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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Salesrank: 10911
Released: April 17, 2007 |
| Our Price: $5.90 |
| Used Price: $7.99 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Detective Tom Spellacy (Duvall) and Catholic Monsignor Desmond Spellacy (De Niro) find their worlds colliding amidst a flurry of political finger-pointing and public outcries over a scandalous, headline-making murder. As Tom hunts down the elusive killer, his investigation threatens to expose secrets that could ruin his brotherÂ...and rock the foundation of his beloved church.
Description of True Confessions:
John Gregory Dunne turned the true story of Los Angeles's Black Dahlia murder case into a compelling novel and then adapted the novel (with wife Joan Didion) for this meaty movie mystery directed by Ulu Grosbard. A study of the ways power corrupts, and the way corruption consumes the soul, the film stars Robert Duvall and Robert De Niro as a pair of brothers (a cynical police detective and a rapidly rising monsignor, respectively) who come into conflict over the case of a murdered woman in 1940s Hollywood. De Niro gives a beautifully shaded performance, while Duvall, who never gives a bad one, gets the slightly flashier role. Yet there's nothing showy about Duvall, who gets under the skin of this cop and who knows better than to get personally involved in a case but ultimately can't help it. A fine supporting cast includes Kenneth McMillan, Charles Durning, and Burgess Meredith. Maybe too studied for some, but worth watching if only for the two leads. --Marshall Fine
True Confessions Reviews:
Beautiful Review 
2009-10-13 - Although the movie is beautiful and heart-breaking and well worth seeing, I'm writing to comment on the great interpretation Mr. Conway has written about it. He has added to my own understanding of the movie (and book), which I, too, saw (and read) when it was first released. What he has to say about Desmond's flawed faith is a wonderful observation. I would only add that the irony in the climactic scene in the confessional between the two brothers is that the pragmatic priest is behaving like the cop, interested only in the technical culpability of Amsterdam, while the cop knows Amsterdam is morally guilty and should be punished ("I don't care!" he shouts, when in fact he seems to be the only one who does). He doesn't want to punish his brother, but he must know that he will fall along with Amsterdam.
Sublime, evocative, but missing a scene or two?
2009-08-22 - Some of the reviewers here have stated the critics didn't care for this movie upon its' release in 1981, however it received two huge thumbs up from Siskel and Ebert at the time, one of them commented that Duvall and DeNiro were so convincing it would have been fascinating as well had they been in each other's roles. Confessing age, I saw this movie in the theater, and have seen it many times on tape and cable as well, and I have a recollection of some early scenes in the original theater version that have never appeared on tape versions, and hope someone may fill in the gaps. Specifically, at the scene of the crime Duvall and MacMillan interview two LAPD uniformed officers about the discovery of the body, and something about tire tracks near the scene, which ties in later to the discovery of Leland Stanford's death when he "totals the Ford." In addition, the video versions don't reveal how the victim is identified, which takes a considerable time in the book, which ties back to the ultimate scandal that befalls Monsignor Spellacy. When it emerges the victim had been a hitchhiker ("Christian Scientist - you mean the one who didn't know who Mary Baker Eddy was?"), with whom the Monsignor had shared a ride, and who later became entangled in Jack Amsterdam's world of Porn and Prostitution, the Monsignor is compromised irredeemably (seemingly), a tacit cooperator within a world of deceit, hypocrisy, and criminal behavior. His brother's world, in fact. There's an early scene of DeNiro sneaking a peak at the newspaper article, creeping anxiety subtly portrayed. The constant references to "your brother" (either "your brother the policeman" or "your brother the monsignor") are both idiomatic among Irish people and meant, among Irish people, to invoke responsibility from the brother being spoken to, for the actions of the one being spoken about. One of the reviewers complained of this, in fact it's an authentic, purposeful speech pattern among my people.
Of course the title comes from the old pulp crime mag, but also refers to the physical act of confession within the Catholic sacrament of reconciliation, not all of which, any priest can tell you, are completely True. Part of confession is penance, meaning you must not only seek forgiveness from the priest and express True Contrition, you must also atone, by performing the penance, frequently Three Hail Marys and an Our Father, to be performed after exiting the booth. Even the Monsignor confesses to Fr. Seamus Fargo (Burgess Meredith), but ultimately it is the rage of Thomas Spellacy at the the system of compromises, hypocrisy, and corruption, within Church and State, which leads him to bring down the house, inflicting as a result a penance of public humiliation upon his brother. When his brother asks him during his confession, "did he do it?", meaning, did Jack Amsterdam actually kill Lois Fazenda, Tom Spellacy responds, "I don't care!", in fact he's going to charge Amsterdam with a crime he knows was committed by another man, to revenge the deaths of Lois Fazenda and Brenda, the madam who's suicide wracks him with guilt. The public conflagration which ensues ends his brother's career as a rising star within the Hierarchy of the church, but enables him to realize, "I never had a talent for loving God...but Seamus taught me it didn't matter as long as I could be of service."
The movie opens and closes with Tom meeting Desmond many years later at the small desert (John the Baptist and Jesus referrences, certainly) parish to which Des has been banished, along with Seamus Fargo (another embarrassment for the firm), where Tom truly confesses his fault, and Des forgives, and credits Tom with saving him. This is the final "True" confession, the confession in the belief in mercy, redemption, and atonement. Des is "At One" with his vocation, his destiny, and has spent his time in purgatory (though not quite "life plus 99 years", which Tom earlier states their Mother has estimated his own term will be.) He says to Tommy, when asked to forgive him, "No Tommy, it was you who saved me."
This is one of DeNiro's great, subtle performances, he plays a cultured, sensitive, gifted but powerful man, with nuance and utter credibility. One wishes he'd find that opportunity more often.
Anyone remember those missing bits? Have read the book of course, don't think I'm just imagining it.
True Confessions DVD
2009-01-19 - This is a great movie the meaning of which does not diminish over time. Conflicts between brothers are explored as are conflicts in beliefs systems. The movie addresses human falibity in the face of the seductiveness of power and the enduring windows of opportunity opened up by the power of forgiveness.
Inspired by "The Black Dahlia"
2008-11-01 - Though a work of fiction, the mesmerizing TRUE CONFESSIONS (1981) was inspired by Los Angeles' infamous and still unsolved "Black Dahlia" murder case of the post-war 1940s.
Adapted from John Gregory Dunne's novel, the story centers on the Spellacy brothers. One of them, Desmond (Robert DeNio) is a highly regarded Catholic monsignor and the other, Tom (Robert Duvall is a homicide cop.
Both brothers are "corrupt" in their own individual ways. Tom was once a "bagman" for former pimp Jack Amsterdam (Charles Durning), now a building contractor who does much of his work for the Church, thanks to his close relationship with Desmond.
When the dismembered body of a young actress is found in a field, we soon learn that Desmond, Amsterdam and some of the other pillars of the Church knew the girl. Tom, in fact, is convinced that Amsterdam is the killer.
Ulu Grosbard directed this low-key, intriguing drama, which does an excellent job of recreating a bygone era. DeNiro and Duvall are both in top form, and the cast also includes Burgess Meredith and Ed Flanders.
© Michael B. Druxman
True Confessions
2008-04-21 - I'm Not a "movie person" but, I have been waiting for years for this film to be released for purchase.
