The Pelican Brief (film)

The Pelican Brief is a 1993 film about a law student who uncovers a conspiracy following the murder of two Supreme Court Justices, putting herself and others in danger.
 * Directed by Alan J. Pakula. Written by Alan J. Pakula, based on the novel by John Grisham.

Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. One lone law student has stumbled upon the truth. An investigative journalist wants her story. Everybody else wants her dead.

Thomas Callahan

 * Darby Shaw, you take my breath away.

FBI Director Denton Voyles

 * [to Darby] So you're the little lady who started this great brouhaha.

Dialogue

 * Justice Rosenberg: Any of those signs got my name on 'em?
 * Gray Grantham: Quite a few.
 * Justice Rosenberg: What do they say?
 * Gray Grantham: The usual: Death to Rosenberg, Retire Rosenberg, Cut off the oxygen.
 * Justice Rosenberg: [laughs] That's my favorite. Of course you, Mr Grantham, did pretty good by me your last time out: Rosenberg equals the government over business, the individual over government, the environment over everything. And the Indians? Oh, give 'em whatever they want.
 * Gray Grantham: Well with all due respects sir, that wasn't my line, that was a quote.
 * Justice Rosenberg: From one of your unnamed senior White House officials; senior White House son of a bitch I should have said, who got in there by stirring up these people, one against the other. It never fails to amaze me what a man will do to get into the Oval Office.


 * Gray Grantham: How'd you find me?
 * Darby Shaw: I called the paper and asked for your address.
 * Gray Grantham: And?
 * Darby Shaw: I told them I was your sister Mary in from out of town and couldn't find you.
 * Gray Grantham: [looks surprised] How'd you know I had a sister Mary?
 * Darby Shaw: You're not the only one who does research.


 * Gray Grantham: Do you want to talk about the brief?
 * Darby Shaw: Everyone I have told about the brief is dead.
 * Gray Grantham: I'll take my chances.


 * Edward Linney: You know, when you came in... I thought I was hallucinating again.
 * Darby Shaw: I'm sorry.
 * Edward Linney: Oh, no, I'll take a hallucination like that, anytime.


 * Smith Keen: Didn't they also say they knew of no connection with the assassination?
 * Gray Grantham: Yes. But what else are they gonna say?


 * Edwin Newman: Where is Darby Shaw?
 * Gray Grantham: I think that's also a question for Darby Shaw, but I know that she's not available to answer questions as long as this "feeding frenzy" continues.
 * Edwin Newman: Does that mean that you don't know where she is?
 * Gray Grantham: No, I didn't say that.
 * Edwin Newman: Then you do know...
 * [Gray Grantham laughs]
 * Edwin Newman: I, I take it this cryptic smile means you'll not answer...
 * [Gray Grantham smirking uncontrollably]
 * Edwin Newman: Okay Gray, you know that in view of all this, you know that there's a lot of speculation that this woman is a figment of your imagination. That you created her, from a lot of different sources. Just as there are people who believe there was no Deep Throat, there are those who believe that there is no Darby Shaw. In other words, she's just too good to be true.
 * Gray Grantham: [pause] She almost is.

Cast

 * Julia Roberts - Darby Shaw
 * Denzel Washington - Gray Grantham
 * Sam Shepard - Thomas Callahan
 * John Heard - Gavin Vereek
 * Tony Goldwyn - Fletcher Coal
 * James B. Sikking - FBI Director Denton Voyles
 * William Atherton - Bob Gminski
 * Robert Culp - President
 * Stanley Tucci - Khamel
 * Hume Cronyn - Justice Rosenberg
 * John Lithgow - Smith Keen
 * Anthony Heald - Marty Velmano
 * Stanley Anderson - Edwin Sneller
 * John Finn - Matthew Barr
 * Peter Carlin - Edward Linney