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Watching "The Firm," I realized that law firms have replaced Army platoons as Hollywood's favorite microcosm. The new law thrillers have the same ingredients as those dependable old World War II action films: various ethnic and personality types who fight with each other when they're not fighting the enemy. The law movies have one considerable advantage: the female characters participate fully in all the action, instead of just staying home and writing letters to the front.

In "The Firm," a labyrinthine 153-minute film by Sydney Pollack , Tom Cruise plays Mitch McDeere, a poor boy who is ashamed of his humble origins now that he has graduated from Harvard Law fifth in his class. He gets offers from the top law firms in New York and Chicago, but finally settles on a smaller firm headquartered in Memphis. His decision is salary-driven; he sees money as security, although later in the film he is unable to say how rich he'd have to be to feel really secure.

Mitch moves to Memphis with his wife, Abby ( Jeanne Tripplehorn , the peculiar psychiatrist in " Basic Instinct "). They are provided with a house and a shiny new Mercedes - both bugged, as it turns out. And gradually McDeere begins to realize his new law firm is in league with the devil. An FBI man spills the beans: only a quarter of the clients are above-board, and the rest are thieves, scoundrels and money-launderers, with the firm's partners acting as bagmen shipping the money to offshore banks.

Some movies about the law oversimplify the legal aspects.

This one milks them for all they're worth. Without revealing too much of the plot, I can say that McDeere is eventually being blackmailed simultaneously by both the FBI and the firm's security chief (kindly old Wilford Brimley , very effective in a rare outing as a villain).

To save himself, he has to use both brain and muscle, outrunning killers and outthinking lawyers, to save both his life and his license to practice law.

The story is fairly clear in its general outlines, but sometimes baffling on the specifics. Based on the novel by John Grisham , as adapted by three of the most expensive screenwriters in the business ( David Rabe , Robert Towne and David Rayfiel ), "The Firm" takes 2 1/2 hours to find its way through a moral and legal maze. By the end, despite McDeere's breathless explanations during phone calls in the middle of a chase sequence, I was fairly confused about his strategy. But I didn't care, since the form of the movie was effective even when the details were vague.

Sydney Pollack, the director, likes to make long, ambitious movies ("Out Of Africa," "Havana") and he's comfortable working with familiar stars; he uses them as character-building shorthand. One glimpse of Hal Holbrook as the head of the Firm, for example, and we know it's a shady outfit. Holbrook almost always plays the seemingly respectable man with dark secrets. One look at Gene Hackman , as the law partner who becomes Cruise's mentor, and we know he's a flawed but fundamentally decent man, because he always is. One look at Cruise and we feel comfortable, because he embodies sincerity. He is also, in many of his roles, just a little slow to catch on; his characters seem to trust people too easily, and so it's convincing when he swallows the Firm's pitches and pep talks.

The movie is virtually an anthology of good small character performances. Ed Harris , sinister with a shaved head, needs only a couple of brief scenes to convincingly explain the FBI's case against the Firm - and to reveal its cheerful willingness to subject a potential witness to unendurable pressure. Another effective performance is by David Strathairn , as the brother McDeere hasn't told the Firm about, because he's doing time for manslaughter.

Strathairn is emerging as one of the most interesting character actors around (he was the slow-witted movie usher in " Lost In Yonkers ," and the local boy who came courting in " Passion Fish ").

There are also colorful performances by Gary Busey , as a fast-talking private eye, and by Holly Hunter , as his loyal secretary who witnesses a murder and then becomes McDeere's courageous partner.

The large gallery of characters makes "The Firm" into a convincing canvas; there are enough believable people here to give McDeere a convincing world to occupy. And Pollack is patient with his material. He'll let a scene play until the point is made a little more deeply. That allows an actor like Hackman to be surprisingly effective in scenes where he subtly establishes that, despite everything, he has a good heart. A late, tricky scene between Hackman and Tripplehorn is like a master class in acting.

The parts of "The Firm" are probably better than the whole, however. The movie lacks overall clarity, and in the last half-hour audiences are likely to be confused over what's happening, and why.

As I said, that didn't bother me overmuch, once I realized the movie would work even if I didn't always follow it. But with a screenplay that developed the story more clearly, this might have been a superior movie, instead of just a good one with some fine performances.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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The Firm (1993)

Rated R For Language and Violence

153 minutes

Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere

Jeanne Tripplehorn as Abby McDeere

Gene Hackman as Avery Tolar

Hal Holbrook as Oliver Lamber

Directed by

• Sydney Pollack
• Robert Towne
• David Rayfiel
• John Grisham

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Brief Synopsis

Cast & crew, sydney pollack, jeanne tripplehorn, gene hackman, holly hunter, technical specs.

Tom Cruise learns that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is, when he accepts an excessively lucrative offer from a Memphis firm after graduating from Harvard Law. In this thriller from director Sydney Pollack, based on the bestselling novel by John Grisham, Cruise's ambitious character Mitch McDeere discovers that the firm's prosperity is a direct result of its mob ties. When the murders and seductions pile up, Mitch must get to the truth and get out alive. Also starring Oscar winner Gene Hackman, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Paul Sorvino, and Ed Harris.

David Strathairn

Hal holbrook, steven hill.

Wilford Brimley

Bart whiteman, richard r ranta.

Terri Welles

Jeffrey ford, karina lombard, paul sorvino, jimmy lackie, margo martindale, tommy cresswell, william j parham, levi frazier jr., david a kimball, susan elliot, ollie nightingale, jonathan e kaplan, mark johnson, jerry weintraub, brian casey, jerry chipman, james white, victor nelson, clinton smith, joe viterelli, terry kinney, william r booth, chris schadrack, michael d allen, debbie turner, lannie mcmillan quartet, rebecca glenn, little jimmy king, teenie hodges, frank crawford, jerry hardin, erin branham, paul calderon, dean norris, tommy matthews, david dwyer, barbara garrick, afemo omilami, sullivan walker, deborah thomas, jeane aufdenberg, janie paris, joey anderson, ed connelly, greg goossen, david l abell, stephanie antosca, andy armstrong, brian armstrong, joyce arrastia, david beadle, jennifer blair, steve bowerman, bill bradford, randy bricker, sharleen bright, david brink, brooke brooks, charles brown, robert bruce, lauren buckley, david l butler, gerry byrne, debbie charboneau, marjorie chodorov, cathleen clarke, drew clarke, ann cockerton, lucy coldsnow-smith, carla corwin, john craigmile, eric davidson, richard davis, kim davis-wagner, andrew j. day, richard dean, mathilde decagny, michael dellheim, michael dick, lindsay doran, michael doven, francois duhamel, mary kate edmonstone, bruce ericksen, jenny evans, mark fabert, william farley, james c. feng, scott ferguson, carmen flores de tanis, jessica gallavan, michael gastaldo, thomas gilbert, claudia gilligan-ivanjack, john grisham, dave grusin, yael haffner, casey hallenbeck, barbara harris, scott harris, michael hausman, rachel heilpern, d. m. hemphill, jerry henery, a mcrae hilliard, j paul huntsman, steven husch, steven jackman, jerry jackson, chris jargo, chris jenkins, derek johansen, sunny wayne johnson, david jones, jonathan klein, robin knight, lisa knudson, larry leggett, vicki r lybrand, richard macdonald, david macmillan, elton macpherson, bobby mancuso, karen marmer, wende martin, joseph mcafee, marjorie mccown, leo mcdaniel, david mcgiffert, lee mclemore, lisa maria miller, robin l miller, dennis milliken, theresa repola mohammed, john monsour, paul murphey, myron nettinga, phill norman, ben nye jr., donna ostroff, randy ostrow, kevin patterson, jennifer portman, peggy pridemore, lyndell quiyou, david rayfiel, spencer h register, luke reichle, darin rivetti, pete romano, david rubin, scott rudin, carolann sanchez-shapiro, john r saunders, adam sawelson, matthew g sawelson, riko schatke, doug schwartz, nanette siegert, steven d spallone, fredric steinkamp, karl steinkamp, robert steinkamp, william steinkamp, daniel strol, mike thompson, robert towne, chris ubick, mark van loon, sam velasco, john g. velez, tommy walker, david weathers, ted whitfield, john willett, darryl wilson, jeanine wilson, michael t wilson, alonzo woods, frank woodward, award nominations, best original score, best supporting actress.

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States on Video December 16, 1993

Released in United States Summer June 30, 1993

Meryl Streep was at one time mentioned to play a female version of the character Avery, who in the book is a womanizing male attorney.

Tom Cruise reportedly received $12,000,000 for this film.

Began shooting November 9, 1992.

Completed shooting March 20, 1993.

Rights to "The Firm" were purchased by Paramount for a reported $600,000.

Robin Wright was originally set to play Abby McDeere.

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Review/Film: The Firm; A Mole in the Den of Corrupt Legal Lions

By Vincent Canby

• June 30, 1993

At the time it was published in 1991, "The Firm," John Grisham's best-selling suspense novel, was described by one critic as "mean and lean." Mean, possibly, but lean? The book is 501 pages.

Now Sydney Pollack's film version far more accurately characterizes the source material. The movie is extremely long (two hours and 34 minutes) and so slow that by the end you feel as if you've been standing up even if you've been sitting down. It moves around the map a lot, from Boston to Memphis to the Caribbean to Washington, without getting anywhere. It is also physically elaborate, the cinematic equivalent of the book's relentlessly descriptive prose. One of its sets is reported to have required seven and a half miles of 2-by-4 lumber and 225 gallons of glue to hold it together.

But, you may well ask, what about the story? After all, underneath Mr. Grisham's verbiage but not quite suffocated by it, there is an entertaining moral tale about the 1980's:

Mitch McDeere, a bright young man, born poor and deprived, lusts for the good things in life. He graduates from Harvard Law School near the top of his class and joins a small, conservative, very rich firm of tax and corporate law specialists in Memphis. Almost immediately, he discovers that he has sold his soul to the devil. Or, as a Federal agent tells Mitch in the movie, "Your life, as you've known it, is now over."

Bendini, Lambert & Locke is a front for a conspiracy of delicious malevolence and, early on, anyway, quite persuasive complexity. Only its senior partners know its full scope. The firm has a policy of bringing aboard crackerjack young lawyers of Mitch's hungry background, and then overpaying and materially spoiling them to the point that when they find out the firm's true nature, they can't afford to quit.

There are only two ways for lawyers to exit Bendini, Lambert & Locke. They can stick around until they retire as thoroughly compromised, multi-millionaire senior partners, or they die before their time in mysterious circumstances.

Not long after he joins the firm, Mitch is approached by the F.B.I. The bureau wants him to act as a mole. They point out that his house and his office are bugged by the firm, and that at least three of his restless predecessors have been murdered. On the other hand, Mitch realizes that the firm's business associates have long memories and that no witness protection program is 100 percent reliable. What is a guy to do?

As in the novel, what the guy does is the heart of the film directed by Mr. Pollack and written by David Rabe, Robert Towne and David Rayfiel. Mitch (Tom Cruise) plays each side against the other in a manner that becomes increasing mysterious until, near the end, even someone who has read the book is likely to be lost. Whether the problem is in the writing, the direction or maybe the editing is anybody's guess. Whatever the reason, the film's end is a long time coming and, when it finally does arrive, is unable to do justice to the buildup.

"The Firm" has been so extravagantly cast that its two liveliest performances are by stars in comparatively small roles. Holly Hunter, who was named the best actress at this year's Cannes festival for Jane Campion's "Piano," has a ball as a cheeky Memphis secretary, who's married to an Elvis Presley impersonator and who turns into an unlikely heroine when the chips are down. Equally good is Gary Busey as a cheerful, down-and-dirty private eye who figures in Mitch's initial investigations into the firm's darker associations.

The ever-reliable Gene Hackman appears as Avery Tolar, the firm's partner who becomes, in effect, Mitch's control, the man assigned to break in the new recruit and to guide him on the downward path. Mr. Hackman has reached that plateau in his career where he can play almost any kind of part in a way that gives it both credibility and humanity.

For that matter, there's nothing wrong with any of the performances in "The Firm." Mr. Cruise and Jeanne Tripplehorn, who plays Mitch's wife, Abby, are attractive as a young, rather vacuous couple in distress, defined more by their actions than by anything they are given to say, which is as it should be. David Straithairn appears as Mitch's somewhat enigmatic brother, Ray, a jailbird, and Ed Harris gives a strong performance as an F.B.I. agent whose shiny, eye-catching bald head would not make it easy for him to go unnoticed in a stakeout.

As if to change his television image as a lovable old geezer who can't eat enough Quaker Oats, Wilford Brimley turns up as the firm's most vicious hit man. Aw, shucks.

In spite of all this talent, "The Firm" is something less than a nonstop pleasure. The adjustments made in the story are intelligent ones even if, by the end, Mitch has come to seem almost as devious and opportunistic as the people he's fighting. That could be the film's own comment on the time, place and characters.

A more difficult problem is the film's pace, which may have something to do with the editing. "The Firm" maintains its sluggish gait even through its concluding sequence, which frantically cross-cuts between simultaneous actions in the Cayman Islands and Memphis. One will accept almost anything in a suspense movie as long as the payoff satisfies. That's what they're all about.

"The Firm" ultimately provides no liberation from the sweet tyranny of its own plotting.

"The Firm" has been rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). It has a lot of vulgar language and some violence. The Firm Directed by Sydney Pollack; written by David Rabe, Robert Towne and David Rayfiel, based on the novel by John Grisham; director of photography, John Seale; edited by William Steinkamp and Fredric Steinkamp; music by Dave Grusin; production designer, Richard MacDonald; produced by Scott Rudin and John Davis; released by Paramount. Running time: 154 minutes. This film is rated R. Mitch McDeere . . . Tom Cruise Abby McDeere . . . Jeanne Tripplehorn Avery Tolar . . . Gene Hackman Oliver Lambert . . . Hal Holbrook Lamar Quinn . . . Terry Kinney William Devasher . . . Wilford Brimley Wayne Tarrance . . . Ed Harris Tammy Hemphill . . . Holly Hunter

Cast & Crew

Mitch McDeere

Jeanne Tripplehorn

Abby McDeere

Gene Hackman

Avery Tolar

Holly Hunter

Tammy Hemphill

Wayne Tarrance

Grisham thriller has lots of twists, turns but is overlong.

• Average 6.2

Information

© 1993 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

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The Firm (1993)

• View history

The Firm is a 1993 American legal thriller film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Tom Cruise , Jeanne Tripplehorn , Gene Hackman , Ed Harris , Holly Hunter , Hal Holbrook , David Strathairn and Gary Busey in a critically acclaimed role. The film is based on the 1991 novel The Firm by author John Grisham. The Firm was one of two films released in 1993 that were adapted from a Grisham novel, the other being The Pelican Brief .

Released on June 30, 1993, the film was a major commercial success, grossing $270.2 million against a budget of $42 million, making it the highest grossing film adapted from a Grisham novel and the highest-grossing R-rated film of 1993, and received positive reviews for the performances (particularly from Cruise and Hunter), although the screenplay received some criticism. Holly Hunter was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance, while Dave Grusin was nominated for Best Original Score.

• 3 Production
• 4 Differences from the novel
• 6 Reception
• 7 Home media
• 8.1 TV sequel
• 9 Theatrical Trailer

Mitch McDeere, about to graduate near the top of his class from Harvard Law School, accepts a generous job offer from Bendini, Lambert & Locke, a boutique law firm in Memphis, Tennessee. Mitch and his wife Abby move to Memphis, and he studies to pass the Tennessee bar exam. Senior partner Avery Tolar mentors Mitch and introduces him to the firm's professional culture, which demands strict loyalty, confidentiality, and a willingness to charge exceptional fees. Mitch is seduced by the money and perks – including a house, new car, and his student loans paid off – but Abby is suspicious of the firm's interference with employees’ families.

Mitch passes the bar exam and begins working long hours, straining his marriage. Working closely with Avery, Mitch learns that most of the firm's work involves helping wealthy clients hide money in off-shore shell corporations and other dubious tax-avoidance schemes. During a working trip to the Cayman Islands, Mitch hears a client state that the firm's Chicago clients break people's legs, and finds suspicious documents in a locked closet at Avery's vacation house relating to four of the firm's associates who died under suspicious circumstances. Meanwhile, a local prostitute seduces Mitch, as prearranged by the firm's security chief, Bill DeVasher, who then uses photos of the tryst to blackmail Mitch into silence about the firm's activities, threatening to send the photos to Mitch's wife Abby. This prompts Mitch to hire a private investigator, Eddie Lomax, to investigate the associates' mysterious death, but soon after starting to work on the case, Lomax is fatally shot in his office by two hit-men, a murder that his secretary Tammy witnesses while hiding under the desk.

Mitch is approached by FBI agents who reveal that BL&L's biggest client is the Morolto crime family of the Chicago Outfit. Most of the firm is complicit in a massive tax fraud and money laundering scheme. The dead associates had learned the truth and were killed on the firm's orders, as was Lomax. The FBI warns Mitch that his house, car, and office are bugged and pressures him to provide evidence against the firm and the Moroltos. Mitch agrees to cooperate in return for $1.5 million and the release of his brother Ray, who is serving time in an Arkansas prison. The FBI orders Ray's release, planning to return him to prison once Mitch hands over the incriminating files, and gives him half the money. Mitch confesses his one-night stand in the Caymans to Abby, who prepares to leave him.

When a client complains about billing for several hours of extra fees, Mitch realizes that mailing clients these padded bills is mail fraud, exposing the firm to RICO charges. He secretly copies the firm's billing records with help from Tammy, but needs files from Avery's house in the Caymans. Avery invites Abby to come with him to the Caymans and she declines, but he reveals his Caymans schedule has changed, threatening Mitch's plans. Telling Tammy not to inform Mitch, Abby flies to the Caymans to seduce and drug Avery. The firm's phone tap picks up Abby's warning to Tammy, and DeVasher sends his hitmen to the Caymans. After Abby and Tammy steal, copy, and return the files, a drowsy Avery tells Abby that the firm had arranged for the Caymans prostitute on the beach to seduce Mitch. Avery warns Abby to leave and is later murdered by DeVasher's hitmen, who make it look like he drowned in the bathtub.

Mitch's plans are jeopardized when a prison guard on the Moroltos' payroll alerts DeVasher after Ray is transferred to FBI custody without the usual formalities. Fleeing from DeVasher and his hitman, Mitch enters a building where DeVasher inadvertently shoots the hitman dead before Mitch blindsides him and beats him unconscious. Mitch meets with the Moroltos, presenting himself as a loyal attorney looking out for his clients' interests. He claims that his contact with the FBI and his copying of files were an attempt to expose the firm's illegal over-billing, and asks the Moroltos for permission to turn over their billing invoices to help the FBI's case against the firm. Revealing that he has made his own copies, he assures them that as long as he is alive, any information he has about their legal affairs is safe under attorney–client privilege. Guaranteeing Mitch's safety, the Moroltos reluctantly let him give the FBI the evidence it needs to prosecute the firm. Since the Moroltos were not tied to the mail fraud operations and attorney–client privilege does not apply when a lawyer knows about ongoing criminal activity, Mitch is able to continue his legal career, and reconciles with Abby.

The FBI is furious that Mitch bailed the Moroltos out, but Mitch reminds them that the evidence he provided falls under RICO's jurisdiction and can all but guarantee every senior member of the firm going to prison for decades. The film ends as the McDeeres return to Boston, driving the same well-used car in which they arrived in Memphis, while Ray, having been given the $750,000 Mitch obtained from the FBI by Tammy, enjoys his new life in the Caymans.

• Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere, a promising recent Harvard Law graduate
• Jeanne Tripplehorn as Abby McDeere, Mitch's wife
• Gene Hackman as Avery Tolar, Mitch's mentor at the Firm
• Holly Hunter as Tammy Hemphill, Eddie's chain-smoking secretary and lover who aids Mitch in copying and stealing the files in Memphis and the Cayman Islands
• Ed Harris as FBI Agent Wayne Tarrance, the agent in charge of the investigation into the Firm; Mitch's primary contact with the FBI
• Hal Holbrook as Oliver Lambert, senior partner at the Firm
• Jerry Hardin as Royce McKnight, managing partner at the Firm
• David Strathairn as Ray McDeere, Mitch's brother who was in jail for a manslaughter conviction
• Terry Kinney as Lamar Quinn, Mitch's friend who works at the Firm
• Wilford Brimley as Bill DeVasher, officially the head of security at the Firm—unofficially the Firm's main hitman
• Sullivan Walker as Thomas Abanks, the owner of a scuba diving business
• Gary Busey as Eddie Lomax, a private investigator and former cell-mate of Ray McDeere
• Barbara Garrick as Kay Quinn, Lamar Quinn's wife who befriends both Abby and Mitch
• Steven Hill as FBI Director Denton Voyles
• Margo Martindale as Nina Huff, Mitch's Secretary
• Paul Sorvino as Tony Morolto
• Joe Viterelli as Joey Morolto
• Jerry Weintraub as Sonny Capps
• Tobin Bell as The Nordic Man, Morolto Hitman
• Dean Norris as The Squat Man, Morolto Hitman
• Karina Lombard as A Girl Who Seduces McDeere
• John Beal as Nathan Locke
• Paul Calderon as Thomas Richie

Production [ ]

Principal photography took place from November 9, 1992 to March 20, 1993 and though it was primarily filmed in Memphis, Tennessee, some scenes were filmed in Marion, Arkansas and the Cayman Islands.

The film's soundtrack is almost exclusively solo piano by Dave Grusin.

Gene Hackman's name did not appear on the film's release poster. Hackman joined the film late, when it was already well into production, because the producers had originally wanted to change the gender of the character and cast Meryl Streep, until author John Grisham objected and Hackman was eventually cast. Tom Cruise's deal with Paramount already stated that only his name could appear above the title. Hackman also wanted his name to appear above the title, but when this was refused he asked for his name to be removed completely from the poster. Hackman's name does appear in the beginning and end credits.

This is also the final film for Steven Hill and John Beal.

Differences from the novel [ ]

The film accords with the book in most respects, but the ending is significantly different. Mitch does not end up in the Caribbean, as in the book; he and Abby simply get into their car and drive back to Boston.

A more fundamental difference from the book is the motives and manner in which Mitch solves his predicament. In the book, Mitch acknowledges to himself that he is breaking the attorney–client privilege by copying information and giving it to the FBI. In most US states this privilege only applies to crimes that have already been committed. The privilege does not apply if a lawyer knows that his client either is committing or will commit a crime. However, Mitch must disclose information about his legitimate clients as well. Accepting that he will likely not be allowed to practice law anywhere again, he swindles $10 million from the firm, along with receiving $1 million of a promised $2 million from the FBI for his cooperation. After an extended manhunt involving the police, the firm's lawyers, and hired thugs from the Morolto family, Mitch escapes with Abby (and his brother Ray) to the Cayman Islands. Before fleeing, he leaves behind detailed records of the firm's illegal activities, as well as a recorded deposition. Mitch's information gives federal prosecutors enough evidence to indict half of the firm's active lawyers right away, as well as several retired partners. The documents also provide the FBI with circumstantial evidence of the firm's involvement in money laundering and tax fraud, and thus probable cause for a search warrant for the firm's building and files. This additional evidence is enough to smash both the firm and the Morolto family with a massive RICO indictment.

In the film, apparently in order to preserve the protagonist's personal integrity, Mitch exposes a systematic overbilling scheme by the firm, thus driving a wedge between the Moroltos (who in essence become complicit with Mitch) and their law firm (in the book, overbilling only received a brief mention). He receives a smaller amount of money from the FBI, which he gives to Ray, allowing him to disappear. Rather than capitalizing on his circumstances by stealing money from the firm, as in the book, the movie's McDeere ends up battered and bruised, but with his integrity and professional ethics intact. Mitch also makes the FBI have to work in order to bring down the firm by having to argue that each instance of excessive billing is a federal offense (by virtue of the excessive bills being sent through the mail). The volume and frequency meet the criteria for RICO, thereby enabling the FBI to effectively put the firm out of business by seizing its property and equipment and freezing its bank accounts. From here the Moroltos would then need to find another law firm willing to take them on as clients, and if they couldn't, charges for non-lodgment of tax returns could be brought. Since Mitch is exposing only illegal activity, he is able to retain his law license.

Avery Tolar was originally Avery Tolleson; the latest version of the novel uses the film's surname. Tolar is portrayed as a sort of reluctant villain in the film, while in the novel he has no such moral conflicts.

Mitch's confession to Abby about his sexual infidelity was also unique to the film. In the novel, McDeere never tells Abby about his infidelity. In the book, Abby's not knowing about Mitch's infidelity is a major "suspense" piece. Mitch comes home one evening and finds an envelope addressed to Abby, that has "Photos – Do Not Bend" written on it. The photos were surreptitiously given to DeVasher by Art Germain. Mitch thinks it is the pictures he was shown of his infidelity overseas. Abby is in the bedroom when he sees the open package. He enters the bedroom and learns that Abby opened the package, but it was empty. Mitch realizes DeVasher is toying with him, and this incident in the book causes Mitch to cooperate with the FBI. In the film, Mitch's confession prompts Abby to seriously consider leaving him, but she ultimately helps him bring down the firm.

Also, in the book, Eddie's old secretary, Tammy, seduces and drugs Avery. In the movie, however, it is Abby who seduces Avery. This also changes the character development because in the movie Abby is portrayed as risking herself for Mitch. In the book, Abby is simply an accomplice to Tammy.

Release [ ]

The film was released while Grisham was at the height of his popularity. That week, Grisham and Michael Crichton evenly divided the top six paperback spots on The New York Times Best Seller list. It opened on June 30, 1993 in 2,393 theatres, and landed at #1 at the box office, grossing $25.4 million over the 4th of July weekend. It remained in the #1 spot at the box office for 3 weeks. After 12 weeks in theatres, the film was a huge success, making over $158 million domestically and $111 million internationally ($270 million worldwide). Additionally, it was the largest grossing R-rated movie of 1993 and of any film based on a Grisham novel.

The film earned two Academy Award nominations including Best Supporting Actress for Holly Hunter (losing to Anna Paquin for The Piano , though she did win an Oscar at that year's ceremony for Best Actress in the same film as Paquin) and Best Original Score for Dave Grusin (losing to John Williams for Schindler's List ).

Reception [ ]

Critical reaction to The Firm has been mostly positive, with the film earning a 75% rating at Rotten Tomatoes based on 57 reviews, with an average of 6.20/10. The site's consensus states: " The Firm is a big studio thriller that amusingly tears apart the last of 1980s boardroom culture and the false securities it represented." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.

Roger Ebert gave The Firm three stars out of four, remarking: "The movie is virtually an anthology of good small character performances. [...] The large gallery of characters makes The Firm into a convincing canvas [... but] with a screenplay that developed the story more clearly, this might have been a superior movie, instead of just a good one with some fine performances."

The film earned some negative reviews as well, notably from James Berardinelli, who said that "[v]ery little of what made the written version so enjoyable has been successfully translated to the screen, and what we're left with instead is an overly-long [and] pedantic thriller." Grisham enjoyed the film, remarking: "I thought [Tom Cruise] did a good job. He played the innocent young associate very well."

Home media [ ]

The film was released on VHS in December 1993, the cassettes were specially made of blue plastic. The DVD was released on May 23, 2000. The special features include only the teaser and theatrical trailers. The Blu-ray was released on September 11, 2012.

In other media [ ]

Tv sequel [ ].

In April 2011 Entertainment One announced that a sequel to The Firm was being produced with Sony Pictures Television and Paramount Pictures. The series picked up the story of Mitch and his family ten years after the events of the novel and film. The first season was 22 episodes long and began production in Canada in July 2011. In May 2011, NBC confirmed that they had acquired the U.S. broadcast rights to the show and that they planned to début it in January 2012. The show was cancelled after its first season.

Theatrical Trailer [ ]

The Firm 1993 - TRAILER HQ - TOM CRUISE NEW MOVIES

• 1 List of Paramount Home Entertainment releases

Watch The Firm

• 2 hr 34 min
• 6.9   (146,487)

The Firm is a 1993 legal thriller movie directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Gene Hackman. The film is based on John Grisham's novel of the same name, and it tells the story of a young lawyer's life-changing experience after he joins a prestigious law firm, only to discover that there is a dark and dangerous side to it.

The movie follows the life of Mitch McDeere (played by Tom Cruise), a young and ambitious Harvard Law School graduate who is approached by a Memphis law firm called Bendini, Lambert, and Locke. They offer him an unusually high salary and benefits package that includes a new house and a car. Mitch eagerly accepts the job and moves from his hometown in Boston to Memphis with his wife Abby (played by Jeanne Tripplehorn).

At the beginning of the movie, Mitch is excited about his new job and his bright future, but things start to change when he discovers that the firm is involved in illegal activities. The firm's senior partners, led by Avery Tolar (played by Gene Hackman), are crooked and often use the law to cover up their criminal activities. Mitch finds himself in a perilous situation when he becomes involved with the FBI, who are investigating the firm's activities.

The movie has a fast-paced and suspenseful plot that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. The film's direction is fantastic, and the performances of the actors are commendable. Tom Cruise shines in the role of Mitch, portraying the character's ambition, naivety, and growth with ease. Jeanne Tripplehorn is also excellent as Abby, Mitch's wife, who is both supportive and conflicted about the situation they find themselves in. Gene Hackman steals the show with his portrayal of Avery, the firm's senior partner, whose charming and intimidating demeanor masks his darker intentions.

The movie is not just a legal thriller, but it also examines the themes of morality, loyalty, and greed. The audience is asked to consider what they would do in Mitch's position and whether they would put their career or their ethics first. The film shows how power and money can corrupt even the most talented and ambitious individuals and how easy it is to become a part of a corrupt organization.

The movie's production design is also commendable, and the Memphis setting adds to the film's atmosphere. The film's soundtrack is excellent and features iconic songs from the 60s and 70s.

Overall, The Firm is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys legal thrillers or movies that examine the darker side of human nature. The film is intense, entertaining, and offers thought-provoking themes that stay with the audience long after the movie has ended. The movie's conclusion is satisfying, and the film's final shot is unforgettable. The Firm is a timeless classic that has aged gracefully and is still relevant today, over two decades later.

The Firm is a 1993 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 34 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9 and a MetaScore of 58.

• Genres Drama Mystery Thriller
• Cast Tom Cruise Jeanne Tripplehorn Gene Hackman
• Director Sydney Pollack
• Release Date 1993
• MPAA Rating R
• Runtime 2 hr 34 min
• Language English
• IMDB Rating 6.9   (146,487)
• Metascore 58

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Apploff entertainment promotes rayna apploff & zach gelfand in key creative positions, bert fields dies: powerhouse showbiz lawyer for tom cruise, weinsteins, george lucas, michael jackson, beatles & many others was 93.

By Erik Pedersen , Dominic Patten

Bert Fields , the relentlessly loyal powerhouse entertainment lawyer who repped clients including Harvey and Bob Weinstein, Tom Cruise , George Lucas , the Beatles, Michael Jackson and many others in myriad headline-making cases in Hollywood, has died. He was 93.

His rep told Deadline that Fields died Sunday at his home in Malibu with his longtime wife Barbara Guggenheim by his side.

A partner at Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP, Fields tried many of the landmark cases in the entertainment and communications industries during the past several decades. He represented most major Hollywood studios and talent agencies during his singular career and such other bold-faced names as Jeffrey Katzenberg, David Geffen, James Cameron, Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Mike Nichols, Jerry Bruckheimer, Joel Silver, Madonna and writers Mario Puzo, James Clavell, Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler.

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Harvey Weinstein , told The New York Times in 2005, ”In the entertainment business, walking into litigation without Bert Fields is like walking into the Arctic without a jacket.”

A consummate dealmaker and circumspect raconteur, the suave Fields was as much a lover of history as he was the inside moves of Hollywood. Having put out a memoir in 2020, Fields was deeply proud of his literary output with works on the Shakespeare authorship debate, Richard III and Elizabeth I and a novel on Napoleon & Josephine, among others over the years.

Fields was a prolific writer. When The Godfather author and client Puzo died he was working on The Family, Fields finished it. Puzo, who admired Fields’ writing style in his legal briefs, left notes for Fields on the The Borgias so that Fields could complete the historical novel.

Though Fields continued to work until quite recently, the attorney had been in declining health since contracting Covid in 2020.

“For 40 years, we were graced with Bert’s brilliance, decency, and charm,” said Bob Baradaran, Managing Partner of Greenberg Glusker, where Fields spent most of his career. “Bert was a beloved colleague, friend, and mentor who trained a generation of outstanding lawyers. We were blessed to know and work with such a truly remarkable lawyer and human being.”

His many high-profile transactions and cases included repping Katzenberg in his messy divorce from Disney, Lucas in his deal with Disney’s theme parks, and Jackson in his landmark contract with Sony Music. Fields also won a huge award for the Beatles and Apple Corps over the Beatlemania musical, and another later for George Harrison against his ex-business manager. He represented Paramount in its appeal of the Buchwald v. Paramount case over Coming to America, and Beatty’s fight to keep Paramount from cutting a few minutes from his film Reds.

Said Cruise, a longtime client: “Bert Fields was a gentleman; an extraordinary human being. He had a powerful intellect, a keen wit and charm that made one enjoy every minute of his company. I loved him dearly and always will. It was a privilege to be his friend.”

Fields also repped DreamWorks SKG and Steven Spielberg in defeating an application for an injunction against exhibition of the Oscar winner’s 1997 film Amistad .

“Watching Bert was like watching a skilled surgeon,” Katzenberg once said.

Fields famously was “banned” from Disney by then-boss Michael Eisner.

“I think it was over Lucas, I’m not sure,” he told Deadline in a 2015 interview. “But I was banned and Jeffrey Katzenberg really solved that. He was working at Disney at the time, and he had asked me to lunch, and he said, ‘Look, I’m sorry about that and I’m going to try and make it work out.’ And he did. I was starting a strike by all the key entertainment lawyers against Disney. I was going to say if they’re barring me from the lot, none of us are going to deal with Disney. But I didn’t have to do that because Jeffrey got Eisner to back down.”

Fields also was a key figure in the case of Anthony Pellicano, the disgraced and convicted private investigator who specialized in digging up dirt on Hollywood heavyweights by whatever means necessary — oftentimes illegally.

“I have lost my dearest friend, colleague and mentor,” said Greenberg Glusker partner Pierce O’Donnell. “An American original, Bert was simply the greatest lawyer of his era in the same league as Clarence Darrow and Louis Nizer. Ever a gentleman, Bert lived life his way on his terms. Indefatigable, Bert was truly a Renaissance man: advocate, author, historian, actor, raconteur, recording artist, and a music enthusiast who knew every Cole Porter lyric. I will miss my pal Bert more than words can express.”

Bertram Fields was born on March 31, 1929, in Los Angeles. After going to UCLA, he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review . After serving as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, he began his law practice. He later taught at Stanford Law School and lectured annually at Harvard.

Fields is survived by his wife, Barbara Guggenheim, a nationally known art consultant; his son, James Elder; his grandson, Michael Lane; and his granddaughter, Annabelle. A private family service will take place later this week, with a possible public memorial to follow later this summer, we’re told.

Ted Johnson contributed to this report.

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The Awful Accident That Happened While Filming Tom Cruise’s ‘American Made’

Death, severe injury, and charges of negligence loomed over the Hollywood star's 2017 film.

The Big Picture

• Tom Cruise's performance in American Made deserves praise, as he portrayed real-life pilot Barry Seal in a daring role.
• The tragic plane crash during the film's production resulted in two deaths and severe injuries to the surviving pilot.
• Lawsuits were filed by the families of the deceased pilots, alleging negligence on the part of the film's production and questioning safety measures.

Any movie fan not living under a rock is well aware of Tom Cruise 's affinity for aviation. Having attained a pilot's license in 1994, the 60-year-old actor has put his skills to jaw-dropping use in several films , most dangerously in the Mission: Impossible films and Top Gun: Maverick . While his role as Pete Mitchell in the latter film and its predecessor remain iconic portrayals of a pilot, his performance as a flying daredevil in another film – American Made – also deserves praise.

In 2017's American Made , Tom Cruise played real-life pilot Barry Seal , a man who would turn to drug smuggling in the 1980s. Featuring many aerial sequences and high-altitude stunts, many of which were performed by the actor himself, the film's production was beset by tragedy on September 11, 2015. Carrying three pilots working on the film, Carlos Berl , Jimmy Lee Garland , and Andrew Purwin , a twin-engine Aerostar 600 crashed while en route through the Colombian Andes . The accident resulted in two deaths and severe lifelong injuries sustained by the sole survivor. But how did such an accident happen? And who would answer to the grieving loved ones filing lawsuits with charges of negligence?

American Made

The story of Barry Seal, an American pilot who became a drug-runner for the CIA in the 1980s in a clandestine operation that would be exposed as the Iran-Contra Affair.

Who Were Pilots Carlos Berl, Jimmy Lee Garland, & Andrew Purwin?

Having grown up among aviators in Venezuela, Carlos Berl followed in his family's footsteps and became a pilot himself. Eventually relocating to Florida and New York, he amassed a variety of licenses over the years, and in 2015, caught wind of an upcoming Tom Cruise-starring film looking for experienced pilots. Won over by the opportunity, but with a constant eye toward safety, Berl voiced concerns after learning the production wanted him to fly the Aerostar 600, an aircraft with which he had no experience and was infamous among aviators for its involvement in "more than 260 deaths in 191 accidents around the world since 1969."

A native of Georgia, Jimmy Lee Garland had also never worked on a film. But as a pilot and mechanic running his own aviation company and teaching lessons, his knowledge and experience put him on Hollywood's radar. In addition to serving as Tom Cruise's double, Garland also taught the actor how to fly a Cessna 414, noting that his student "liked to participate in the stunts" and was "a very good pilot." The month before the crash, Garland was in Colombia putting his skills to use, racking up many hours in flight and enjoying the good life in the hotels and casinos of Medellín.

Unlike Berl and Garland, however, Andrew Purwin's aviation record was not without controversy. Particularly known in the industry for performing helicopter stunts, and having worked on high-profile films like Pirates of the Caribbean , Tropic Thunder , and Transformers , he'd cultivated a reputation among colleagues as a "dangerous" and risk-taking pilot. Purwin was also well-known to the Federal Aviation Administration, though perhaps not for the most reassuring reasons. In 1996, he crashed a helicopter that resulted in the death of a business partner, and would eventually be prohibited from flying fixed-wing aircraft in certain "weather and regulatory conditions." Purwin was involved in "dozens of incidents" over the years, and according to some in Hollywood's aviation circles, was even a member of the so-called "death pool," a group composed of pilots considered likely to lose their lives in a plane crash.

What Happened on the Set of 'American Made'?

As cameras were rolling on American Made in Colombia, Berl, Garland, and Purwin were tasked with flying the twin-engine Aerostar 600 from Santa Fe de Antioquia to Medellín after a long day of filming. Embarking on what should've been a 35-mile flight lasting just 20 minutes, the trio took off around 5:30 P.M., only moments after Tom Cruise had departed the set in a helicopter. According to initial reports, the Aerostar encountered bad weather and crashed near the village of La Clarita.

Upon discovering the wreckage , local civilians found all three pilots alive, though severely injured. But after summoning help and returning to the downed plane, Carlos Berl and Andrew Purwin had perished. The lone survivor, Jimmy Lee Garland, suffered "a shattered vertebra, collapsed lung, herniated diaphragm, 10 broken teeth, broken ribs, a broken jawbone, and a cracked skull on both sides of a dislodged eye socket." Waking up in a hospital nine days after the crash, Garland would later claim to have no memory of the flight, who was flying, or how the plane went down.

What Happened After the 'American Made' Set Accident?

Many questions were being asked after the tragedy in the Colombian mountains. How could three experienced pilots, each of whom had logged hours over the dramatic terrain of South American jungles and rainforests, end up crashing on a routine flight? What kinds of safety guidelines and industry regulations did the film's production have in place to avoid such an accident? What, if any, external factors may have contributed to what happened? And perhaps the most crucial question of all, who was flying the plane? With survivor Johnny Lee Garland unable to remember anything about the flight and its demise, it appears the question of who was flying the Aerostar will never be answered.

The loved ones of Carlos Berl and Andrew Purwin filed lawsuits, each citing negligence on the part of the film production and making claims regarding shortcuts taken at the expense of overall safety. Filed a year after his death, the suit on Berl's behalf alleged that American Made 's producers, as well as his fellow co-pilots, pressured him into piloting the notorious Aerostar that he'd not been trained to fly. Filed in April 2016, the lawsuit on Purwin's behalf made similar allegations against the film's producers and flight coordinators, claiming that Berl was flying the plane and his inexperience contributed to the crash. For their part, the producers filed a countersuit against Purwin, claiming that his aviation company, Heliblack, supplied the film production with a compromised plane and that the pilot had been dishonest about his qualifications.

The True Story Behind Tom Cruise’s ‘American Made’

Regarding the events immediately preceding the flight, an anonymous source noted, "Apparently there was an argument about needing to leave immediately, even though they had some information about the weather that they should have stayed behind. I was just told there was intense pressure to get out as soon as possible." Another source, an experienced Colombian pilot, acknowledged, "I fly there regularly, and I would have stayed on the ground that day. You have to have experience to fly in Colombia. You cannot fly here like you fly in Miami, where there’s not a mountain anywhere. If you fly in South America, you have to be very trained in the conditions."

In April 2019, more than three years after the accident and a year-and-a-half after American Made hit theaters, the legal battles came to an end. According to Variety , the litigation was resolved in an undisclosed settlement between the plaintiffs and the film's producers . While it may never be known exactly why the Aerostar went down, or who was flying the plane in the first place, the tragedy behind the 2017 film shined a sobering light on the often contentious issues surrounding overall safety, the vetting of individuals, and regulatory processes as they relate to the logistics of film production.

Something Similar Happened on the 'Top Gun' Set

As tragic as it was, the accident associated with American Made wasn't the first of its kind while filming a movie starring Tom Cruise . Renowned pilot Art Scholl , 53 years old and known for his stunt work in Hollywood and air shows, was flying a Pitts Special biplane to capture footage for Top Gun in 1985. While in an inverted flat spin over the Pacific, Scholl suddenly radioed, "I've got a problem here." Moments later, he crashed into the ocean, and though debris was recovered, neither the full wreckage nor Scholl's body was ever found by authorities. Much like the events leading to the deaths on American Made 's production, a level of mystery and speculation will forever shroud the accident involving Scholl , only further confirming the inherent risks and danger that come with efforts to capture thrilling aerial feats on film.

'American Made' Has Seen a Resurgence in Popularity on Streaming Services

Six years after its release, American Made has made waves on streaming platforms , particularly Netflix, in which it held a position in the service's Top 10 Movies for weeks. There is no simple explanation for why a film or TV show from yesteryear sees a resurgence among viewers, but Tom Cruise's reassertion as a cinematic force in recent years is a likely factor. Between Mission: Impossible - Fallout and the unexpectedly massive box office performance of Top Gun: Maverick , the 61-year-old superstar is enjoying a well-deserved career renaissance after a period of lukewarm reception among audiences. American Made is one of Cruise's most breezy and watchable efforts in a forty-year career , balancing its real-life narrative basis with a playful sense of humor and irreverence for its subject and lead character. And, of course, its status as a true-crime film can't hurt as it streams on a service well-known as a haven for such non-fiction fare. Even so, understanding the tragic context surrounding the film's creation remains important and sobering.

American Made is available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.

Rent on Prime Video

Connor Cruise: Tom Cruise's 'incredibly loyal' and 'very well-liked' son lives a low key life

L OS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Tom Cruise , the Hollywood superstar, is said to have an unwavering pillar of support in his son, Connor Cruise.

Corner was the second child adopted during Cruise's marriage to Nicole Kidman on January 17, 1995, shortly after his birth after Bella Kidman Cruise, now 31, who was adopted on December  22, 1992.

Connor, now 29, leads a quiet life in Florida. Despite his low-profile lifestyle, he often accompanies his father on promotional tours worldwide, reflecting his "incredible loyalty" to his father, reports Daily Mail.

Connor Cruise's  life away from the limelight

Connor reportedly chose to live with Tom following his parents' divorce in 2001. Raised in the Church of Scientology, Connor and his sister, Bella, maintain a close relationship with their father.

However, their relationship with their mother, Nicole Kidman, appears strained as they have not been seen in public with her since 2007.

Connor lives in Clearwater, Florida, within a Scientology community, dedicating much of his time to fishing.

"Connor has a pretty simple life in Clearwater," a source told People in 2018, adding "He lives in his own home in a Scientology community. His life is deep-sea fishing. He has a lot of friends and seems very well-liked."

Tom Cruise's son Corner Cruise has a passion for fishing and love for music

Connor's Instagram account gives a glimpse into his life where he occasionally posts pictures of his impressive catches.

He also runs a separate account dedicated to his barbecuing business, Connor's Meatshack.

An avid deep-sea fisherman, Connor attributes this passion to his travels with his parents during childhood.

"We used to go fishing a lot when I was a little kid," he told People in 2016. "I was blessed to travel the world as a young kid and now I'm traveling the world working," he added.

Connor Cruise's close bond with Tom Cruise and sister Bella Cruise 

Despite his modest lifestyle in Florida, Connor remains incredibly close to his father, Tom, and has been spotted in public with the Hollywood titan as recently as last summer.

In July 2023, Connor was seen alongside his aunt, Tom Cruise's sister Lee Ann, supporting him in New York during the promotional tour for the latest 'Mission Impossible' film.

He also maintains a close relationship with his sister Bella who lives in London with her IT manager husband.

As for his relationship with his mother, Nicole Kidman, Connor appears not to interact with her in public and does not follow her on Instagram.

It has previously been reported that, although Kidman and Cruise were awarded joint custody of the children in their divorce settlement, Connor and Bella chose to live with their father and remain members of Scientology.

Nicole Kidman's Life Time achievement award and absence of adopted children 

Nicole Kidman received a Lifetime Achievement Award on April 27, from the American Film Institute.

Kidman was accomplished by her husband, Keith Urban, and their daughters -- Sunday Rose, 15, and Faith Margaret, 13 -- in a rare red carpet appearance at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Expressing her excitement she told ET, that she was happy to be joined by her girls, who "are old enough now to be able to come and know what this is" and also called them "loves of her life."  However, Bella and Corner did not attend it.

Connor tied the knot with his Italian partner, Silvia Zanchi, in a Scientology ceremony in 2019, with his mother conspicuously missing from the event.

While Bella expressed appreciation for her mother's Instagram post about the gong by liking it, Connor did not publicly recognize his mother's achievement.

Despite reported rifts, Nicole has expressed her unconditional love for Connor and Bella, even though they've chosen to be Scientologists. "I know 150 percent that I would give up my life for my children because it's what my purpose is," she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018.

"They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it's my job to love them," she said. 

Is the Church of Scientology the reason for Nicole Kidman being distant from her elder children?

The church of Scientology may be the reason for the distance between Nicole and her older children as Daily Mail noted. 

It cited ex-Scientology member Leah Remini's book 'Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology' which claims that Nicole was labeled a "suppressive person" by the church after leaving.

Also noting, Ron Miscavige, father of Scientology leader David, has spoken about the "toxic" policy of "disconnection" within the church.

When Connor got married in a Scientology ceremony, Nicole was notably absent due to her status as a "suppressive person."

Connor himself has denied any rift with his mother, noting their strong bond. In Connor's words, "I don't care what people say. I know that me and mum are solid. I love her a lot. My family means everything," he said in 2014.

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

‘I thought I had been cast in a Tom Cruise film – until I was asked to touch myself on camera’

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On an otherwise unremarkable day in 2019, jobbing actor John Taylor* received an email that would change his life forever.

He did not initially recognise the sender’s name but a quick Google search revealed Doug Liman was a huge Hollywood director, behind blockbusters including The Bourne Identity.

Doug said he was looking for undiscovered talent for his latest movie set in space starring Tom Cruise and John had been recommended by a producer he had previously worked with.

‘It was surreal, exciting, and weird,’ John recalled after receiving the offer; global superstardom, it seemed, was now in touching distance.

But first John needed to get in shape for the physically intense role and was instructed by Doug, and Donna Langley, the chairperson of the film’s producer Universal, to undergo martial arts training.

He was asked to pay $800 (£638) upfront for the teaching which, at the time, ‘didn’t seem like a huge deal’ to John, who had been paying for acting classes. It was another skill to add to his arsenal.

Doug would also call him multiple times a day, for hours on end, and ask him to watch dozens of films back-to-back, from dusk until dawn, and write analyses of the characters.

Eager to impress, John recalled to the makers of the Apple TV Plus documentary Hollywood Con Queen : ‘The whole time I was waiting for my phone to ring to do whatever they needed.’

But then John’s prescribed preparation took a horrific turn.

He was told Donna wanted to make sure he could perform a specific scene in the film and was made to jump on a Skype call. Her camera was switched off.

Donna asked him to act out chatting up and then kissing a ‘beautiful’ woman. John did as instructed but her feedback was not positive. She said she didn’t feel that he ‘believed’ it.

‘She was right,’ John recalled. ‘It was incredibly awkward and I didn’t believe it and it was uncomfortable and I didn’t want to do it.’

After an hours-long break for John to ‘loosen up’, they reconvened on Skype and Donna asked him to reenact the scene with his trousers off.

John said he obliged as he was wearing underpants and his waist downwards was not visible on the camera.

But then he was asked to touch himself.

‘And then I snapped,’ John said. ‘I was like, “No, this is ridiculous. This is not OK what you’re doing.”

‘It was the strongest combination of anger and of feeling upset I’ve ever felt – to the point where I was literally shaking. I was completely disrespected.’

When Doug apologised to John for Donna’s behaviour, only to ask for more money minutes later, it dawned on John he had been scammed.

A con artist had been impersonating the Hollywood power players and swindled $5,000 (£3,989) out of him.

After the realisation, John said: ‘[I thought] this is a really horrible person who uses people for sport.’

Donna and Doug had been impersonated by one man, Hargobind Punjabi Tahilramani, also known as the Hollywood Con Queen, whose crimes have been explored in the Apple three-part series.

Tahilramani had pretended to be multiple Hollywood executives to dupe more than 300 victims out for more than $1m (£797,999) by offering them non-existent film work in Indonesia between 2013 and 2020.

With the help of The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Johnson, who first broke the story, filmmaker Chris Smith, who also directed the Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, has turned the extraordinary case into a gripping documentary.

For the three-part docuseries, Tiger King executive producer Chris even spoke to Tahilramani, who was born in Indonesia but had been living in the UK, via Zoom, as he recounted to Metro.co.uk ahead of its release.

On his first impression of Tahilramani, Chris said: ‘He was very in control of the way that he presented himself and the way that he revealed information.

‘I think he was attempting to manipulate and control our dialogue and communication.

‘But what makes him so masterful is that it felt very genuine and real. I sympathise with the victims.’

Chris also said that during the making of the Hollywood Con Queen, he had concerns he had been sucked into Tahilramani’s web of manipulation.

He added: ‘By the end of the series, we found ourselves in Indonesia exploring all these things that he wanted us to explore.

‘We realised that maybe we had fallen prey to the same sort of manipulation that his victims have fallen prey to.

‘It was hard to understand always what was real, and there’s part of him that feels very relatable and genuine.

‘But it was trying to disentangle what was real, and what was not real, that was the constant push and pull of the process of trying to make this series.’

What also emerges from the Hollywood Con Queen is that Tahilramani’s motivation was not purely financial.

‘It’s hard to say [what his main aim was],’ Chris, who worked on the documentary for four years, explained.

‘He was living a good life in London and had nice clothes and went to nice restaurants. I don’t think the money was immaterial.

‘But from our perspective, it felt like it wasn’t the primary motivation, it felt like it was more about something else. It was about psychological manipulation, and destroying people’s dreams.

‘I don’t think we can ever fully know.’

Tahilramani was arrested following an FBI investigation on November 25, 2020 in a £60-a-night Aparthotel in  Manchester .

On June 6, 2023 a British judge ruled that he be extradited to the US to face trial for his crimes.

Tahilramani remains in the UK and is fighting extradition.

*Names have been changed.

Hollywood Con Queen is available to stream on Apple TV Plus from May 8.

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