The Pelican Brief (1993) on Netflix
PG-1319932h 21mCrimeDramaMystery
Two Supreme Court justices are killed, and law student Darby Shaw writes a brief naming a likely culprit. When her professor shares it with an FBI contact, the theory draws dangerous attention.
- Netflix3.7/5
- IMDb6.7/10105,462 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes56%
Trailer
Plot summary
Supreme Court justices Jensen and Rosenberg are killed by an assassin. Darby Shaw, a law student at Tulane, drafts a brief setting out a possible motive for the two murders. Her professor and lover Thomas Callahan, who once clerked for Rosenberg, reads the brief and shares it with Gavin Verheek, the FBI director's special counsel. Believing her theory is accurate, Darby goes into hiding and tries to reach Verheek. In Washington, a man calling himself Garcia tells reporter Gray Grantham he has information about the killings, then drops from sight. Darby approaches Grantham too, and her computer, disks and files have vanished from her home.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Pelican Brief (1993)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Carolco Pictures, with whom Pakula had a first-look agreement, secured the film rights for $1.3 million, but financial troubles at Carolco ended his contract early and transferred the project to him; Pakula then struck a two-year deal with Warner Bros., which paid $1.75 million to option the rights.
- Julia Roberts ended a yearlong hiatus from acting to play Darby Shaw, preparing by attending law classes at Tulane University in New Orleans, where filming began on May 21, 1993.
- Tony Goldwyn campaigned for the role of Fletcher Coal, convincing Pakula he could play a younger version of the character than the novel depicts, and consulted White House advisor George Stephanopoulos to prepare.
- New Orleans filming locations included a French Quarter apartment doubling as Thomas Callahan's residence, Antoine's restaurant on St. Louis Avenue and Bourbon Street, where a crowd scene featured over 1,000 extras.
SPOILER
Pakula and Warner Bros. opted to film an additional, more upbeat ending, with extra shooting in Montecito, California on November 27, 1993, that extended the runtime by approximately ninety seconds.- A private White House screening hosted by President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton was held on December 10, 1993, a week before the film's theatrical release, and was attended by Grisham and Pakula.
