L'affaire Chelsea Deardon

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.

Legal Eagles

The reason no one dates personal injury lawyers is because they only want to promenade in front of businesses with icy sidewalks.

Luckily, the lawyer in this comedy-thriller is sleeping with a client, not a colleague.

Assistant D.A. Tom (Robert Redford) decides to help attorney Laura (Debra Winger) defend Chelsea (Daryl Hannah) against charges she stole a painting from an art dealer (Terence Stamp).

Adamant her father gave her the painting before his suspicious death - and destruction of his art collection - Chelsea not only convinces Tom but seduces him as well.

But when a dubious cop (Brian Dennehy) uncovers the entire collection intact, it threatens Tom's career and his life.

Crackling with comedic repartee, a fiery May/December romance and an unpredicted adversary, Legal Eagles may be clichéd but it's not without its charms.

Incidentally, if you're going to sleep with anyone in the court system - make it a judge. Yellow Light

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As rival attorneys in New York City, Robert Redford and Debra Winger aren't exactly Tracy and Hepburn (he's too wishy-washy and callow, she's too flighty), but they do get to loosen up a bit from prior roles, creating an amusing give-and-take relationship while defending performance artist Daryl Hannah on murder charges. Plot is so haphazardly constructed that it was re-worked for the TV version and still nobody could figure it out. Redford and Winger get out of a bomb-laden warehouse just in the nick of time, but how they do it will have smart viewers crying foul. There are other problems, not to mention a strange, off-putting show put on by Hannah where she appears to go up in flames, but the charisma of the players is just enough to carry this heavy vehicle to a happy conclusion. The outtakes at the finale are charming, as is Rod Stewart's song "Love Touch". **1/2 from ****

With a stellar cast and mediocre plot, this movie is well executed and the acting skills of the leads raise the movie above it's material on paper. Redfor seems to be enjoying himself and the writers gave each character little human quirks that can't help but make you smile. In one seen, Redford, playing a lawyer is sharing an office with "Kelly" his new partner after he gets caught shaking the sheets with D. Hannahs character and he is moving from chair to chair in the small office finally stating, "I'm a pacer", someone who needs to walk back and forth in order to think clearly.

There is an opening scene with a 60's party that has a Warhol feeling" to it that I enjoyed, as I grew up in those times. And while it plays only a small part in the movie, it brought back a flood of good memories for me. (Anyone remember "The Electric Circus?")

D. Hannah gives a completely 80's reminiscent piece of performance art that is very pych. connected to the wounded character she plays, and if you wait for the credits, you find she played a big part in authoring the piece.

Basically, its the types of movie that is not even in your top ten or twenty, yet you can't help but enjoying it each time you watch it, and you are pleased to see it on the schedule when it is. Kind of a "non-guilty guilty pleasure", I can't help but enjoy the cast, the full of holes plot and poor continuity, (the faux pas of timing and lighting are mentioned in other reviews.) Even Redford's little girl in the movie is one of those kids you have even and enjoy, but can't recall her name. there is an early character role played by Christine Baranski who either got some work done or simply learned how to use her assets better later in her career.

Just watch with an excepting, open mind and you may not only enjoy it, but it may be a cult favorite at some point. *note-my wife is a wall st. attorney and absolutely hates the film as do many other lawyers we know. why? Who knows? Maybe they're strung too tight to let go and enjoy the simple ride.

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.