In the twilight
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | In the twilight |
| Original title | Twilight |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1998 |
| length | 90 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Robert Benton |
| script | Robert Benton, Richard Russo |
| production |
Arlene Donovan , Scott Rudin |
| music | Elmer Bernstein |
| camera | Piotr Sobociński |
| cut | Carol Littleton |
| occupation | |
| |
In the twilight (original title: Twilight ) is an American thriller from 1998 by director Robert Benton , who also wrote the screenplay with Richard Russo . The main role was played by Paul Newman .
action
Harry Ross previously worked as a police officer for 20 years and has been a private investigator in California for five years . He is commissioned by the actors Catherine and Jack Ames to find and bring their 17-year-old daughter Mel back after she ran away with her boyfriend Jeff Willis. He tracks them down in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico . During a brief argument with the couple, his gun falls to the floor, and when Mel picks it up, a shot accidentally goes off and hits him in the thigh.
Two years later, on October 20, 1997, Harry was sitting in a Los Angeles police interrogation room , looking back on what brought him here. Since he successfully brought Mel back to their parents and was shot by their daughter, the Ames couple had offered Harry that he could stay in the guest room of the house. At that time he led an unsteady life because he had to struggle with alcohol problems after the death of his daughter, his wife separated from him and he had to spend the night in his office without an apartment of his own. Temporary accommodation in the Ames family home becomes a permanent fixture for Harry; he becomes the family's handyman and takes on repairs and errands.
Jack Ames has cancer and has only a short time to live. One evening he asks Harry to deliver a package to a Gloria Lamar. At the address given to him, however, he meets an old man who fires shots at him as soon as he sees him. Shortly afterwards, the man collapses and dies of a stomach wound previously caused by an unknown hand. Harry finds an inhaler and documents on the dead body that identify him as the retired police officer Lester Ivar. He drives straight to the dead man's apartment and finds 20-year-old newspaper clippings about Catherine, who was then married to the actor Billy Sullivan, who then disappeared without a trace. It turns out that Ivar was the investigator in charge of the case. According to official reports, Sullivan committed suicide by allegedly swimming out to sea. However, Ivar was convinced that it was murder, which he could never prove.
When the police show up at Ivar's apartment, Harry is arrested as a suspect. He claims that he knew Ivar and always worked for him when he had asthma attacks. The police determine, however, that Ivar did not have asthma, but emphysema and Harry's license as a private detective expired a year ago. Since the investigating police officer Verna Hollander is a former colleague of Harry, he will soon be released. Harry meets his former colleague Raymond Hope, who has been hired by Jack Ames to check on Harry.
When Harry questions Catherine Ames about Lester Ivar, she claims not to know him. There is an argument and Harry wants to pack his things, but then they kiss and sleep together. Shortly afterwards, Jack Ames had a heart attack in another room in the house . Harry arranges a telephone meeting with Gloria Lamar to hand over the package to her, as instructed by Jack. At the agreed meeting point, Mel's ex-boyfriend Jeff Willis suddenly appears next to Gloria and knocks Harry down. Jeff is still furious because he was jailed in Yuma Prison over a complaint from Jack Ames for kidnapping a minor . Gloria turns out to be Jeff's probation officer .
Jack reveals to Harry that Billy Sullivan found out about the affair between him and Catherine and therefore angrily visited him at his property, where he fell into an empty swimming pool. Billy lay bleeding and appeared to be dead. Jack then called Raymond Hope to have the supposed body disappear. Raymond saw this as his chance to demand money from Jack for covering up the act. But when Raymond noticed that the badly injured Billy was still alive, he shot him in the head so that he could actually blackmail Jack.
Harry is now looking for Raymond in his luxurious house. During the course of the conversation, Raymond admits the act and justifies himself with the fact that Billy could only have survived paralyzed. Harry explains that he will go to the Los Angeles police station and report him, but that he will have the opportunity to get out of the house until then. Raymond doesn't want to lose his luxury life and when Harry walks to the door he shoots him. Harry can take cover in time and shoots Raymond.
Harry's interrogation is over and he can leave. On the way out he is accompanied by Verna Hollander and both decide, as before, to take a trip to Catalina together .
background
- Towards the end, the young Gene Hackman can be seen on television. This is the film shot from 1969 (Society Film Prize 1971 ).
- Filming began on November 11, 1996 and ended in March 1997. The film was shot in various locations in California .
- The cost of production has been estimated to be between $ 20 million and $ 37 million. The film grossed around $ 15 million in US cinemas.
- It was released in the US on March 6, 1998, and in Germany on August 6, 1998.
Reviews
- Lexicon of international film : Slowly and sensationally staged, the emphasis is on portraying ebbing masculinity. A film that benefits mainly from the winking melancholy of the excellent actors.
- Günter H. Jekubzik wrote on filmtabs.de: The film is a modern film noir and a mature film with time for the essentials, for example for friendships. [..] With special care, director Benton and cameraman Piotr Sobocinski built a mirror cabinet of deceptions, false floors and all-round controls. [..] The music of the soundtrack classic Elmer Bernstein conjures up dark premonitions, the cast creates gripping characters with short, concise appearances. The smiling malevolence in Catherine's farewell sentences deserves a place in film history .
- Jonathan Rosenbaum praised the portrayal of James Garner in Chicago Reader . He wrote that the thriller and the director 's earlier film Nobody's Fool - Irresistible in the long run - would complement each other: the first film was dedicated to the working class, the second was set in high society.
Web links
- In the twilight in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- In the twilight at Rotten Tomatoes (English)