Sanglantes confessions (1981) Online

One of the most underrated films of the past 25 years, "True Confessions" is worth repeated viewings. On the surface it's a period piece about a corrupt Los Angeles where sex, money, the police, and the Catholic church all mingle. While at first glance, the film is as lurid as "L.A. Confidential," beneath the surface it is a memorable love story, a story of two brothers, one a detective and one a ranking member of the Church hierarchy.

The brothers are played by Robert Duvall and Robert DeNiro, in performances that will linger in your mind forever. The silent moments between these two brothers resound louder than the dialogue. There's one heartbreaking scene in a bar where their inability to communicate despite their love for one another captures all of the complexities of sibling relationships. I have no idea who won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1984, but whoever it was could not have been better than the two Roberts are here.

In supporting roles Kenneth McMillan and Charles Durning also shine, one as a corrupt cop and the other as a corrupt businessman. In fact, I would have loved to see a remake of this film with the two pairs of actors trading roles: DeNiro for Duvall and McMillan for Durning. That film would have been different but arguably as great.

The final scene of the film is punctuated by the perfect sound track. So a great big tip of the hat to all responsible: John Gregory Dunne for the script, Ulu Grosbard for the wonderful direction that allows for those memorable silences, and, of course, a miraculous cast of fine performers working at the height of their art. Don't miss this film.

I had seen this excellent film when it was first released over 20 years ago. I had forgotten about it completely and came across it on the mystery channel recently. When it first came out I recall that no less a personage than William F. Buckley - not normally in the film reviewing business - raved about it.

Having just seen it again, I am astonished at what a superb film this is, and that I could have forgotten it. Consider the credits - Joan Didion as writer, and Robert Duvall, Robert deNiro, Charles Durning and and Burgess Meredith.

Those expecting simply a crime story will be disappointed, for the horrific murder that is the centerpiece of the movie is nothing more than, in Hitchcock's term, a 'McGuffin' on which to hang a richly human tale of corruption, guilt, brotherly conflict and devotion, and redemption. The portrayal of the necessary compromises that even good institutions - e.g. the church - must make to exist and operate in the world is as good a portrayal of the essential sinfulness of the human condition as any. In fact I feel that it is impossible for anyone without at least some semblance of religious sensibility to appreciate the true character of this movie.

The period setting and flavor is excellent and the production values are superb. Contrary to viewers who were bored I could not tear myself away from the screen.

This one is truly an overlooked and forgotten - dare I use an overworked term? - masterpiece.

Ulu Grosbard's "True Confessions" scripted by John Gregory Dunne and Joan Dideon from his novel of the same name is a masterful film, one of the most under-rated movies of the nineteen-eighties. It's an exquisite character study, whose themes deal with corruption, the seduction of power, Catholic guilt, remorse and finally the need for absolution. Robert De Niro is Desmond Spellacy, an ambitious Monsignor of an Catholic Archdiocese in Los Angeles, and Robert Duvall is his brother Tom, a middle-aged hardboiled LAPD detective, investigating the brutal murder of a young would be actress. Both have a strongly developed sense of Catholic sin that binds them even when their contrasting personalities conflict. It is their scenes together, with all that desperately needs to be said and yet is not, despite the love they have for each other, that makes this one of the most brilliantly acted films of its time. While Los Angeles of 1947 is beautifully recreated, many critics misconstrued the film at the time of its release as being a latter day film noir murder mystery. It is not. The solving of the "Black Dahlia" style murder is only incidental to the plot. Central are the relationships between many of the characters and the victim, and how those relationships led to her death.

The film opens sixteen years after the murder in 1963. Duvall, retired from the force, visits his brother who was transfered to a threadbare parish in the desert years earlier because of the scandal. "I'm going to die, Tommy." Des tells him. "The arteries to the heart are shot." The scene then dissolves to 1947 to a magnificent cathedral with Des presiding over the wedding of Jack Amsterdam's daughter. Jack is a powerful construction contractor with a lifetime of misdeeds, now a pillar of the Catholic community and trying to buy his way into heaven by building Catholic schools. The dying Amsterdam (Charles Durning) taints all he comes in contact with, and personifies corruption, literally bringing it into the church, disrupting the ceremony with his incessant coughing while his daughter is already several months pregnant out of wedlock. The relationship between Amsterdam and Desmond will be a contentious point with the brothers. Unknown to Jack, years earlier Tom had acted as bag man for his payoffs to Vice and though busted for it was not indicted. His attempts to put Des straight about Jack are met with irritation and an unwillingness to hear the truth, because of his ambition to succeed the aging Cardinal, (Cyril Cusack) an appointment of which Jack has some say.

Jack's influence is felt even at LAPD. "Does he make you nervous, Frank?" Tom asks Frank Crotty (Kenneth Macmillan) after his slightly corrupt partner (he cheerfully accepts payoffs from local Chinese businessmen) insists that Amsterdam, despite, "Banging her", had nothing to do with the murder. Jack's hypocrisy, (he is made Catholic Layman of the year) and his disregard for the lives he destroys, (Brenda, one of his hookers (Rose Gregorio) commits suicide after Jack refuses to see her) will goat Tom to bring him in, having uncovered evidence it was Amsterdam who introduced the victim to the pornographer, who murdered her. Unfortunately Des also knew the victim, albeit only in passing. Jack's liaison with the church, Dan Campion, (Ed Flanders) is also facing ruin from the scandal that will ensue, (he was the first to have a sexual tryst with the victim) and tries to get Des to stop Tom's investigation, informing him that she was the hitchhiker they picked up on their way back from Santa Anita and if they go down Des will go with them. "You knew her too, Monsignor." "I knew her." Des replies. "You f**ked her."

Finally the film returns to 1963. For years Tom has carried the guilt that he ruined his brother's life and he needs his forgiveness. "It must have been hard, Des. It's my fault...I'm sorry." "No, Tommy you were my salvation, actually. You made me remember things I had forgotten. I thought I was someone I wasn't." Des consoles Tom he is unafraid of dying, that, "My bags are packed." Then in what they both know will be the last time the two brothers again attempt to connect. Both good yet touched by the same corruption: the sin of pride for Tom, ambition for Des, and both needed forgiveness. Reaffirming the love between them despite all that has happened, Des leads Tom to the plot he has set aside for himself and he hopes one day for Tom where they both may rest safe from worldly temptations. It is one of the most moving moments in the film. Requiescat in pace.

This story is somewhat loosely based on the story of Elizabeth Short, widely known as the Black Dahlia. For decades the mystery of her death plagued the LAPD., and, despite the gruesome dénouement in True Confessions, the killer of the Black Dahlia was never found.

The murder mystery was dramatized in a novel by James Ellroy, perhaps better known for the more successful, though in many ways definitely inferior, L.A. Confidential. In 2005 a somewhat low budget adaptation was made with a present day setting, and most recently a Brian De Palma film, regarding which, a must miss, was released, based on Ellroy's novel and starring Canadian Mia Kirshner in the title role, along with the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Josh Hartnett, and Hillary Swank.

Despite all this attention, imitators will be hard pressed to match the desolate and subdued brilliance of this telling of the popular mystery, owing in no small measure to the immensely talented cast. DeNiro's portrayal of Monsignoir Spellacy, an Irish priest with a decidedly human side, is positively stunning, in the manner of DeNiro's other historic performances of the era. Duvall, as his flawed but well intentioned brother and LAPD detective, renders what may be the finest performance of his long and illustrious career.

Most of the period references will not be appreciated by today's movie viewer, but the zeitgeist is beautifully captured. The reality of the characters is stunning, even though they are necessarily stylized to a large extent. The tone, pace, and style of the movie are sharply reminiscent of The Godfather, although True Confessions relies much less on violence and noise, and more on character and plot.

Central to the story is the uneasy relationship between an ambitious priest and his hard-boiled detective brother. The two clash over scattered entanglements that reach deep into the LAPD, the Catholic church, and the wealthy and elite LA community. When events and evidence surrounding the mutilated corpse of a would-be actress begin to tighten the noose around a small and corrupt group that spans all these borders, the relationship of the brothers becomes increasingly strained.

Institutions of wealth, power and influence are exposed to the increasingly unforgiving glare of reality. The scope of the story is epic, but the treatment is intimate. The combination is breathtaking.

Scattered about the edges of this subtle and majestically paced masterpiece is a complex thought provoking mystery, but be warned. The story that unfolds is not an easy one to watch. Avoiding a trite ending, the film instead seems to fade into an uneasy, but inevitable, twilight, in which defeat, loss and resignation replace the ambitions and illusions of youth.

Despite the grisly and disturbing events of the story, and notwithstanding the epic tragedy of the final act, True Confessions is, ultimately, an uplifting story about redemption through adversity. The final scene has a huge emotional payoff, but only if you have invested in the story from the beginning.

Standouts in the magnificent supporting cast include Charles Durning, as a fading influence peddler, and the incomparable Rose Gregorio as a burned out madam known to, but abandoned by, all. And one cannot fail to mention the amazingly sensitive portrayal by Burgess Meredith of DeNiro's mentor, father confessor, and, in many ways, eventual savior, Father Fargo.

All in all, this is, quite simply, the finest crime drama ever, rich with performances so brilliant, so masterful, that you will be left speechless, even after many viewings, which is, of course, the only way to appreciate so complex and subtle a masterpiece. I recently got the widescreen DVD version, and can once again experience True Confessions as I remember it; delicate, moving, brilliant and thought-provoking, as well as in its proper aspect ratio.

Adapted by the talented husband and wife team of Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne from the latter's novel, "True Confessions" is not a film likely to please everyone. It is a character study dressed as a detective film, following two brothers, one a priest the other a detective. Both characters are flawed and corrupt in one way or another, but over the course of a murder investigation both men find their means of salvation.

Focusing on atmosphere and characterisation rather than suspense, "True Confessions" marked another triumph for director Ulu Grosbard, director of the two criminally underrated classics "Who is Harry Kellerman?" and "Straight Time". The performances in the film are excellent, with Duvall and De Niro simply superb as the two protagonists, particularly the latter in an effectively subdued role. Loosely based on the infamous Black Dahlia case, the film will madden those expecting the film to follow the structure and pacing of a conventional genre film. Yet for those who want something more intelligent and thoughtful, "True Confessions" is a rewarding experience.

I recently pulled out my old copy of True Confessions and watched it again. The thing that struck me the most was the incredible display of extraordinary acting by so many of the actors. DeNiro and Duvall are simply mesmerizing. The supporting cast - Burgess Meredith, Cyril Cusack and Rose Gregorio - are as good as any supporting cast in any movie. The film has mood and texture, and evokes the Los Angeles of the late 1940's in brilliant detail.

John Gregory Dunne has used the real life Black Dahlia murder of 1947 to weave a complex story of corruption in the Catholic Church and the LAPD. A very underrated film.

TRUE CONFESSIONS is one of the best movies ever made. Its virtues include the remarkable array of character actors, each giving of his best under the amazingly subtle direction of Ulu Grosbard. The novel provided an excellent springboard for the script the author wrote with his wife. Re-reading it, I found the scenes that had to be excluded from the movie for reasons of length, etc., were visualized and heard in my mind with the actors' personalities, idiosyncrasies, and inflections. This was particularly true of Cyril Cusack, Burgess Meredith, Ed Flanders, Charles Durning and the two principals. I can watch this film over and over, each time discovering new felicities as well as new depths of emotion. I am not a Catholic, a detective, or an American, but I must confess I had an older brother and our relationship undoubtedly added to my appreciation of this masterpiece.

This was a really good little film. It takes a look at the Black Dahlia killing but it mainly focuses on the relationships between the people. Even though they look and figure out who the killer is, it's a secondary part of the story. The Black Dahlia part in this movie is not accurate to the facts from the real case but it's not really suppose to be. Catholic Church corruption, prostitution and murder all combined for a really quiet meaningful little flick.

Long before L.A. Confidential, this film made light of the massive corruption and lack of caring in the L.A. police department back in it's bad years from the 20's through the 50's. You'll be glad you didn't live there back in those days.

No action but high on drama/thriller twists and turns. If you like L.A. Confidential, see this. I'm willing to bet, you'll like it.

True Confessions is a film wherein all of the players are at the top of their game. Altho starring Robert Duval and Robert DeNiro, the depth of field among the character actors is extraordinary, and this is why a movie that's seems to have so little going on is really so overwhelmingly powerful. Both Duval and DeNiro seem to communicate without speaking; almost as tho their thoughts are being sub-titled on the screen. Whenever they do begin talking with each other, the weight of their shared past has the force of a sledge hammer. I have a vhs copy of True Confessions, have watched it plenty of times and still find fresh nuances whenever I look at it. You have to see this movie.

It's always interesting to watch a film twenty-some years after it was first released, to see how it weathers the changing standards of cinema. Happily, I can say that "True Confessions" stands up very well. I very much enjoyed the film when it came out in 1981, and I have seen it a half-dozen times since then, most recently in November of this year (2002). And I find it's still an enjoyable and interesting film, even on the inevitably faded VHS video from my local library. (One hopes that the film will soon be available on DVD, if it's not already.)

The film was adapted from the novel of the same title by John Gregory Dunne, which itself was based on the unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short, whose nude and mutilated body was found in a vacant lot in Los Angeles in January of 1947. (The infamous "Black Dahlia" murder.) The film, like the novel, has a complex plot that involves corruption and nastiness in the L.A. business community, and cynical hypocrisy in the affected diocese of the Roman Catholic Church. The victim is a beautiful young woman from small-town America who came to Los Angeles for fortune and fame, but who ended up "acting" in porno films, and sleeping around with a variety of wealthy and unprincipled businessmen, several of whom have close ties to the Church.

The dramatic tension of the story centres on two brothers, Detective Sergeant Tom Spellacy of LAPD Homicide (Robert Duvall), and Monsignor Desmond Spellacy (Robert DeNiro), an ambitious young priest who aspires to rise as far as he can in the Church's hierarchy. In one of the best, and most closely defining scenes, early in the film, Tom Spellacy asks his brother what name he will take when he's made Pope. Desmond, smiling, teasing his brother, replies that he will take the name Thomas: "There's never been a Pope named Thomas."

It never happens, of course, because Des Spellacy, and his Church, have become too close to a particularly corrupt businessman in the diocese, Jack Amsterdam, played to perfection by Charles Durning. It is one of Durning's best, and at the same time most repellent, performances. When Amsterdam is linked to the murder, a scandal ensues and Des Spellacy's career comes to a sad end, although in the process, he recaptures his faith and his vocation, and finds peace in a small parish in the California desert, far removed from the centre of power in Los Angeles.

The two brothers aren't close, and they're often in conflict. Where Des is smooth, careful and upwardly mobile, Tom Spellacy is impetuous, angry and short-tempered, his career short-circuited by his own instability and, also, in a way, by his refusal to take the easy road, goaded by an odd sense of honour that is ultimately destructive of everyone close to him. But the brothers do have a way of making contact with each other. In a touching scene, Tom Spellacy apologises to his brother through the grid of the confessional, unable to manage it in the normal manner, face to face. In turn, Des Spellacy attempts to deal with the hypocrisy and compromises in his own life by confessing to the priest who was once his mentor, Seamus Fargo, played to prickly perfection by Burgess Meredith.

The film is highlighted throughout by first-class performances. Kenneth McMillan excels as Tom Spellacy's moderately corrupt partner, Detective Frank Crotty, yet manages somehow to make us like him, in spite of himself. Cyril Cusack is the efficiently and coldly cynical Cardinal Danaher. Ed Flanders and Rose Gregorio also turn in fine portrayals. The writing is sharp and incisive throughout, with some of the best dialogue you'll hear in any film.

My principal problem with "True Confessions" is that almost every character is in some way morally flawed, and badly, and there's an oppressive, grimy feel to the film and the people in it. The one moral character in the story is Father Seamus Fargo (Meredith), a tough little man who refuses to compromise on his faith, or on what it means to be a man of the cloth. For his stubbornness, Fargo is banished to a desert parish that will later, and ironically, become the final home of the ambitious, but disgraced, Des Spellacy. This isn't a minor cavil, but the film, in my opinion, succeeds anyway. It is a murder story, after all, and a particularly nasty one.

It was especially interesting to watch the performance of Robert DeNiro in this film, and to be reminded of how good an actor he once was, and - sadly - to be reminded of how far he has fallen. DeNiro's performance in "True Confessions" is subtle and carefully layered, the portrayal of an intelligent and essentially decent man who has almost fatally compromised himself in the service of his overweening ambition. His portrayal is a joy to watch. But it's almost heartbreaking to watch DeNiro these days, as he wades through bad film after bad film, relying on tawdry acting gimmicks to carry him through, apparently satisfied to take the money, lots of it, and walk. It's just possible that DeNiro, like his character in "True Confessions", needs a spell in the desert, far away from Los Angeles, to sort things out, and rediscover his vocation.

True Confessions(1981) This is a story of corruption between two brothers, one a power wielding priest in the Catholic church and the other a sordid detective in 1940's Los Angeles.Based on the "Who Killed the Black Daliha" case, 'True Confessions' boasts perhaps the greatest supporting cast ever in a motion picture. Great period piece and incredible acting by Robert Duvall, Robert DeNiro, and Ed Flanders.

Los Angeles, 1948. Robert De Niro is a Catholic priest whose brother (Robert Duvall), a seedy cop, has been assigned to the case of a brutally murdered young prostitute. Through a matter of irony the girl is linked to the priest, who was present in a car with her prior to her death, and soon controversy flairs and a big to-do is made of it.

"True Confessions" plays a bit too slowly, and is rather predictable. It also does a poor job of managing some of its plot -- it tries to criticize the absurdity of the press at some points, but just becomes a victim of its own satire when it unrealistically links events together via newspapers in the film.

De Niro is believable as a priest, although maybe a bit too young for the role. Duvall is impressive as a gruff detective -- not a typical role for the actor. (Darker than he usually is in most movies.) If you're a fan of the actors I'd try to watch this at least once in your lifetime just for the sake of being able to say or know that you saw it -- but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it if I were you.

I was moved to near-tears, not only by the film but also by the poignant score that accompanies this absorbing reminisce about two brothers, now at the end of their lives. The music, by Georges Delerue, is a perfect compliment to the moving story of these uncommon brothers. Especially at the end, when it left me so affected that I could only sit and listen as the credits rolled - unable (and unwilling) to shake off the emotion you are left with.

Morality, murder, power, corruption and terrific acting wrapped in a 40s detective story. A reminder that we can never go back and change our decisions, and they can so often affect those around us as much as ourselves.

True Confessions, with a screenplay by Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne, is a movie with a split personality. Half of it is a skewering look at pride and ambition in the Catholic Church, where the desire to build orphanages and schools is too easily transformed into rubbing shoulders with the powerful and the sleazy, where a young monsignor is the smooth arm of the cardinal, extracting money from the rich, making sure high awards go to those who contribute and who is accustomed to his usual lunch of a rob roy with a twist and a large shrimp cocktail at exclusive restaurants. The other half is the story of a gruesome murder of a young woman whose torso, cut into two pieces, is found in a Los Angeles field. This part also is the story of the detective who investigates the crime and the tawdry world of prostitution and bribes he operates in. Any chance that the monsignor and the detective are brothers? Any chance that we're supposed to draw parallels between the two worlds the brothers operate in? Nope.

Robert De Niro plays Monsignor Des Spellacy. He's helped transform the Los Angeles archdiocese under the knowing eye of Cardinal Danahan. He raises vast amounts of money on the golf courses and he's not above manipulating a church raffle. One of the men he deals with is the wealthy, aggressive Jack Amsterdam (Charles Durning), a heavy contributor and a man eager for lucrative building contracts and high Catholic awards. Robert Duvall plays L. A. Homicide detective Tom Spellacy, long estranged from his brother. Tom is a cop who started out as a bagman for pimps, changed his ways, isn't above ignoring small payoffs. He has an intense dislike for both Amsterdam and what he believes is the hypocrisy of the Church.

The movie takes us to the tawdriest parts of 1948 Los Angeles, where there's usually no percentage in finding the killers of prostitutes. "You know who we're going to pick up on this one?" says Frank Crotty to Tom, his partner. "Panty sniffers, weenie flashers, guys who beat their hog on the number two bus, guys who fall in love with their shoes. Know how we're going to break this case? A couple of years from now, we'll pick up someone running a red light. I killed the girl, he'll say. What girl, we'll say. The girl with the rose tattoo, he'll say. What girl was that, we'll say. This is a 9-to-5 stiff, Tom. No overtime." That all changes when Tom gets Jack Amsterdam in his sights.

We also learn the other side of that coin. When the Cardinal says he's nominating Des for appointment as an auxiliary bishop, he tells Des, "If you're lucky you'll find an ambitious young monsignor to do your dirty work for you." That's immediately after the Cardinal instructed Des to remove a fine old priest from a parish because the man had complained too often that the Church wasn't compassionate enough.

The two themes come together, but only barely. The murder mystery, which to me gives the movie its juice, just slowly peters out in a conclusion where the murderer seems to be an afterthought and newspaper headlines seem sufficient for retribution and redemption.

Although for me the movie is something of a disappointment, it's a fascinating one. True Confessions has a great look about it. The movie captures that same golden ambiance of Los Angeles corruption that Chinatown did. We move from pornographic studios in abandoned warehouses to elegant archdiocese offices, from ritzy restaurants to cathouses. Charles Durning as Amsterdam, Kenneth McMillan as Frank Crotty, Burgess Meredith as Father Fargo, Cyril Cusack as the Cardinal are each superb in their roles. Most of all, the dynamic between De Niro and Duvall is fascinating. In the face of Duvall's utter believability as Tom Spellacy, De Niro was smart enough to underplay. They give the movie far more energy than do the messages Didion and Dunne serve up.

If Didion and Dunne had simply concentrated on the murder and let the messages indirectly seep into our heads, I think they would have had a stunning film. But make no mistake, True Confessions with all its faults is still a lot of fun...but you'll need to be fond of stylish, grubby murder, post WWII Los Angeles and have a high tolerance for meaningful messages.

Such a great cast and story as this movie should have been a blockbuster yet fails becouse of obvious dragging and lack of beefier scenes.Too bad becouse the idea and storyline is brilliant with potential to outdo "Chinatown".Very bad ending as well.Watch this movie though if you are a fan of both De Niro and Duvall and also if you like movies with great acting so much that you would not mind the movies shortcomings......

True Confessions was one of those movies that has always been on the top of my "Must See" list. What could possibly go wrong with a film that has Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall? Now I have witnessed it, I can say that loads can go wrong.

Although the pair give very understated performances, it maybe because they are not given a great deal to do. This is not saying that they don't give good performances, just that there is nothing for them to grab onto.

The plot is all over the place. And all the while I was asking myself...what is this film trying to do? Is it a murder thriller? A conspiracy drama? A redemption of brothers? A religious statement? Or is it just a mish-mash of The Godfather meets Chinatown?

I ended up struggling to get through it without falling asleep. It's that slow. Disappointing.

Based loosely on the famous Black Dahlia murder case, "True Confessions" revolves around two brothers, played by Robert Duvall (fresh off his great performance in "The Great Santini") and Robert De Niro (fresh off an equally great performance in "Raging Bull"), seeking atonement for their past sins.

Set in Los Angeles during the late 1940s, De Niro plays an ambitious priest who spends the film establishing mutually beneficial relationships with corrupt clergymen, gangsters and construction moguls. Preaching the purity of the eternal soul whilst helping scoundrels hide their sins, De Niro is well aware of his hypocrisy, but deludes himself by maintaining that it's ultimately all for the greater good of the church.

Tom, a local police detective, faces a similar dilemma. Himself touched by sin (he was once found guilty of police corruption), Tom becomes determined to solve the murder of a young girl who was found dumped in the Hollywood Hills. Solve the murder and absolve his sins, that's the way he sees it. And of course, his brother holds a vital piece of evidence. A piece of evidence which he must give up in order to redeem himself.

There are a lot of interesting themes here – the links between business and religion, wounded souls searching for forgiveness, the tale of a city built on corruption, victim as sacrificial lamb, the way those in high places buy their angelic images through politics or church – but for the most part we've seen this stuff done better elsewhere.

"Godfather 3", for example, better dealt with the ties between Church and Mafia, "Bad Lieutenant" better dealt with a sin-stained Catholic seeking redemption by solving a crime and "Chinatown" is a both a better mystery and a better tale of a city founded on corruption. Of course today the gold standard for this sort of panoramic film-noir is the HBO series "The Wire", in which corruption is not only a way of life but a long accepted means of survival. In terms of shear scope, "The Wire" renders all these films outdated.

But at the heart of "True Confessions" is the Black Dahlia murder and the romance and mystery it somehow still manages to exude. The most famous murder in Hollywood history, the crime has popped up in countless novels and films, the best being James Elroy's "Black Dahlia", partially about the murder of his own mother, and Brian De Palma's underrated adaptation of Elroy's novel.

7.5/10 – Though a lesser film noir, the film works whenever De Niro and Duvall are together, and the cinematography by Owen Roizman has some appropriately atmospheric moments (he avoids golden-brown nostalgia and goes instead for sunlit sleaze).

Worth one viewing.

Like many others I remember when this film came out because the anticipation for many of us was so great as two of our finest actors in their prime were in the same film. I think I felt like many others when I walked out of the theater thinking that I had not viewed one of the great films of all times but one with an interesting story with some truly wonderful scenes between the two lead actors. Story is of course about two brothers in post war Los Angeles where the body of a hooker is found in a field cut in half. Detective Tom Spellacy (Robert Duvall) is covering the case and during his investigation the hookers clients have ties with the Catholic church. Tom's brother is Monsignor Desmond Spellacy (Robert DeNiro) who is a priest that is better at conducting business deals for the church instead of saving souls.

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

Desmond is in the middle of a land deal with the church and it's benefactor Jack Amsterdam (Charles Durning) but he has a history of corruption with Tom who was a bagman years earlier. With all that is happening Desmond now starts to question his role as a priest and what his function is in the church.

This film is directed by Ulu Grosbard who does a pretty good job of recreating old Los Angeles and he paints a fairly effective look at corruption in both the police force and the church. This is not a great film and it's mostly due to the script that never really comes across as totally believable. Durning is suppose to be dying but he looks fairly healthy and when he tries to fight Duvall he loses his cough and is breathing pretty well. Also, I was never convinced of why the hooker was murdered in the first place. Was it to keep her quiet? No character in this film seems like someone who would be involved in something like that, even Durning's character. While the story is at best leaky it's enhanced greatly by the performances of DeNiro and Duvall. The most wonderful scenes in this film are the uncomfortable silences that these two create when they're trying to communicate with each other. These two brothers have always had a difficult time expressing themselves to each other but the murder case seems to be an act of salvation for both of them. Even though Durning's character is not especially well written he does have one very good scene where he is in confession and tells DeNiro that he's a hypocrite. It's a remark that hits the bullseye and DeNiro knew it. While the story is shaky the dialogue is actually well written and DeNiro does a splendid job of being a priest and reciting Latin. This is a film that was to easily forgotten and watching Duvall and DeNiro together is absolutely mesmerizing.

There are so many excellent reviewers on this site that I hesitate to improve upon all of their fine treatises, but here goes. Obviously, we have two of our finest living actors portraying the cop and rising priest. Maybe against type, Robert DeNiro is a quiet,thoughtful, somewhat hypocritical cleric, with a cynical, yet forgiving nature (later he forgives his brother in the final scene), and we compare this to modern performances of today in which he appears to take the money and run, i.e., Meet the Parents, etc.......here he is completely believable as an ambitious priest with obvious flaws and foible's. It may cause us who have become friends with various religious professionals to be more tolerant of their flaws after seeing Dez (his priestly character) second-guess his character and bounce off of his cop-brother, Duvall, in the script. It is a character study of all of us who have had or still have, an older or younger sibling with whom we battled and argued as children and young adults, and with whom we still have unsolved issues even now as adults. To try to communicate our feelings is so tough and so revealing for both of us.

A fabulous movie. I have watched it 10-12 times over the years. Where are the scripts like this today??? Where are the actors who can so throw themselves into projects like "True Confessions" and give us our $10 bucks worth at the theaters? Not many, as I see it. Get this movie and watch it from time to time. You will discover yourself looking at these characters, all of them, from the Monsignor, the prostitute, the crooked cops, and the old burned out priest (Burgess Meredith) ,and you will pass judgment on yourself, more so than you pass it on others. A wonderful film.

"True Confessions" continues to be one of my favourite films. Many reasons define it as a great motion picture. Ulu Grosbard seems not to be well known but he is a great director, even if I do not always understand his work. The script based on one of the writer John Gregory Dunne's novels and written with his wife Joan Didion and Gary Hall is a tight, complex, nuanced, and satisfying story. Cinematography by Owen Roizman has a fine noir look at times and a great historical look at other times. The set design by Marvin March and art direction by Stewart Campbell facilitate these effects as does costume design by Joe Tompkins.

Music by George Delerue with period pieces haunt imagination and define a tonality that lingers in memory.

The cast is rich. Some critics think De Niro does not convince as a priest, but, in fact, he get is just right. Robert Duvall, De Niro, Charles During, Cyril Cusack, Kenneth McMillan, Ed Flanders, Rose Gregorio, Burgess Meredith, and several others work as a fine ensemble, as if they were all part of a Swedish acting group. This is an elegant, adult film--a masterwork and like fine wine rich three decades after its release.

The film is not anti-Catholic but instead celebrates how a priest finds salvation. The film ends on a fine note like excellent coffee at the end of an elegant meal. I very much appreciate this film and apologize for not writing better about it.

I read John Gregory Dunne's novel quite some time ago, and while the details of the tale - other than it's obvious use of the Black Dahlia murder as a fictionalised sub-plot - were no longer clear in my mind when I watched this film, the memory of being deeply impressed by the book were still very clear.

You would think a film version written by the novel's author and starring two modern giants of the screen would have success guaranteed, but Ulu Grosbad's adaptation of True Confessions is only partially successful. As you'd expect, the acting is first rate, especially from De Niro, cast against type as a measured, introspective priest, and the recreation of 40s America stands comparison with the likes of L. A. Confidential but, whereas the medium of literature enabled Dunne to bring a good measure of intrigue to the complexities of religious politics and finance, on the screen he struggles to hold the viewer's interest, while the Black Dahlia sub-plot is almost dismissively brushed aside.

Despite this, the plot reaches the screen with its intelligence and cynicism intact, relying on human interaction to drive the plot forward. Essentially a dissection of the relationship of two brothers, one a cop (Duvall) the other a sort of 'glamour priest' who weds wealthy couples and is earmarked for good things, the script steadfastly picks apart the threads of the brothers' lives to reveal the sensitivity and honour of the hard-bitten cop and the self-serving ability of the priest that enables him to turn a blind eye to all that he knows is rotten.

This is a film for adults. If you like gunplay or violence look elsewhere. But if you want to see a film that asks you to do a little work to understand the motivation and compulsions of its characters then this one will probably be worth a couple of hours of your time.

I had high hopes for this film, with De Niro and also the rarely if ever disappointing Robert Duvall, two of the best actors around. I wasn't disappointed. This is a very understated, gently told story of church & police politics, of corruption, of brothers & of the way our decisions affect our future lives. As he so often does, Duvall steals the film but he has tough competition from the likes of Cusack (brilliantly cynical), Meredith &, of course, De Niro. I have watched this film several times & have even transferred it onto DVD so that I may continue to enjoy it. If you're looking for thrills or excitement, rent something else. But if you're looking for good characters, a believable plot & a strangely unforgettable film, I recommend this one.

DO go out of your way to view this lightly flawed masterwork. No it is not the greatest crime drama ever made. CHINATOWN still occupies that niche in my most humble mind. (And manages to do it while being disguised as a crime drama. It is also much more, - the best modern noir, and perhaps the best modern existentialist.....) Maybe the title-impaired TRUE CONFESSIONS is the best straight character novel brought to film disguised as a police procedural. Didion..... I dunno. The big explosions in this film are in the eyes of the main characters. Understatement, natural real-life pauses, and plain unsmarmy subtlety about the place of suffering in the moment and over a lifetime... are a constant presence, a kind of tidal undertow, which pulls us in ever deeper. That's what keeps OUR eyes on the silver screen. We are put in touch with the humanity of these characters, - and with the enduring humanity of ourselves. These performances and this film do this, do it very well, and do so long after the credits roll and the theater goes black.

I think I'm promoting it to my silly top-10 list. Now all I have to do is decide which classic to flick off. (Ya, I know. GROAN.....)

How did this one escape me all these years? Pairing of Robert DeNiro (during his peak years) and Robert Duvall (who steals the film) was strangely overlooked (I was hardly alone nearly 25 years ago). What brought me to it was the recent death of writer John Gregory Dunne.

Had limited expectations going in --- but in retrospect, the setting, LA circa 1948, is one of my favorites. In some ways this is a companion piece for "LA Confidential" --- virtually same period/locale and with that "those was hardly the good ol' days" theme. Murder, amorality, the darkside of that bright city. The visuals were all gloomy, keeping the downbeat theme throughout. And while some call it slow moving, see it when you are in the right mood.

Brilliantly evocative, it made me feel good to be alive now, not then, when hypocrisy was rife (ok, it is now, but we are no longer a truly White Men Only society). A miserable world in an allegedly affluent society (take a look at how the Madame makes ends meet).

Kudos to the terrific supporting cast, especially to Rose Gregorio and Kenneth McMillan, and the under-your-skin Duvall (best I have ever seen him!). It ends a bit too quickly, but I say, EXCELLENT!

After the end of World War II, Americans turn their attention to other stories. Capturing the country's attention is the 1948 murder of a young woman known as "The Virgin Tramp". Her body is found in Los Angeles, neatly cut in half. There is some disagreement about whether the body requires one or two stretchers on its way to the morgue. My vote is one, but forensics folks like to keep the body as it was discovered. Arriving at the murder scene is police detective Robert Duvall (as Thomas "Tom" Spellacy). His brother is Catholic priest Robert De Niro (as Desmond "Des" Spellacy). There will be a connection...

You would expect a crime story involving a policeman and priest played by Mr. Duvall and Mr. De Niro to be better than this. There is also a great supporting cast, led by Duvall partner Kenneth McMillan (as Frank Crotty) and De Niro associate Charles Durning (as Jack Amsterdam). And, it's obviously well-produced. The story should have stuck with Duvall and the murder mystery. De Niro's character might have been more minor - the film is, simply, too sluggish. Also, there was no need for the bracketing opening and closing scenes set in the present. Surely, the brothers had more to reminisce about than this incident.

***** True Confessions (9/24/81) Ulu Grosbard ~ Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, Charles Durning, Kenneth McMillan