Main Cast: Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Thomas Jane, Monica Bellucci
Release Year: 2000
Country: FR/US
Run Time: 110 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
When a powerful man is accused of murder, who tells the truth -- the man, or his estranged wife? Henry Hearst (Gene Hackman), an American attorney living in Puerto Rico, is called in to speak with police detective Victor Benezet (Morgan Freeman). A few days earlier, Hearst reported finding the body of a 12-year-old girl while taking his dog for a walk; however, investigators now believe that Hearst may have had a greater involvement in the crime than he's admitting. Under intense questioning by a confident young cop named Owens (Thomas Jane) and gentler but firm interrogation from Benezet, several cracks begin to appear in Hearst's story, but he's able to persuade the police to allow him to leave long enough to take part in a fund-raising function he'd promised to attend. However, upon his return, Hearst discovers that Benezet and Owens have been questioning someone else -- his wife Chantal (Monica Bellucci), who has been on poor terms with her husband for some time. Under Suspicion was based on the novel Brainwash by John Wainwright, which was previously filmed by French director Claude Miller as Garde a vue. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Miguel Angel Suarez - Superintendent; Luis Caballero
Credit
Michael Atwell - Art Director, Reuben Cannon - Casting, Francine Jamison-Tanchuck - Costume Designer, Stephen Hopkins - Director, John Smith - Editor, Gene Hackman - Executive Producer, Morgan Freeman - Executive Producer, BT - Composer (Music Score), Cecilia Montiel - Production Designer, Peter Levy - Cinematographer, Anne Marie Gillen - Producer, Stephen Hopkins - Producer, Lori McCreary - Producer, Ross Grayson Bell - Producer, Simon Kaye - Sound/Sound Designer, W. Peter Iliff - Screenwriter, Tom Provost - Screenwriter
Ross Grayson Bell,
Morgan Freeman,
Gene Hackman,
Maurice Leblond
Written by
John Wainwright (book Brainwash)
Claude Miller (1981 screenplay Garde à vue) and
Jean Herman (1981 screenplay Garde à vue) and
Michel Audiard (1981 screenplay Garde à vue)
Tom Provost (screenplay) and
W. Peter Iliff (screenplay)
The police in San Juan, Puerto Rico investigate the rape and murder of two young girls. Captain Victor Benezet (played by Freeman) questions Henry Hearst, an upstanding lawyer (played by Hackman) about the crime, turning a ten-minute interview into a grueling interrogation.
Henry has a strained relationship with his beautiful young wife Chantal (Bellucci). A wealthy, influential man, Henry has become the prime suspect, but the evidence against him is circumstantial. As the city celebrates the San Sebastian Festival, the police captain brings in the lawyer for questioning, at first politely, and then less so, as he and a younger detective chip away at the suspect's alibi. They interrogate him for hours while Henry's most private secrets are exposed one by one.
None of the film's leading characters appear to be Puerto Rican, including the police captain or young Detective Owens (played by Jane). Owens is immediately (and throughout) overtly hostile to the suspect. Henry reacts angrily to Owens' rudeness but continues to clumsily incriminate himself.
Scenes outside the interrogation room depict what Henry is saying. The film inserts the detectives alongside the suspect in the flashbacks of each event he describes.
The film was givin limited release to only 19 movie theaters in North America grossing a total of $334,245 during its theatrical run. The film was also given limited release internationally grossing $752,783 in Mexico, $17,222 in Taiwan, and $277,675 in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta.
Score
Much of the film's score was composed and performed by the electronic musician BT.
