The Firm

The director’s chair changed hands before it reached Sydney Pollack. Paramount first planned a $15 million picture; once Tom Cruise was talked into it the scale grew, John Badham was signed inside a week, then John McTiernan wanted the job on condition that producer Scott Rudin be removed. The studio kept Rudin and McTiernan went elsewhere. The senior partner Gene Hackman plays was nearly rewritten as a woman for Meryl Streep until John Grisham objected. Hackman joined late and his name is missing from the release poster: Cruise’s deal allowed only his own name above the title, and when Hackman was refused the same billing he asked to be taken off altogether. The score was a decision too. During the Cayman Islands shoot Pollack sat Dave Grusin at a hotel piano, had him play blues, and settled on carrying the whole film with piano alone. Grusin was nominated for Best Music (Original Score) and Holly Hunter for Best Actress in a Supporting Role; neither won. The $42 million production returned $270.2 million worldwide. A good fit if you want the way out found in billing records instead of gunfire. Not for you if you are waiting for the novel’s ending; in the book Mitch takes the money and runs, here he keeps his licence.