Absence of Malice (1981)


Paul Newman             Gallagher
Sally Field             Megan
Bob Balaban             Rosen
Melinda Dillon          Teresa
Luther Adler            Malderone
Barry Primus            Waddell
Josef Sommer            McAdam
John Harkins            Davidek
Don Hood                Quinn
Wilford Brimley         Wells
Arnie Ross              Eddie Frost
Anna Marie Napotes      Nickie
Shelley Spurlock        Sarah Wylie
Shawn McAllister        Hood 1
Joe Petrullo            Hood 2
Rooney Kerwin           Walker
Oswaldo Calvo           John
Clardy Malugen          Donna

Directed by:            Sydney Pollack
Produced by:            Ronald L. Schwary, Sydney Pollack


An ambitious Miami reporter, Megan Carter, tries to stay on top of a breaking story about the mysterious 
disappearance of a local long-shore labor leader for her newspaper. Meanwhile, Elliot Rosen, the head of a 
federal task force investigating the same disappearance case, believes that a little pressure on Michael 
Gallagher, the son of a dead mobster might force his help in solving the mystery. Michael's late, mafia boss 
father, however, kept him 'clean', and away from the family racketeering, making sure his son ran a legitimate 
business. Nonetheless, Michael still has unsavory family ties, particularly with his shadowy uncle Luther. 
And although Michael has no connection with the crime, Elliot and the newspaper editor sucker Megan into 
printing a story identifying him as a prime suspect. Under the Absence of Malice rule for slander and libel 
cases, she remains in the clear; meanwhile Michael's life begins to unravel--alongside others who are impacted 
by the slanderous story. The stakes get even higher as Megan and Michael grow close, within the turmoil of 
published propaganda, skewered truth and lies.

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Michael Colin Gallagher is the son of a long dead Mafia boss who is a simple liquor warehouse owner. Frustrated 
in his attempt to solve a murder of a union head, a prosecutor leaks a false story that Gallagher is a target 
of the investigation, hoping that he will tell them something for protection. As his life begins to unravel, 
others are hurt by the story. Megan Carter, the reporter, is in the clear under the Absence of Malice rule in 
slander and libel cases. Knowing nothing to trade to the prosecutors, Gallagher must regain control of his life 
on different ground.