Legal Eagles
Encyclopedia
Legal Eagles is a 1986 romantic
crime
comedy-drama film
written and directed by Ivan Reitman
, and starring Robert Redford
, Debra Winger
, and Daryl Hannah
.
) is an Assistant District Attorney in the New York City District Attorney's Office, who is on his way to becoming the new DA. Into his life enters Laura Kelly (Debra Winger
), an attorney who is representing Chelsea Deardon (Daryl Hannah
). Chelsea is accused of stealing a painting from an art dealer, Victor Taft (Terrence Stamp). However, Chelsea claims that the painting is actually hers, as her father made it for her and signed it to her on her 8th birthday 18 years ago - the same day that her father and most of his paintings went up in smoke in a mysterious fire.
Kelly eventually manages to talk Logan into helping them (after she creates an impromptu press conference at the dinner where Logan is being introduced as the new candidate for District Attorney
). However, things turn even more mysterious when Taft suddenly drops all charges against Chelsea and a police detective, Cavanaugh (Brian Dennehy
), comes up with proof that the paintings that supposedly were lost in the fire - which were worth millions in insurance - are still in existence. Chelsea also continues coming on to Logan, coming to his apartment being fearful of someone following her. When Logan goes to investigate, he is shot at. Logan agrees to continue trying to protect Chelsea while Kelly continues her investigation into the paintings. After an attempt by Taft to blow up a warehouse with incriminating information - which almost blows Logan and Kelly up as well - Logan and Kelly find evidence of a massive insurance fraud between Taft, Deardon and a third man who was sent to prison.
Logan and Kelly go to Taft's apartment and find him murdered and Chelsea hiding in Taft's apartment. When Chelsea is caught sleeping with Logan after being accused Taft's murder, Logan's career as an assistant DA is finished. Logan reluctantly teams up with Kelly, which is also encouraged by Logan's daughter, who thinks the two make a good couple. Realizing that a sculpture Taft claimed to them was priceless but told Chelsea was worthless, Logan goes to find Cavanaugh while Kelly and Chelsea go to an exposition in honor of Taft to find the sculpture. There, the person they thought was Cavanaugh reveals himself as Joe Brock, the third person who was locked up. Brock forces Kelly and Chelsea to break open the hollow sculpture, grabs the painting inside and cuffs them to a table. He then sets fire to another part of the gallery, forcing an evacuation. Logan, having realized that Cavanaugh was not who he thought he was, races to the gallery. Logan and Brock fight, with Brock eventually falling to his death. Logan finds Kelly and Chelsea, grabs the painting and the three escape from the burning gallery, where Chelsea tearfully reveals the signature "To Chelsea" on the back of the painting. After all charges are dropped against Chelsea, Logan's former boss offers to take him back, based on Logan's publicity. Logan, however, decides to stay with Kelly, and the two set up an office together.
, defendant Chelsea Deardon, had gone from innocent to guilty. The alternate endings include her guilty of one murder, innocent, and then guilty of a different murder.
with a 32% Audience rating.
The film grossed a domestic total of $49,851,591 and $43,300,000 internationally from a $40 million budget, totaling $93,151,591 worldwide, thus making it a commercial success.
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
crime
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
comedy-drama film
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
written and directed by Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman, OC is a Canadian film producer and director. He is known for the comedies he has directed and produced, especially in the 1980s and 1990s.He is the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 2000.-Early life:...
, and starring Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
, Debra Winger
Debra Winger
Mary Debra Winger is an American actress. Three-times an Oscar nominee, she received awards for acting in Terms of Endearment, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1983, and in A Dangerous Woman, for which she won the Tokyo International Film Festival...
, and Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
.
Plot
Tom Logan (Robert RedfordRobert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
) is an Assistant District Attorney in the New York City District Attorney's Office, who is on his way to becoming the new DA. Into his life enters Laura Kelly (Debra Winger
Debra Winger
Mary Debra Winger is an American actress. Three-times an Oscar nominee, she received awards for acting in Terms of Endearment, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1983, and in A Dangerous Woman, for which she won the Tokyo International Film Festival...
), an attorney who is representing Chelsea Deardon (Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
). Chelsea is accused of stealing a painting from an art dealer, Victor Taft (Terrence Stamp). However, Chelsea claims that the painting is actually hers, as her father made it for her and signed it to her on her 8th birthday 18 years ago - the same day that her father and most of his paintings went up in smoke in a mysterious fire.
Kelly eventually manages to talk Logan into helping them (after she creates an impromptu press conference at the dinner where Logan is being introduced as the new candidate for District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
). However, things turn even more mysterious when Taft suddenly drops all charges against Chelsea and a police detective, Cavanaugh (Brian Dennehy
Brian Dennehy
Brian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
), comes up with proof that the paintings that supposedly were lost in the fire - which were worth millions in insurance - are still in existence. Chelsea also continues coming on to Logan, coming to his apartment being fearful of someone following her. When Logan goes to investigate, he is shot at. Logan agrees to continue trying to protect Chelsea while Kelly continues her investigation into the paintings. After an attempt by Taft to blow up a warehouse with incriminating information - which almost blows Logan and Kelly up as well - Logan and Kelly find evidence of a massive insurance fraud between Taft, Deardon and a third man who was sent to prison.
Logan and Kelly go to Taft's apartment and find him murdered and Chelsea hiding in Taft's apartment. When Chelsea is caught sleeping with Logan after being accused Taft's murder, Logan's career as an assistant DA is finished. Logan reluctantly teams up with Kelly, which is also encouraged by Logan's daughter, who thinks the two make a good couple. Realizing that a sculpture Taft claimed to them was priceless but told Chelsea was worthless, Logan goes to find Cavanaugh while Kelly and Chelsea go to an exposition in honor of Taft to find the sculpture. There, the person they thought was Cavanaugh reveals himself as Joe Brock, the third person who was locked up. Brock forces Kelly and Chelsea to break open the hollow sculpture, grabs the painting inside and cuffs them to a table. He then sets fire to another part of the gallery, forcing an evacuation. Logan, having realized that Cavanaugh was not who he thought he was, races to the gallery. Logan and Brock fight, with Brock eventually falling to his death. Logan finds Kelly and Chelsea, grabs the painting and the three escape from the burning gallery, where Chelsea tearfully reveals the signature "To Chelsea" on the back of the painting. After all charges are dropped against Chelsea, Logan's former boss offers to take him back, based on Logan's publicity. Logan, however, decides to stay with Kelly, and the two set up an office together.
Alternate endings
Legal Eagles has several different endings. The film opened to mediocre reviews in theaters and by the time it reached televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, defendant Chelsea Deardon, had gone from innocent to guilty. The alternate endings include her guilty of one murder, innocent, and then guilty of a different murder.
Cast
- Robert RedfordRobert RedfordCharles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
- Tom Logan - Debra WingerDebra WingerMary Debra Winger is an American actress. Three-times an Oscar nominee, she received awards for acting in Terms of Endearment, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1983, and in A Dangerous Woman, for which she won the Tokyo International Film Festival...
- Laura Kelly - Daryl HannahDaryl HannahDaryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
- Chelsea Deardon - Brian DennehyBrian DennehyBrian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
- Cavanaugh - Terence StampTerence StampTerence Henry Stamp is an English actor. Since starting his career in 1962 he has appeared in over 60 films. His title role as Billy Budd in his film debut earned Stamp an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA nomination for Best Newcomer.His other major roles include...
- Victor Taft - Christine BaranskiChristine BaranskiChristine Jane Baranski is an American stage and screen actress, and is perhaps best known for her Emmy Award winning portrayal as "Maryanne Thorpe" in the sitcom Cybill, and her Emmy nominated portrayal of "Diane Lockhart" in The Good Wife...
- Carol Freeman - Roscoe Lee BrowneRoscoe Lee BrowneRoscoe Lee Browne was an American actor and director, known for his rich voice and dignified bearing.-Biography:Browne was the fourth son of a Baptist minister, Sylvanus S. Browne, and his wife Lovie...
- Judge Dawkins - David ClennonDavid ClennonDavid Clennon is an American actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Miles Drentel in the ABC series Thirtysomething, a role he reprised on Once and Again....
- Blanchard - Robert Curtis Brown - Roger
- Grant HeslovGrant HeslovGrant Heslov is an American actor, film producer, screenwriter and director.-Early life:Heslov was born in Los Angeles, into a Jewish family and was raised in the Palos Verdes area of Los Angeles. He attended Palos Verdes High School, the University of Southern California along with friend Tate...
- Usher - Sara BotsfordSara BotsfordSara Botsford is a Canadian television and film actress. She is probably best known for her role of Ann Hildebrand in the television series E.N.G. for which she won a Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role...
- Barbara - David HartDavid HartDavid Hart may refer to:* David Berry Hart , Scottish surgeon and professor* David Hart , American actor* David Hart , Australian rules footballer...
- Marchek - James Hurdle - Sebastian Dearden
- Gary Howard Klar - Hit Man (as Gary Klar)
- Christian ClemensonChristian ClemensonChristian Clemenson is an American film and television actor. He is well known for his portrayal of Jerry "Hands" Espenson in the television series Boston Legal, for which he won the 2006 Emmy Award for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series.-Early life:Clemenson spent his childhood in Humboldt,...
- Clerk - Bruce FrenchBruce French (actor)Bruce French is an American actor who has more than 30 years of acting credits to his name.French attended the University of Iowa and majored in speech and theatre...
- Reporter - Lynn Hamilton - Doreen
Reception
The film currently holds a 50% on the Tomatometer on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
with a 32% Audience rating.
The film grossed a domestic total of $49,851,591 and $43,300,000 internationally from a $40 million budget, totaling $93,151,591 worldwide, thus making it a commercial success.