Absence of Malice

Absence of Malice is a 1981 American drama film directed by

Absence of Malice
Sydney Pollack and starring Paul Newman, Sally Field,
Wilford Brimley, and Bob Balaban.

The title refers to the legal definition of one of the

requirements of proof against libel defamation, and is used in
journalism classes to illustrate the conflict between disclosing
damaging personal information and the public's right to
know.[1]

Contents
Plot
Cast
Production
Reception
Critical response Promotional poster
Awards and honors
Directed by Sydney Pollack
References
Produced by Sydney Pollack
External links Ronald L. Schwary
Written by Kurt Luedtke
David Rayfiel
Plot (uncredited)
Miami liquor wholesaler Michael Gallagher (Paul Newman), Starring Paul Newman
who is the son of a deceased criminal, awakes one day to find
Sally Field
himself a front-page story in the local newspaper, indicating
that he is being investigated in the disappearance and Music by Dave Grusin
presumed murder of a local longshoremen's union official, Cinematography Owen Roizman
Joey Diaz. Edited by Sheldon Kahn

The story was written by Miami Standard newspaper reporter Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Megan Carter (Sally Field), who reads it from a file, left Release date December 18, 1981
intentionally on the desktop of federal prosecutor Elliot Rosen
Running time 116 minutes
(Bob Balaban). As it turns out, Rosen is doing a bogus
Country United States
investigation and has leaked it with the purpose of squeezing
Gallagher for information. Language English
Box office $40,716,963
Gallagher comes to the newspaper's office trying to discover
the basis for the story, but Carter does not reveal her source.
Gallagher's business is shut down by union officials who are now suspicious of him since he has been
implicated in Diaz's murder. Local crime boss Malderone, Gallagher's uncle, has him followed, just in
case he talks to the government.

Teresa Perrone (Melinda Dillon), a lifelong friend of Gallagher, tells the reporter that Gallagher could not
have killed Diaz because Gallagher took her out of town to get an abortion that weekend. A devout
Catholic, she does not want Carter to reveal the abortion, but Carter includes it in the story anyway.
When the paper comes out the next morning, Perrone picks up the copies from her neighbors' yards
before they can be read. Later, offscreen, she commits suicide.

The paper's editor McAdam tells Carter that Perrone has committed suicide. Carter goes to Gallagher to
apologize, but an enraged Gallagher assaults her. Nevertheless, she attempts to make it up to him by
revealing Rosen's role in the investigation.

Gallagher hatches a plan for revenge. He arranges a secret meeting with District Attorney Quinn (Don
Hood), offering to use his organized-crime contacts to give Quinn exclusive information on Diaz's
murder, in exchange for the D.A. calling off the investigation and issuing a public statement clearing
him. Both before his meeting with Quinn and after Quinn's public statement, Gallagher makes significant
anonymous contributions to one of Quinn's political action committee backers. Gallagher, thankful for
Carter's help, also begins a love affair with her.

Rosen is mystified by Quinn's exoneration of Gallagher, so he places phone taps on both and begins a
surveillance of their movements. He and federal agent Bob Waddell obtain evidence of Gallagher's
donations to Quinn's political committee. They also find out about Gallagher and Carter's relationship.

Waddell, as a friend, warns Carter about the investigation to keep her out of trouble, but she breaks the
story that the office of the district attorney (D.A.) is investigating Gallagher's attempt to bribe the D.A.

The story makes the front page again and causes a huge uproar over the government investigating the
District Attorney. The US Assistant Attorney General Wells (Wilford Brimley) ultimately calls all of the
principals together. After the truth comes out, Wells suggests Quinn resign. (Gallagher's donations to
Quinn's political committee, though not illegal, cast suspicions on Quinn's motives in issuing his
statement clearing Gallagher.) Wells also suspects that Gallagher set everything up, but cannot prove it,
so he will not investigate further. Finally, Wells fires Rosen for malfeasance. The newspaper now prints a
new story written by a different reporter revealing details of the incidents.

It is unclear whether Carter keeps her job, or whether Carter's relationship with Gallagher will continue,
but the final scene shows them having a cordial conversation on the wharf where Gallagher's boat is
docked before he sails away and leaves the city.

Cast
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 U.S. Attorney General James A. Wells

Production
The movie was written by Kurt Luedtke, a former newspaper editor, and David Rayfiel (uncredited).[2]
Newman stated that the film was a "direct attack on the New York Post," which had earlier published a
caption for a photo of Newman that he stated was inaccurate. Because of the dispute the Post banned
Newman from its pages, even removing his name from movies in the TV listings.[3]

Reception

Critical response
Absence of Malice received mostly positive reviews. Newman and Dillon's performances were praised, as
was Brimley's cameo. Many reviewers compared the film to the 1976 Academy Award–winner All the
President's Men. In his review, Time magazine's Richard Schickel wrote "Absence of Malice does not
invalidate All the President's Men. But with entertainment values – and a moral sense – every bit as high
as that film's, it observes that there is an underside to journalistic gallantry."[4] Similarly, Variety called it
"a splendidly disturbing look at the power of sloppy reporting to inflict harm on the innocent."[5]

The Chicago Sun-Times' Roger Ebert wrote that some may take the approach "that no respectable
journalist would ever do the things that Sally Field does about, to, and with Paul Newman in this movie.
She is a disgrace to her profession." Instead he preferred a "romantic" approach, writing that he "liked
this movie despite its factual and ethical problems" and was not "even so sure they matter so much to
most viewers".[6] Janet Maslin of The New York Times found the movie lacking in momentum, but
praised its "quiet gravity".[7] Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader disliked Absence of Malice, writing that
"the picture has a smug, demoralizing sense of pervasive corruption".[8] Although Pauline Kael described
the film as only "moderately entertaining", she offered higher praise for Newman's "sly, compact
performance" and particularly for "the marvelously inventive acting of Melinda Dillon". [9]

Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 80% based on reviews from 25 critics, with an average score of
6.7/10.[10]

Awards and honors

Absence of Malice was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Newman),
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Dillon) and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.
At the 32nd Berlin International Film Festival, the film won an Honourable Mention.[11]

References
1. Absence of Malice (1981) (http://www.cjr.org/critical_eye/absence_of_malice_1981.php)
When bad journalism kills, By Lauren Kirchner, Columbia Journalism Review, July 15, 2011
2. "Absence of Malice (1981)," (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081974/fullcredits#writers)
Internet Movie Database. Accessed March 20, 2012.
 3. DiGiaomo, Frank (December 2004). "The Gossip Behind the Gossip" (https://web.archive.or
g/web/20110929173432/http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2004/12/pagesix200412.
print). Vanity Fair. Archived from the original (http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/200
4/12/pagesix200412.print) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
4. Schickel, Richard. "Cinema: Lethal Leaks" (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,91
71,922725,00.html), Time magazine (November 23, 1981).
5. Variety Staff. "Absence of Malice " (http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117796641?refcatid=
31), Variety (December 31, 1980).
6. Ebert, Roger. "Absence of Malice" (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID
=/19810101/REVIEWS/40318067), Chicago Sun-Times (January 1, 1981).
7. Maslin, Janet. "MOVIE REVIEW: NYT Critics' Pick: Absence of Malice" (https://movies.nyti
mes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF173BB72CAA494CC1B7799D836896), The New
York Times (November 19, 1981)
8. Kehr, Dave. "Absence of Malice" (http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/absence-of-malic
e/Film?oid=1071491), Chicago Reader. Accessed March 20, 2012.
9. Kael, Pauline (2011) [1991]. 5001 Nights at the Movies (https://books.google.com/books?id
=w4LzeUZ03vQC). Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-1-250-03357-4.
10. "Absence of Malice (1981)" (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/absence_of_malice/). Rotten
Tomatoes. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
11. "Berlinale 1982: Prize Winners" (http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1982/03_pr
eistr_ger_1982/03_Preistraeger_1982.html). berlinale.de. Retrieved September 2, 2010.

External links
Absence of Malice (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081974/) on IMDb
Absence of Malice (http://www.tcm.turner.com/tcmdb/title/title.jsp?stid=25188) at the TCM
Movie Database
Absence of Malice (https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=absenceofmalice.htm) at
Box Office Mojo

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