Twilight **** (1997, Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman, James Garner) – Classic Movie Review 2022

Co-writer/director Robert Benton’s marvellous 1997 old-style murder thriller, with the ghosts of the past haunting the present, proves in every way that the oldies are still goldies.

Paul Newman stars as an old retired ex-cop and private eye investigating an ancient case in which actress Susan Sarandon’s then husband vanished. Gene Hackman plays Sarandon’s present husband, a rich actor dying from cancer. James Garner co-stars as Newman’s ex-cop buddy from the old days.

The admirable Newman, Hackman and Garner may have gone a bit wrinkly but prove that they still have the stuff and that they can sure still do it. The private-eye murder thriller plot is suitably convoluted and hard-boiled, the atmosphere splendidly murky, and the performances of an extremely fine cast are first rate.

Co-writer/director Benton (Nobody’s Fool, 1994) handles it all with crafted warmth towards his stars and the film noir genre. The author of the Nobody’s Fool source novel, Richard Russo, co-writes the screenplay.

Reese Witherspoon, Stockard Channing, Giancarlo Esposito, Liev Schreiber, John Spencer, Margot Martindale, M Emmet Walsh, Peter Gregory, Rene Mujica, Jason Clarke, Patrick Malone, Lewis Arquette, Michael Brockman, April Grace and Clint Howard are also in the hand-picked, choice, dream cast.

The movie was filmed at LAPD’s Hollywood Division Stationhouse and real cops are seen in the background.

At the end of the year he died on July 19 2014, aged 86, remembering James Garner. RIP.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 2022

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