Taglines: Some women have secret fantasies. Some women have secret lives.
Jade movie storyline. San Francisco Assistant District Attorney David Corelli (Caruso) is called to the murder scene of prominent businessman Kyle Medford, found bludgeoned to death in his home by an antique hatchet. Police detectives Bob Hargrove and Petey Vesko find photographs in Medford’s safe of Governor Lew Edwards (Crenna) having sex with a prostitute, later identified as Patrice Jacinto.
During questioning, Patrice reveals that she and other women were paid by Medford to have sex with wealthy men at his beach house in Pacifica. She also informs them that the most desired prostitute among the clients was a woman known only as “Jade.”
In a private meeting with Governor Edwards and aide Bill Barrett, Corelli is warned not to make the photographs public. Corelli is then almost killed when his brake line is deliberately cut and his vehicle goes out of control while driving down a steep hill.
The detectives find fingerprints on the hatchet belonging to Katrina Gavin, a clinical psychologist and former lover of Corelli’s who eventually married his close friend, defense attorney Matt Gavin. When interviewed, Katrina explains that Medford gave her a tour of his antique collection on the day in question, but claims to have nothing to do with his death.
At Medford’s beach house, Corelli and the detectives find various drugs, alcohol, and sex toys as well as hidden video cameras. They conclude Medford was recording the sex sessions in order to blackmail the men. Corelli is shocked to discover Katrina on one of the tapes; the revelation renews the detectives interest in her as a suspect.
Patrice arranges to meet Corelli at a restaurant to discuss Jade’s identity, but she is killed in a hit-and-run accident by an unknown assailant driving a black 1993 Ford Thunderbird. Corelli, witnessing the murder first-hand, chases the assailants’ vehicle in vain. The detectives discover the Gavins own a similar Thunderbird and therefore suspect Katrina of killing Patrice, but when they find the actual vehicle used in the hit-and-run abandoned, it appears someone may be trying to frame Katrina.
Katrina is again brought in for questioning and this time is shown the sex tape. Matt, in his capacity as her attorney, ends the interrogation before she fully explains her involvement. When confronted at their home, Katrina admits to her husband that she did have sex with the man on the tape, due in part to her knowledge of Matt’s many affairs.
Jade is a 1995 American erotic thriller film written by Joe Eszterhas, produced by Robert Evans, directed by William Friedkin and starring David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino, Chazz Palminteri, Richard Crenna and Michael Biehn. The original music score was composed by James Horner based on a song composed by Loreena McKennitt. The film was marketed with the tagline “Some fantasies go too far.”
Warren Beatty was the first choice to play the role of David Corelli, but turned it down. After his sudden departure from NYPD Blue, David Caruso was hoping to break through with a film career and accepted the role. The part of Matt Gavin was offered to Kenneth Branagh, before Chazz Palminteri was eventually cast. Julia Roberts and Sharon Stone were considered to play Katrina Gavin, but both rejected it. Linda Fiorentino was then asked, but she originally turned it down because she didn’t want to play a prostitute, but changed her mind once her character was changed through rewrites.
According to Joe Eszterhas’ autobiography, Hollywood Animal, William Friedkin changed the script so much that Eszterhas threatened to remove his name from the credits. He claimed Paramount settled by giving him a “blind script deal” worth $2–4 million.
In an interview in Linda Ruth Williams’ book The Erotic Thriller in Contemporary Cinema, Friedkin admitted that he had virtually rewritten the script. Friedkin also said that Jade was the favorite of all the films he had made. He later wrote the movie had “a terrific cast. A wonderful script. Great locations. How could it miss?”
Jade (1995)
Directed by: William Friedkin
Starring: David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Biehn, Richard Crenna, Donna Murphy, Angie Everhart, Kevin Tighe, Robin Thomas, Holt McCallany
Screenplay by: Joe Eszterhas
Production Design by: Alex Tavoularis
Cinematography by: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Film Editing by: Augie Hess
Costume Design by: Marilyn Vance
Set Decoration by: Gary Fettis
Art Direction by: Charles William Breen
Music by: James Horner
MPAA Rating: R for grisly afterviews of murder victims, violence, language and strong scenes of aberrant sexuality.
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: October 13, 1995
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