appointee, Elliott. One that hired you is me. You got thirty days."




Wells: "We can't have people go around leaking stuff for their own reasons. It ain't legal. And worse than that, by God, it ain't right."

 

I'm going off the top of my head here, but one of the all-time great lines about our profession from Sally Field's character.

Newman: "Your profession stinks."
Field: "No it doesn't. I'm just really bad at it."

 

I think she said, "I just did it badly."

Or something like that. At least that's how I remember it. I wish I'd seen the alert yesterday. Would have enjoyed watching it again.

 

I love that last scene with Brimley. It make you want to put a plug of Tobacco in your mouth.