A New York district attorney works and flirts with his adversary and her kooky artist client, who is on trial for a murder she didn't commit.A New York district attorney works and flirts with his adversary and her kooky artist client, who is on trial for a murder she didn't commit.A New York district attorney works and flirts with his adversary and her kooky artist client, who is on trial for a murder she didn't commit.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
Jennifer Dundas
- Jennifer Logan
- (as Jennie Dundas)
Gary Howard Klar
- Hit Man
- (as Gary Klar)
Featured reviews
charming is the right word. because it is a nice film, without high ambitions and using old recipes, mixture of crime and romance, with a good performance of Daryll Hannah and same Redford who does a seductive character. a movie who can not be real convincing but who know explore in a smart manner, the common clichés. and that is its great virtue - to not be serious or a parody but a perfect choice for Sunday evening. the secret - maybe, courage to use tricks from old romantic comedies in decent doses. and it works at whole. the vulnerability of characters, the action scenes, the thin artistic stain, all as tools for a charming show who reminds classic films and who can be opportunity for rediscover good actors at duty.
Full of plot holes and expensive excesses, LEGAL EAGLES wouldn't be much without the genuine star power it receives from it's first class cast.
Redford is very charming as the assistant D.A. whose becomes involved with defense lawyer Winger (terrific as always) to solve a case that includes arson, stolen paintings, insurance fraud, and even murder.
The chemistry between Redford and Winger is very much like Spencer and Tracy and is very enjoyable to watch. However, Daryl Hannah steals the show as the slightly off center performance artist who is in the middle of the complex case.
The film's story will not hold up under much thought and the many shots of buildings on fire will only appeal to pyros. Still, this film is fun entertainment and is a must-see if you are a fan of one of the three stars.
I'd rate this a good 6 out of 10.
Redford is very charming as the assistant D.A. whose becomes involved with defense lawyer Winger (terrific as always) to solve a case that includes arson, stolen paintings, insurance fraud, and even murder.
The chemistry between Redford and Winger is very much like Spencer and Tracy and is very enjoyable to watch. However, Daryl Hannah steals the show as the slightly off center performance artist who is in the middle of the complex case.
The film's story will not hold up under much thought and the many shots of buildings on fire will only appeal to pyros. Still, this film is fun entertainment and is a must-see if you are a fan of one of the three stars.
I'd rate this a good 6 out of 10.
It's far from perfect but 'Legal Eagles' is quite nostalgic and entertaining. The story is very contrived especially with so many plot holes and the characters aren't fully fleshed out either but it has a very noire style approach and does keep you in suspense. The humour also works quite well. On the technical side it's a decently made film, nothing too flashy which is good. I also liked the presentation of the art world.
No matter what one says about 'Legal Eagles', for me the highlight is easily Robert Redford and a very cute Debra Winger. Both actors are spellbinding, delivering subtle and charming performances. As performers, they just look so comfortable with each other. Their chemistry is amazing and their scenes, especially their on-screen banter, are a delight to watch.
Daryl Hannah's role is sketchy but she looks sizzling and I enjoyed her sequences with Redford and the scene where she demonstrates her art. Brian Dennehy is wasted. Terence Stamp is adequate.
So yes, it's got its flaws but how can you not enjoy it for Redford and Winger?
No matter what one says about 'Legal Eagles', for me the highlight is easily Robert Redford and a very cute Debra Winger. Both actors are spellbinding, delivering subtle and charming performances. As performers, they just look so comfortable with each other. Their chemistry is amazing and their scenes, especially their on-screen banter, are a delight to watch.
Daryl Hannah's role is sketchy but she looks sizzling and I enjoyed her sequences with Redford and the scene where she demonstrates her art. Brian Dennehy is wasted. Terence Stamp is adequate.
So yes, it's got its flaws but how can you not enjoy it for Redford and Winger?
I really do love Legal Eagles, it's a film that hearkens back to the stuff that William Powell and Myrna Loy did at MGM. I can see a younger Tracy and Hepburn in this film as well.
Robert Redford is the Jack McCoy of the New York County District Attorney's office and wouldn't you know it, Steven Hill plays the New York County DA here. Hill's thinking of hanging it up, but obviously as fans of Law and Order know, he eventually didn't. He's thinking of promoting Redford as his candidate to succeed him come the next election.
But for budding politico Redford, his life gets real complicated when defense attorney Debra Winger and her client Darryl Hannah enter his life. Hannah is the daughter of a famed artist who was killed in a loft fire where she barely escaped from when she was about 6. Since then she's become something of a wild child.
Hannah steals a picture from art dealer Terrence Stamp that she says is really hers. That starts a chain of events in which she's eventually accused of Stamp's murder. That same night Hannah decides she needs a little tender loving care and who better than the assistant district attorney to give it. The police bust her when she and Redford are in flagrato.
After that Redford decides to see how the other half lives working with Debra Winger on Hannah's defense.
What I liked about Legal Eagles is that it glided nicely from comedy to drama with little effort. The climax at Terrence Stamp's gallery was very well staged and Redford is being a most heroic lawyer.
Also in the cast are Roscoe Lee Browne as the judge at Hannah's trial and Brian Dennehy as a most interesting investigator. It's one of Robert Redford's best films and it's got style and substance.
With Redford, style is a given.
Robert Redford is the Jack McCoy of the New York County District Attorney's office and wouldn't you know it, Steven Hill plays the New York County DA here. Hill's thinking of hanging it up, but obviously as fans of Law and Order know, he eventually didn't. He's thinking of promoting Redford as his candidate to succeed him come the next election.
But for budding politico Redford, his life gets real complicated when defense attorney Debra Winger and her client Darryl Hannah enter his life. Hannah is the daughter of a famed artist who was killed in a loft fire where she barely escaped from when she was about 6. Since then she's become something of a wild child.
Hannah steals a picture from art dealer Terrence Stamp that she says is really hers. That starts a chain of events in which she's eventually accused of Stamp's murder. That same night Hannah decides she needs a little tender loving care and who better than the assistant district attorney to give it. The police bust her when she and Redford are in flagrato.
After that Redford decides to see how the other half lives working with Debra Winger on Hannah's defense.
What I liked about Legal Eagles is that it glided nicely from comedy to drama with little effort. The climax at Terrence Stamp's gallery was very well staged and Redford is being a most heroic lawyer.
Also in the cast are Roscoe Lee Browne as the judge at Hannah's trial and Brian Dennehy as a most interesting investigator. It's one of Robert Redford's best films and it's got style and substance.
With Redford, style is a given.
Come on, you have to admit that this film has a good cast with Debra Winger, Robert Redford, Daryl Hannah, and others in supporting roles like Christine Baranski. I like the fact that it was shot in New York City and not on location somewhere. No offense, Toronto or Vancouver but the backdrop does a good job. Remembering a time when the twin towers was still alive and kicking downtown. I liked the combination of Winger and Redford even though they disliked each other on the set according to rumors. Daryl Hannah plays Chelsea who seeks her father's art from crooked businessmen. She does an adequate job and proves that she's not just a pretty face. Daryl always plays shy very well but in this case, Chelsea is not shy at all. She is a bit rebellious and a performance artist with a fascination for fire. She teams up with Winger's character and later with Redford in more ways than can be said to prove her innocence and get justice served.
Did you know
- TriviaIn the end credits, one can see that one of the works of art used in the film is from the collection of Cary Grant. As Grant would pass away the same year of the film's release, 1986, this would be one of his last screen credits.
- GoofsThe bomb left by Taft in the warehouse has a digital countdown clock, yet it ticks as if it is a mechanical clock.
- Quotes
Laura J. Kelly: Don't lose him.
Tom Logan: I'm not going to lose him. Where is he?
- Alternate versionsSPOILER: The syndicated broadcast version offers a considerably changed ending, in which the Daryl Hannah character goes from being innocent of murder to being guilty of one of the murders. (There are also differently edited versions of the Chelsea-is-guilty ending.)
- ConnectionsFeatured in Rod Stewart: Love Touch (1986)
- SoundtracksLove Touch
Performed by Rod Stewart
Written by Mike Chapman, Holly Knight and Gene Black
Available exclusively on Warner Bros. Records
- How long is Legal Eagles?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $40,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $49,851,591
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,043,360
- Jun 22, 1986
- Gross worldwide
- $93,151,591
- Runtime
- 1h 56m(116 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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