THE FIRM – John Grisham’s second book was published in 1991. A legal thriller, it became so popular, Hollywood turned it into a movie two years later. The story’s about a young lawyer who joins a prestigious Memphis law firm, then discovers that his firm has an entanglement of sinister associations & dealings.
Sydney Pollack directed the movie version of THE FIRM – a 1993 release – starring Tom Cruise, Jean Tripplehorn, & Gene Hackman.
Both the book and the movie begin on the Harvard campus in Boston, move to Memphis, then take a couple side trips to the Cayman Islands where a shady relationship is revealed between the firm & a Chicago crime family. Interestingly enough, the book has one ending, while the movie has another.
The movie boasts an outstanding cast:
Tom Cruise plays an ambitious student graduating with honors from the Harvard Law School. Seduced by money and perks, he joins a small law firm in Memphis, Tennessee.
Jeanne Tripplehorn plays Mitch’s wife – a third-grade teacher in Boston when the story begins, & does the same thing after the move to Memphis. However, a rift develops between them over a one-time fling.
Gene Hackman plays a highly accomplished attorney and partner at the firm. He becomes Mitch’s mentor, but leads him astray.
Gary Busey plays a sleazy P. I. – Holly Hunter plays the sleazy P.I.’s private secretary and lover.
Wilford Brinley plays a former New Orleans detective who serves as the firm’s security chief – Ed Harris plays a double-dealing FBI agent – David Strathairn plays Mitch’s brother, a convict who killed a man in a bar fight.
Karina Lombard plays a young woman who seduces Tom Cruise on a beach on Grand Cayman Island. She’s only in that one scene, but it’s the hottest seduction scene I ever saw. I posted a video of that scene. Click here to watch it.
Dean Norris plays The Squat Man – a professional hit-man. Although he’s on the screen for less than a minute , 20 years younger, and the scene takes place in a flickering light, I recognized him as one of the main characters in Breaking Bad.
I like the book & the movie – Read the book before I watched the movie.
Barry Bowe
America’s Best Crime Writer & author of Born to Be Wild.
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