Absence of Malice **** (1981, Paul Newman, Sally Field, Bob Balaban, Melinda Dillon, Luther Adler, Barry Primus, Josef Sommer) – Classic Movie Review 5036

Sydney Pollack’s complex and satisfying 1981 thriller film Absence of Malice stars Sally Field as a naïve reporter tricked by the FBI into framing a Miami liquor wholesaler (Paul Newman) with a false story.

Producer-director Sydney Pollack’s complex and satisfying 1981 American drama neo noir thriller film Absence of Malice stars Sally Field as naïve but well-meaning newshound reporter Megan Carter, who is tricked by the FBI into framing Miami liquor wholesaler Mike Gallagher (Paul Newman) with a false story when a union boss vanishes, apparently murdered in a mob hit.

Gallagher won’t reveal his alibi for the time of the murder in order to protect his fragile friend Teresa (Melinda Dillon) but Carter goes ahead an publishes Teresa’s story. After Gallagher decides to get his own back, Carter claims press privilege. But Carter tells Gallagher the source of her story about him and he sets out to tackle the FBI.

Director Pollack takes on the ever-topical subject of corruption in journalism with gusto, keeping the film intense, dynamic and fast moving. And the actors turn in powerful, winning performances. Newman and Dillon both received well-deserved Oscar nominations as Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. Curiously, the Golden Globes ignored both of them and nominated Field as Best Actress instead.

Tense, intelligent, thought-provoking entertainment, backed by the credibility of former newspaper editor Kurt Luedtke’s powerful screenplay, it proved an Eighties highspot for Newman, who was to follow this success with more in The Verdict (1982). Luedtke swung the film’s third Oscar nomination, for Best Original Screenplay.

It is serious minded as well as entertaining. The legal term ‘absence of malice’ is one of the defences against libel defamation, used in journalism classes to show the clash between disclosing damaging personal information and the public’s right to know. Newman said that the film was a ‘direct attack on the New York Post’, which had published a caption for a photo of Newman that he said was inaccurate. The dispute led the Post to ban him from its pages, even removing his name from movies in the TV listings. So the film is urgent and angry. The film itself is now used in journalism classes to illustrate professional errors such as writing a story without seeking confirmation and having a romantic relationship with a source.

It co-stars Bob Balaban, Luther Adler, Barry Primus, Josef Sommer, John Harkins, Don Hood, Wilford Brimley, and Annie Ross

Also in the cast are Anna Marie Napoles [Phanie Napoli], Shelley Spurlock, Joe Petrullo, Shawn McAllister, Rooner Kerwin, Sharon Anderson, Clardy Malugen, Oswaldo Calvo, Jody Wilson, Ilse Earl, Alfredo Alvares Calderon, Pat Sullivan and Bill Hindman.

Absence of Malice runs 116 minutes, is made by Mirage Enterprises, is released by Columbia Pictures, is shot in widescreen by Owen Roizman, is scored by Dave Grusin, and is designed by Terence Marsh.

The film was a box office success, taking $40.7 million, ironically partly because it was the first film in a long time that had Newman in a romantic relationship role with a strong female co-star, and Columbia Pictures made use of this in its publicity campaign.

The cast are Paul Newman as Michael Gallagher, Sally Field as Megan Carter, Bob Balaban as Elliott Rosen, Melinda Dillon as Teresa Perrone, Luther Adler as Malderone, Barry Primus as Waddell, Josef Sommer as McAdam, Don Hood as James K Quinn, Wilford Brimley as Assistant US Attorney General James A Wells, John Harkins as Davidek, Annie Ross, Anna Marie Napoles [Phanie Napoli], Shelley Spurlock, Joe Petrullo, Shawn McAllister, Rooner Kerwin, Sharon Anderson, Clardy Malugen, Oswaldo Calvo, Jody Wilson, Ilse Earl, Alfredo Alvares Calderon, Pat Sullivan and Bill Hindman.

It was nominated for three Oscars: Best Actor (Paul Newman), Best Supporting Actress (Melinda Dillon) and Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen (Kurt Luedtke).

It was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama (Sally Field) and Best Screenplay – Motion Picture (Kurt Luedtke).

Melinda Dillon died on January 9, 2023, at the age of 83. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her roles as Jillian Guiler in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Teresa Perrone in Absence of Malice (1981).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5036

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