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Storyline
Record producer Phil Spector hires Bruce Cutler to defend him when he's accused of murder. Cutler persuades Linda Kenney Baden to advise him. While the prosecution's story is contradicted by facts in the case, there is convincing circumstantial evidence against Spector, not the least of which is his appearance. As Baden gradually takes over the defense, even as she is ill with pneumonia, she must find a way to introduce ballistic evidence in a dramatic enough fashion to plant doubt in the jury's mind. Calling Specter to testify may be the only way to stage the evidence. She coaches him and rehearses him: can he (and she) pull it off? Written by
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The truth is somewhere in the mix.
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Goofs
In one of the interviews with Phil Spector, he says "Sam Cooke, in bed with some girl, the husband comes home - bam bam bam!". In reality, Sam Cooke was killed by a manager at a motel to which he had brought a prostitute. Sam Cooke was using the toilet in his room when the prostitute ran off with all his clothes, presumably to rob him. Cooke went into frenzy and headed for the manager's office, wearing nothing but shoes and a jacket, to ask where the prostitute had gone. The manager perceived Cooke's aggressive manner as an attack and shot him in the stomach. Court ruled the case as "justifiable homicide" and the manager was freed of all charges.
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Quotes
Bruce Cutler:
She shot herself.
Linda Kenney Baden:
You bet she did!
Bruce Cutler:
Why?
Linda Kenney Baden:
Not our problem anymore.
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Crazy Credits
'This is a work of fiction. It's not "based on a true story." It is a drama inspired by actual persons in a trial, but it is neither an attempt to depict the actual persons, nor to comment upon the trial or its outcome.'
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Soundtracks
Barbarian Queen Theme
Written by
Johnny Caruso and
Brian Barrale See more »
Legendary record producer Phil Spector (Al Pacino) is accused of murdering Lana Clarkson. He insists that she killed herself. His defense attorney Bruce Cutler (Jeffrey Tambor) hires consultant Linda Kenney Baden (Helen Mirren) to help. The evidence is circumstantial but the most damning is probably Spector himself.
With David Mamet, Al Pacino, and Helen Mirren, I had greater hopes. Sure it's just a TV movie but HBO likes to think of themselves as more than TV. It's mostly about the behind the scenes of the defense during the trial as they cobble the evidence together. Without both sides, the movie feels like it's missing something. Pacino is throwing a lot into his performance. Mirren is solid. The most interesting part for me is the opening text of NOT based on a true story. After that, some of the inside baseball looked interesting. The case isn't that complicated. I come away with the feeling that this is only the most superficial of a look inside of Spector's mind.