From a James Ellroy novel, adapted by Brian Helgeland and Hanson. Screenplay won Oscar, as did Kim Basinger. Great screenplay hooks you in and never lets go.
Directed with a brilliant momentum - the editor is Peter Honess, also Oscar nominated, as was cinematographer Dante Spinotti (some of the focus pulling is wonderful). Music by Jerry Goldsmith and production design by Jeannine Oppewall.
Great cast: Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Basinger, James Cromwell, Danny DeVito, David Strathairn, Ron Rifkin (corrupt DA).
This all came about because we were watching Mulholland Falls, which may be a kind of wannabe, same period, same tough LA cops thing - but it was in the wrong aspect ratio, and it made me think to put this on instead. More about Curtis Hanson here.
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| Stuff about Pearce's short sightedness good too |
This Gun For Hire is playing in Veronica Lake lookalike Kim Basinger's house.
A follow up, based on another James Ellroy novel, White Jazz, was announced, but never came to fruition.
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