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19/11/1981 Drama, Romance, Crime 1h 56m
66
User score

In America can a man be guilty until proven innocent?

Overview

Megan Carter is a reporter duped into running an untrue story on Michael Gallagher, a suspected racketeer. He has an alibi for the time his crime was allegedly committed—but it involves an innocent party. When he tells Carter the truth and the newspaper runs it, tragedy follows, forcing Carter to face up to the responsibilities of her job when she is confronted by Gallagher.

  1. Sydney Pollack

    Director

  2. Kurt Luedtke

    Writer

Top billed cast

  1. Sally Field

    Megan Carter

  2. Paul Newman

    Michael Colin Gallagher

  3. Bob Balaban

    Elliott Rosen

  4. Melinda Dillon

    Teresa Perrone

  5. Luther Adler

    Santos Malderone

  6. Barry Primus

    Robert Waddell

  7. Josef Sommer

    McAdam

  8. John Harkins

    Davidek

  9. Don Hood

    James A. Quinn

  10. View more

Full Cast & Crew

Reviews

A review by Peter McGinn
Written by Peter McGinn on 2020-09-19
Sidney Pollack has directed a lot of excellent movies but Absence of Malice, one of his lower profile efforts, is my favorite Pollack film. Paul Newman is excellent, of course, and Sally Fields holds her own portraying a reporter who is both ambitious and caring. The supporting cast is also good, especially the late Wilford Brimley as the razor sharp tobacco chewing “aw shucks“ Officer of the court late in the movie.

In a way, this is a thinking man’s revenge film, without the violence. The Paul Newman character attempts to use the ambition and the zeal of those who have targeted him ...read the rest
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Status
Released

Original Language
English

Budget
$12,000,000.00

Revenue
$40,716,963.00

Keywords