The know how
This film was inspired by a real life event. It is a workmanlike but solid courtroom thriller starring Timothy Hutton and Ron Rifkin.
In 1993 an intruder broke into a house shot and killed a woman, nurse and then disconnected the woman's handicapped son's breathing apparatus.
The prime suspect was out of work music producer and the divorced father Lawrence Horn (James McDaniel) who was accused of hiring a novice hit man to carry out the crime so he can gain money from his son's trust fund.
Timothy Hutton plays a free speech lawyer enticed by Rifkin to bring a case against the publisher of the book Hit Man, which was used as a blueprint by the hired gun to plan and carry out the crime. There was also the motive that the publisher Paladin press had the financial deep pockets to pay compensation.
This case makes an interesting debate on the US first amendment rights but since this film was made I felt real life events have overtaken it.
Since 9/11 people can be prosecuted and thrown into jail for downloading documents that can aid you prepare to carry out mass violent crimes. Since the publisher had to pulp existing copies of the books and in effect give up copyright of the book, even Hit Man is down-loadable online.
It kind of feels like a Pyrrhic victory and made the film out of date.
In 1993 an intruder broke into a house shot and killed a woman, nurse and then disconnected the woman's handicapped son's breathing apparatus.
The prime suspect was out of work music producer and the divorced father Lawrence Horn (James McDaniel) who was accused of hiring a novice hit man to carry out the crime so he can gain money from his son's trust fund.
Timothy Hutton plays a free speech lawyer enticed by Rifkin to bring a case against the publisher of the book Hit Man, which was used as a blueprint by the hired gun to plan and carry out the crime. There was also the motive that the publisher Paladin press had the financial deep pockets to pay compensation.
This case makes an interesting debate on the US first amendment rights but since this film was made I felt real life events have overtaken it.
Since 9/11 people can be prosecuted and thrown into jail for downloading documents that can aid you prepare to carry out mass violent crimes. Since the publisher had to pulp existing copies of the books and in effect give up copyright of the book, even Hit Man is down-loadable online.
It kind of feels like a Pyrrhic victory and made the film out of date.
- Prismark10
- Jan 26, 2016