Presumed Innocent (1990)
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A ruthless prosecutor is put on trial for the murder of his colleague and mistress.
The story
Rožat "Rusty" Sabich is an effective and ruthless prosecutor who finds himself in a legal predicament when his colleague and mistress, Carolyn Polhemus, is found raped and murdered. Despite a conflict of interest regarding their brief affair, Rusty takes charge of the investigation. However, as political tensions rise within the prosecutor's office and a new administration takes over, the investigation is handed to a detective who uncovers evidence of the affair. Rusty is subsequently arrested and indicted for the murder, leading to a high-stakes trial where he must defend himself against a mounting case of evidence and a complex web of judicial politics.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Rusty Sabich, a ruthless prosecutor, is put on trial for the murder of his colleague and mistress, Carolyn Polhemus. During the investigation, Rusty attempts to control the scope of the inquiry, but a change in political leadership leads to the appointment of a detective who discovers their affair. Rusty is indicted and faces a trial where his defense attorney, Sandy Stern, uncovers a web of corruption involving a missing file and a bribery case involving a judge. While the court eventually dismisses the charges against Rusty due to a lack of evidence and a compromised investigation, the truth remains hidden. In the aftermath, Rusty discovers that his wife, Barbara, actually committed the murder to end her own distress over his affair. Because the law cannot try two people for the same crime, the truth of her guilt remains a secret, and Rusty must live with the knowledge of her actions.
- First release year
- 1990
- Runtime (minutes)
- 127
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Alan J. Pakula
- Writers
- Frank Pierson · screenplay; Alan J. Pakula · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Harrison Ford · Rusty Sabich; Brian Dennehy; Raul Julia; Bonnie Bedelia; Paul Winfield; Greta Scacchi · Carolyn Polhemus
- Genres
- legal thriller; crime thriller
- Themes
- justice; corruption; betrayal
- Setting
- Kindle County
- Premise and plot tags
- courtroom drama; legal thriller; mystery
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1987 novel of the same name by Scott Turow
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising the direction, acting, and writing. It was noted for its high production value and compelling performances, particularly from Harrison Ford and Raul Julia.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 86%; Metacritic · score: 72% · review count: 26
- Awards and nominations
- Edgar Allan Poe Award · Best Motion Picture · nomination; USC Scripter Award · Pakula, Pierson and the novel by Turow · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was followed by a television miniseries and a television film sequel.; The production used a variety of locations including Detroit, Windsor, and New Jersey.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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