Taglines: Some people can buy their way out of anything. Except the past.
Twilight movie storyline. Aging private detective Harry Ross (Newman), an ex-cop, is working on a case to return 17-year-old Mel Ames (Witherspoon) to her parents’ home. He tracks down Mel and her sleazy boyfriend, Jeff Willis (Schreiber), at a Mexican resort. During a struggle, the reluctant runaway accidentally shoots Harry with his pistol, striking him in the upper thigh.
The plot picks up two years later, when Ross is living in southern California in the guest quarters of Mel’s wealthy parents, Jack (Hackman) and Catherine Ames (Sarandon). They are former film industry stars, now in the twilight of their years. Jack is dying of cancer, which is out of remission, and he and Ross pass time playing cards.
One day, Jack asks a favor of Harry—to deliver a package to an address in Los Angeles. It turns out to be the first development in a series of twists and turns in a 20-year-old case involving the disappearance of Catherine’s ex-husband.
When Harry arrives at the address, he encounters a man named Ivar, who has just been fatally shot and shoots at him. Harry is detained by police, including former colleague Lt. Verna Hollander. At the police station, he runs into another (now retired) old pal and colleague, Raymond Hope.
Verna and Raymond are both sympathetic, as they had heard rumors that Harry suffered damage to his genitals when shot in Mexico. Harry explains that he was only shot in the thigh. Harry likes Catherine, who flirts with him from time to time. He acts as an agent between Jack and Catherine, and a parole officer and Jeff – who is now an ex-con.
Harry and Catherine have sex for the first (and only) time. Jack angrily realizes this when he has a heart attack that same night, and Catherine responds to his call for help wearing Harry’s shirt. Harry, meanwhile, is forced to acknowledge that his friends have deceived and manipulated him.
Twilight is a 1998 American thriller neo-noir film directed by Robert Benton, written by Benton and Richard Russo, and starring Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman, Reese Witherspoon, Stockard Channing and James Garner. The film’s original score was composed by Elmer Bernstein.
Twilight (1998)
Directed by: Robert Benton
Starring: Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman, Stockard Channing, Reese Witherspoon, Giancarlo Esposito, James Garner, Liev Schreiber, Margo Martindale
Screenplay by: Robert Benton, Richard Russo
Production Design by: David Gropman
Cinematography by: Piotr Sobocinski
Film Editing by: Carol Littleton
Costume Design by: Joseph G. Aulisi
Set Decoration by: Beth A. Rubino
Art Direction by: David J. Bomba
Music by: Elmer Bernstein
MPAA Rating: R for violence, language and some sexuality.
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: March 6, 1998
Views: 200
