Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!: The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) - Harrelson shines in Forman's pornographer biopic

9/03/2023

The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) - Harrelson shines in Forman's pornographer biopic

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Co-star Woody Harrelson has his mouth covered by the American flag on this evocative poster for Milos Forman's The People vs. Larry Flynt

Larry Flynt from Kentucky just wants to make an 'honest buck', and when he invents Hustler magazine, he really gets a chance to do just that, - despite the fact that the pornographic publication also lands him in hot waters with the establishment.

The People vs. Larry Flynt is written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (1408 (2007, both)) and directed by Czech master filmmaker Milos Forman (Black Peter/Cerný Petr (1964)), whose 10th feature it was. It is based on the real-life Larry Flynt.

It is not among Forman's best films, but it is still a fascinating story with a tremendous Woody Harrelson (Venom (2018)) in the lead. Courtney Love's (Empire (2015, TV-series)) turn as his vampy, derelict wife is of more questionable quality, but perhaps this is also because her performance lies so closely to her real-life star persona.

The script makes more than one leap: Flynt gets 25 years prison-time at the beginning, but seems to be out in a jiffy? The lawyer (Edward Norton (The Italian Job (2003))) refuses to represent Flynt in the Supreme Court, - but then does just that in the next scene.

Flynt was a spearhead for freedom of speech in the 20th century, - a wild and exciting man. Forman gets a good, - but not great, - film out of his life here.

Related posts:

Milos Forman: 2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]

Goya's Ghosts (2006) - Forman's under-appreciated last major picture

Heartburn (1986) - Ephron's first-rate script attains greatness with Streep, Nicholson and Nichols (actor)

Top 10: The best biopic movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Top 10: The best big hit movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Amadeus (1984) or, The Fool Genius and his Teacher

Hair (1979) - Reflect on 1960s youth counter-culture in Forman's infectious musical

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) - Forman's 1970s gold-rimmed classic

The Firemen's Ball/Hoří, Má Panenko (1967) - Forman and Co. slice up communism to hilarious effect in outright masterpiece

Watch a 2-minute clip from the film here

Cost: 35-36 mil. $ (different accounts)

Box office: 43 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.21 times its cost)

[The People vs. Larry Flynt premiered 13 October (New York Film Festival) and runs 130 minutes. Shooting took place from February - April 1996 in Mississippi, Tennessee and in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #19 to a 523k $ first weekend in 16 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #7 and in 1,233 theaters, grossing 20.3 mil. $ (47.2 % of the total gross). It was nominated for 2 Oscars: It lost Best Actor (Harrelson) to Geoffrey Rush in Shine and Director to Anthony Minghella for The English Patient. It won 2/5 Golden Globe nominations, a European Film award and 2 National Board of Review awards, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Forman returned with Man on the Moon (1999). Harrelson returned in Spin City (1996, TV-series)) and theatrically in Welcome to Sarajevo (1997); Love in Hole: Celebrity Skin (1998, music video) and Hole: Malibu (1998, music video) prior to her theatrical return in 200 Cigarettes (1999); and Norton in American History X (1998). The People vs. Larry Flynt is certified fresh at 88 % with a 7.60/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

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