Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Edmund “Ed” Exley: Guy Pearce
- Wendell “Bud” White: Russell Crowe
- Jack Vincennes: Kevin Spacey
- Lynn Bracken: Kim Basinger
- Sid Hudgens: Danny DeVito
- Dudley Smith: James Cromwell
- Pierce Patchett: David Strathairn
- D.A. Ellis Loew: Ron Rifkin
- “Badge of Honor” Star Brett Chase: Matt McCoy
- Mickey Cohen: Paul Guilfoyle
- Johnny Stompanato: Paolo Seganti
- Mickey Cohen’s Mambo Partner: Elisabeth Granli
- Mickey Cohen’s Mambo Partner: Sandra Taylor
- Officer Arresting Mickey Cohen: Steve Rankin
- Dick Stensland: Graham Beckel
- Wife Beater: Allan Graf
- Wife: Precious Chong
- Jack’s Dancing Partner: Symba
- Reporter at Hollywood Station: Bob Clendenin
- Photographer at Hollywood Station: Lennie Loftin
- Liquor Store Owner: Will Zahrn
- Susan Lefferts: Amber Smith
- Buzz Meeks: Darrell Sandeen
- Sid’s Assistant: Michael Warwick
- Matt Reynolds: Simon Baker
- Tammy Jordan: Shawnee Free Jones
- First Mexican: Thomas Rosales Jr.
- Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station: Shane Dixon
- Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station: Norman Howell
- Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station: Brian Lally
- Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station: Don Pulford
- Officer / Detective at Hollywood Station: Chris Short
- Police Chief: John Mahon
- Breuning – Dudley’s Guy: Tomas Arana
- Carlisle – Dudley’s Guy: Michael McCleery
- Gangster at Victory Motel: George Yager
- Vice Captain: Jack Conley
- Secretary in Vice: Ginger Slaughter
- Detective at Detective Bureau: Jack Knight
- Patrolman at Nite Owl Cafe: John H. Evans
- Forensic Chief: Gene Wolande
- Forensic Officer: Brian Bossetta
- Coroner: Michael Chieffo
- Mrs. Lefferts: Gwenda Deacon
- Bud’s Rejected Partner: T.J. Kennedy
- Jack’s Rejected Partner: Ingo Neuhaus
- Pierce Patchett’s Bodyguard: Robert Harrison
- City Councilman: Jim Metzler
- Boxer: Robert Barry Fleming
- Ray Collins – Nite Owl Suspect: Jeremiah Birkett
- Louis Fontaine – Nite Owl Suspect: Salim Grant
- Ty Jones – Nite Owl Suspect: Karr Washington
- Stenographer: Noel Evangelisti
- Inez Soto – Rape Victim: Marisol Padilla Sánchez
- Sylvester Fitch: Jeff Sanders
- Roland Navarette: Steven Lambert
- Officer at Detective Bureau: Jordan Marder
- Mayor: Gregory White
- Look-Alike Dancer: April Breneman
- Look-Alike Dancer: Lisa Worthy
- Witness on Badge of Honor: Beverly Sharpe
- Reporter at Hospital: Colin Mitchell
- Photographer at Hospital: John Slade
- Lana Turner: Brenda Bakke
- Frolic Room Bartender: Kevin Maloney
- Police File Clerk: Patrice Walters
- Police File Clerk: Rebecca Klingler
- D.A. Ellis Loew’s Secretary: Irene Roseen
- West Hollywood Sheriff’s Deputy: Scott Eberlein
- Detective at Hush-Hush Office: David St. James
- Officer at Hush-Hush Office: Bodie Newcomb
- Detective: Jeff Austin
- Detective: Robert Foster
- Detective: Kevin Patrick Kelly
- Detective: Henry Marder
- Detective: Monty McKee
- Detective: Henry Meyers
- Detective: Michael Ossmann
- Detective: Dick Stilwell
- Detective: Jess Thomas
- Detective: Robert Thompson
- Detective: Jody Wood
- Second Mexican (uncredited): Jimmy Ortega
- Marilyn Monroe (uncredited): Nectar Rose
- Uniformed Patrol Officer (uncredited): Rocco Salata
- Court Bailiff (uncredited): Dell Yount
- 1940s Courthouse (uncredited): Jan Citron
- Cop (uncredited): Scott McKinley
- Third Mexican (uncredited): Gilbert Rosales
- Deuce Perkins (uncredited): J.P. Romano
- Anthony Trombino (uncredited): Chris Palermo
- Mayor’s Wife (uncredited): April Audia
- Dancer (uncredited): Jana Rains Austinson
- Brunette Police Woman (uncredited): Priscilla Cory
- Dudley’s Guy with Shotgun (uncredited): Fred Lerner
- Movie Star (uncredited): Anne Zogby
Film Crew:
- Producer: Curtis Hanson
- Producer: Arnon Milchan
- Casting: Mali Finn
- Conductor: Jerry Goldsmith
- Executive Producer: David L. Wolper
- Special Effects Coordinator: Richard Stutsman
- Set Decoration: Jay Hart
- Co-Producer: Brian Helgeland
- Foley Editor: Bob Beher
- Editor: Peter Honess
- Grip: Randy Berrett
- Production Design: Jeannine Oppewall
- Executive Producer: Dan Kolsrud
- ADR Mixer: Robert Deschaine
- ADR Recordist: Tami Treadwell
- Music Editor: Kenneth Hall
- Director of Photography: Dante Spinotti
- Novel: James Ellroy
- ADR Editor: Denise Horta
- Producer: Michael G. Nathanson
- Costume Design: Ruth Myers
- Art Direction: William Arnold
- Steadicam Operator: J. Michael Muro
- Casting Associate: Emily Schweber
- Dialogue Editor: Mildred Iatrou
- ADR Mixer: Charleen Richards
- First Assistant Editor: Beth Jochem Besterveld
- Location Manager: John Panzarella
- Stunts: Rick Avery
- Makeup Artist: Lance Anderson
- Dialogue Editor: Kimberly Ellen Lowe
- Stunts: Bob Herron
- Orchestrator: Arthur Morton
- Assistant Editor: Carole Henderson Harrington
- Color Timer: David Orr
- Stunt Coordinator: Jeff Imada
- ADR Voice Casting: Barbara Harris
- Foley Artist: John Roesch
- Still Photographer: Merrick Morton
- Special Effects Coordinator: Eric Rylander
- Makeup Supervisor: Scott H. Eddo
- Costume Supervisor: Lisa Lovaas
- Assistant Editor: Michael Trent
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Andy Nelson
- Foley Artist: Hilda Hodges
- Chief Lighting Technician: Jeffrey W. Petersen
- Title Designer: Pablo Ferro
- Property Master: Steven B. Melton
- Set Costumer: Marsha Bozeman
- Dialogue Editor: Donald L. Warner Jr.
- Script Supervisor: Sharron Reynolds-Enriquez
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Anna Behlmer
- Dialogue Editor: Cathie Speakman
- First Assistant Camera: Duane Manwiller
- Sound Effects Editor: Gordon Ecker
- Supervising ADR Editor: Becky Sullivan
- Apprentice Sound Editor: Brian Best
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Peter Donen
- Production Secretary: Sara Flamm
- Sound Designer: Terry Rodman
- Sound Effects Editor: Steve Mann
- Camera Operator: Gary Jay
- Still Photographer: Peter Sorel
- Assistant Camera: Edward A. Gutentag
- Sound Effects Editor: Glenn Hoskinson
- Dolby Consultant: Thom ‘Coach’ Ehle
- Supervising Sound Effects Editor: John Leveque
- Compositing Artist: Travis Baumann
- Key Hair Stylist: Janis Clark
- Dialect Coach: Jessica Drake
- Construction Coordinator: Dave DeGaetano
- ADR Editor: Andrea Horta
- Head Greensman: Neil David Pontecorvo
- Script Supervisor: Connie Papineau
- Production Sound Mixer: Kirk Francis
- Camera Loader: James W. Apted
- Stunts: Anthony G. Schmidt
- Unit Production Manager: L. Dean Jones Jr.
- Stand In: Fred Fein
- Camera Production Assistant: Glenn Brown
- Music Programmer: Nick Vidar
- Special Effects Technician: Boyd Lacosse
- Key Grip: Scott M. Robinson
- Key Rigging Grip: Jim Duggan
- Craft Service: David Guilbeau
- Armorer: Thell Reed
- Sound Effects Editor: Joe Divitale
- Electrician: Corwin A. Bibb
- Painter: Rick Broderman
- Scoring Mixer: Bruce Botnick
- Location Manager: Kenneth Hunter
- Swing: G. Roger Abell
- Boom Operator: Mychal Smith
- Second Second Assistant Director: Heather Kritzer
- Production Accountant: Kim Bodner
- Utility Sound: Kay Colvin
- Negative Cutter: Mo Henry
- Assistant Property Master: Al Eisenmann
- Second Assistant Director: Jim Goldthwait
- Assistant Sound Editor: Steven Gerrior
- Chef: Robert Lamkin
- Transportation Coordinator: Keith Dillin
- Storyboard Artist: Gary Damian Thomas
- Set Designer: Louisa Bonnie
- Construction Foreman: Javier Carrillo
- Standby Painter: John Hinkle
- Art Department Coordinator: Moira Gill
- Greensman: Chuck Brooks
- Hairstylist: Peter Savic
- Seamstress: Bella Noubarian
- Carpenter: Eric Yount
- Driver: Dave Amberik
- Production Controller: Bonnie Daniels
- Production Office Coordinator: Carolyn Hagan
- Propmaker: John Cales
- Set Production Assistant: John Baumhauer
- Transportation Captain: Pete Bianco
- Transportation Co-Captain: John Bush
- Unit Publicist: Michael Battaglia
- Utility Stunts: Dion Mitchell
- Video Assist Operator: Mark Burnett
- First Assistant Director: Linda Montanti
- Production Supervisor: Warren Smith
- Hair Assistant: Gus Le Pre
- Best Boy Grip: Robert Duggan
- Assistant Chief Lighting Technician: Lonnie S. Gatlin
- Payroll Accountant: Cheryl McHugh
- ADR Recordist: Diane Linn
- Assistant Accountant: Karen Yokomizo
- Costumer: Elizabeth Abate
- Construction Buyer: Al DeGaetano
- Dolly Grip: Alberto S. Ramos
- Assistant Location Manager: Stephen Fischer
- Art Department Production Assistant: Andrea Morland
- Assistant Production Coordinator: Patti McGuire
- Production Assistant: Raul Moreno
- Electrician: Eric Smith
Movie Reviews:
- John Chard: City of Angels? More Like City of Demons!
Curtis Hanson directs and co-adapts the screenplay with Brian Helgeland from legendary pulp novelist James Ellroy’s novel. It stars Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito and David Strathairn. Music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Dante Spinotti.
It’s 1950s Los Angeles and three cops of very different morals and stature are about to be entwined in crime and corruption…
I admire you as a policeman, particularly your adherence to violence as a necessary adjunct to the job.
Tremendous film making. Hanson takes Ellroy’s labyrinthine story and pumps it with period authenticity and seamless direction, the latter of which sees him garner superlative performances from the cast. This is the side of Los Angeles nobody wants to talk about, it’s awash with corpses, hookers, seedy set-ups, violence, drugs, racism and corruption a go-go. And that’s just involving the politicians, the press and the coppers!
Rollo Tomasi.
The absence of genuine heroes on show still further keeps “The City of Angels” covered in dark clouds, where even as the plot twists and turns, as the mysteries unravel and brutality unfurls, the final destination of the principal characters is never clear, thus there’s a continuing edge of seat pulse beat within the pic. It’s also sexy and dangerous, the dialogue sharper than a serpent’s tooth, and while the ending is a little too cosy as opposed to original noir wave conventions, this is pure noir in all but black and white photography.
It won only two Academy Awards, Basinger for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and for Hanson and Hegeland for Best Writing – Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published. Frankly it should have won a dozen or so for it’s not just one of the best films of the 1990s, but also one of the best Neo-Noirs ever produced. 10/10