Customer Reviews

True Confessions

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am in complete agreement with 'A viewer from Summit N.J.', unable to understand why this thoughtful, moving film failed to achieve the recognition is so clearly deserves. De Niro and Duvall are both at their distinguished best, their interaction as brothers one of the most persuasive and compelling I have ever seen on the screen. The evocation of the period - including the Catholic Church of the day - seems flawless, and the slowly unfolding drama of personal redemption gives the movie very unusual dramatic weight. An excellent film in every way.

I received my DVD today and despite what the "Product Details" say above, the movie is presented in both Full Screen AND Widescreen.

Simply stated, this is a great watch. The critics did not care for this effort. Some say it is too complex, too much thinking required to follow the plot. Not at all. It is a perfect blend of hero, anti-hero, humanity's darkside and finally, a redeeming closure. DeNiro and Duvall "made" this movie!

Fans do not fret, this IS a widescreen and fullscreen DVD. I couldn't wait to pick up my copy of True Confessions this last tuesday. This film is as excellent as I remember it being back in '81 when I first saw it in a theatre. DeNiro and Duvall just don't make movies like these anymore, they both have fallen to the "Hollywood" format these day. This is a must see for fans who may have forgotten just how wonderful these two men were at the top of their game. This film is on the slower side with character and story development happening slowly, but the wonderful performances keep this film moving forward with interest. This film is a 10+!

Ulu Grosbard superbly realizes John Gregory Dunne's outstanding novel of two brothers--an ambitious monsignor and a corrupt LAPD detective--involved in a mysterious murder in postwar LA. The action is a bit slow compared with the crackling pace (and chuckle-a-page humor) of the novel. But the casting and performances are supremely effective. Robert Duvall turns in his finest characterization as the cop, but the entire cast turns in outstanding performances, incuding Robert DeNiro as the monsignor, Rose Gregorio as a madam, Kenneth McMillan as Duvall's equally corrupt partner, Ed Flanders as a smarmy Irish lawyer, Burgess Meredith as a crusty old priest, Cyril Cusack as a cardinal, and the great Charles Durning as a gangster seeking to buy redemption through charity. The cinematography and staging are equally exemplary. A memorable film.

Thanks to the reviewers who posted information about the widescreen version on this DVD. (Perhaps Amazon will update their details.) Based on that, I add one star back to my initial three-star review. Had there been any extras on the disc, I could have given it a fifth star. No matter; it's still a terrific movie and a very worthwhile purchase! Finally, my VHS copy gets retired.

I love this movie. Yes, it keeps you guessing in the end, but the artistic value of this film is very high. It is about the struggle of two brother who are fighting their own internal battles about God and right and wrong. In the end, they come together in a beutiful scene that brings the movies together. My other comment is: WHERE IS THE DVD? This is a marvelous movie that should be on a DVD.

I love this movie, and have waited a long time for it to come out on DVD. However, I'm a bit biased as I worked on it. So, for me it's not just a good movie, it also brings back memories of working with some of my favorite actors and on a crew with several good friends. I don't know why it took so long for this movie to make it to DVD. It has an amazing cast... De Niro, Duval, Durning, just for starters. The story is intense and intriging, and the photography is beautiful, with great attention to period details. There's a lot to like about this movie.

A TRUE BEHIND THE SCENES STORY:
The murder victim at the center of the story is alternately played by an ex-playboy model and a full-sized wax casting of her. Supervising the makeup for actress as well as the wax dummy was the renoun makeup artist, Michael Westmore of Star Trek fame. Also, to ensure realism, a L.A. Deputy Coroner served as technical advisor.

However, dispite assurances from Michael and the technical advisor that the "body" looked very real, the director wasn't happy with the skin color. As he said, "it's not a matter of what a REAL body looks like, it's what the audience THINKS a real body looks like." So, Michael loaded the wax dummy in the back seat of his car to take it back his studio. Can you guess what happened next? Driving down the freeway, someone saw the wax dummy in the back of Michael's car and called the police. Subsequently, he was stopped by a roadblock and police with drawn guns. So, obviously the dummy looked real to someone.

When I first saw this movie,I was haunted by the beautiful Irish music in the background. Two brothers,DeNiro the up and coming priest and Duvall his detective brother are caught up in a murder,reminiscent of the "Black Dahlia" murder of the late 40's. In a gripping tale of post-WW II Los Angeles,we follow the careers of both brothers as they become embroiled in corruption of church and power.It is fascinating and gritty.Charles Durning turns in a great role as well as Burgess Meredith.Especially creepy,is the discovery of the murder scene. It left me with a feeling of regret of how power ultimately corrupts yet salvation can be achieved with time and understanding.Loved the book, loved the movie.

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.