Guilty by Suspicion

Amazon.com

A fictional dramatization of the anti-Communist witch-hunts that plagued the U.S. during the late 1940s and early '50s, Guilty by Suspicion examines one of the most shameful periods of American history. After producing such prominent films as Rocky and Raging Bull, Irwin Winkler made his directorial debut with this 1991 drama, basing his screenplay on the harsh reality of the blacklisting era. Set during 1951, when the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) held hearings to target alleged Communist affiliations within the Hollywood filmmaking community, the film stars Robert De Niro as a prominent director who is urged to "name names" to appease the committee. Rather than betray one of his closest friends, he refuses to "cooperate" with the committee and is quickly blacklisted, his entire career in jeopardy. Costarring Annette Bening as the director's sympathetic ex-wife, the film doesn't pack the emotional punch of The Front (another blacklisting-era film, starring Woody Allen), but Winkler captures the paranoid anxiety of the period with a wealth of authentic detail. Because the De Niro character underestimates the power of the HUAC, we share his shock and dismay when he must finally face the committee. Without seeming like a dry history lesson, Guilty by Suspicion illuminates the unconstitutional evil of the blacklist era while offering a glimpse behind the scenes of Hollywood's past. Adding to the realism, director Martin Scorsese makes a rare cameo as another filmmaker under fire. Although Winkler's script and direction are perhaps too melodramatic, Guilty by Suspicion was clearly made with noble purpose and intention. For anyone interested in the blacklisting era and Hollywood history, this movie's a must-see. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A sober history lesson.......2006-06-07

Before you know it our rights can be taken away. Don't believe it? It happened before...watch this movie to find out how easily it happened.

Not to be missed.......2006-06-07

A compelling motion picture and an important reminder of what's possible if we are not vigilant citizens.

Excellent.......2006-06-07

Excellent script and acting. Based on actual events, it's hard to believe these things actually happened in this country.

An American Horror Story.......2006-06-07

For anybody interested in the McCarthy era of the 50s, "Guilty by Suspicion" is a must. In an effort to root out communist subversives in every aspect of American life, especially in the government and the motion picture industry, the U.S. Congress, in 1938, formed a special investigative body called The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). HUAC proceeded on what amounted to a modern day witch-hunt whose actions resulted in several contempt-of-Congress convictions and the blacklisting of many who refused to answer its questions.

"Guilty by Suspicion" dramatizes the terror experienced by innocent Americans at the hands of unscrupulous politicians who took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution as they were blatantly trampling on citizens' civil rights. It's also the story of one man's struggle with his conscience to do the right thing.

The film was extremely well made and the writing is excellent. The acting is top notch, especially by De Niro and Benning.

While it's a work of fiction, you can be sure it tells the true story of many people who went through this American horror story.

For anyone who thinks it could never happen here...it did.

History...Hollywood style.......2005-06-21

"Guilty by Suspicion" is one of those "Historical Fiction" films that "The Rotten Review" just can't get out of its hair. Historical fiction is ironic enough a term for any subject, but especially so when brought to bear against the evils of the McCarthy era. Like much historical fiction, the "Big Red Scare" mixed the true and the perhaps-no-true with little regard for distinguishing the one from the other. "Suspicion" so strongly enmeshes itself in the intrigue of the 50's Witch-Hunts that it's difficult to comment on the film without getting into the larger argument of their merits. On the other hand, this is a work of fiction, with invented characters, scripted dialog and its own form of a Hollywood ending. History being as important as "Suspicion" suggests - "The Rotten Review" wonders why it should be forced to pick for history out of its uninspired script, one that visits no new territory.

The story has noble (and fictional) Hollywood director David Merrill facing off against the House committee for Un-American Affairs long after he'd been stripped of his prestige and cozy life for refusing to name fellow Hollywood communists. Merrill we learn is no hero - he had no interest in politics, but went to some meetings during the war when it was fashionable to support any anti-fascist cause. But he doesn't want to name names. Soon he's forced to work pseudonymously on low-budget Westerns, until his true name is revealed. (His only defender, it turns out, is a Gary Cooper-like actor; even a similarly blacklisted friend played by Scorcese turns against him). To add insult to industry, less-noble friends turn against him and name him as a communist (including a writer that Merrill had earlier refused to name to the committee). Merrill decline works like a sort of trajectory - inevitably bringing him before the committee where scripted heroism will allow him to take an oral potshot at Hollywood-style politicians.

The other question this flick raises (that is, after the whole history and fiction issue) is this - why was this movie made? McCarthyism has been done to death - Woody Allen tackled this about 20 years ago with "The Front", a black-comedy also ending with the heroic showdown with HUAC. "Suspicion" seems to understand how new it's not - the script is so light on the details, it likely presumes that we already know the important stuff (good guys from bad politicians; the movie doesn't take chances by casting any popular actors in unpopular parts like those of the anti-communist inquisitors; like the communists of that era - the Witch Hunters have become "The Other", the faceless embodiment of anti-patriotic evil). Also, the watching this flick, it's easy to forget that the Red-Scare wasn't focused exclusively or even originally on Hollywood at all - early targets were the armed forces and the State Department. (For Merrill's denouement, the script appropriates the famous rejoinder by Army AG Joe Welch to Joe McCarthy.)

But worst of all, "Suspicion" is boring. The story, though following well-worn trails against right-wing agitprop, never seems to be going in any direction, and reinforces nothing other than a sentiment I had before seeing this movie: Hollywood can't be trusted to document its own lamentable moments in history.

Average customer rating:

Anthony Hopkins Rules!!!!!!!!!!

Guilty Conscience
Starring: Anthony Hopkins; Blythe Danner
Director: David Greene
Manufacturer: Passion Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

ASIN: B0002Y15NU
Release Date: 2001-01-01

Product Description

Anthony Hopkins stars in this psychological thriller as Arthur Jamison, a successful criminal attorney who has foul play on his mind when he discovers that his wife is seeking a divorce and plans to blackmail him and ruin his career.

Customer Reviews:

Anthony Hopkins Rules!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-05-24

Anthony Hopkins Rules in this great thriller.It's a must see at a great price!!!

"Blunt the Fourth Man" and "Guilty Conscience"

Average customer rating:

"Blunt the Fourth Man" and "Guilty Conscience"
Starring: Anthony Hopkins
Director: John Glenister; David Greene
Manufacturer: Movie Ventures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Horror | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000AMQSEU
Release Date: 2001-02-14

Average customer rating:

Great Movie but the DVD playback is of poor quality

Guilty Conscience
Starring: Blythe Danner , Wiley Harker , Swoosie Kurtz , Ruth Manning , and Anthony Hopkins
Director: David Greene
Manufacturer: Westlake Ent. Group
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00023XHXM
Release Date: 1985-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie but the DVD playback is of poor quality.......2007-01-22

I really enjoy this movie, but have been unable to find a DVD with quality graphics. I have purchased 4 different versions of this movie and all look like they were recorded from a VCR tape. Would be nice if anyone out there knows where I can get this movie that views like a DVD instead of a bootleg copy.

2 DVD SETS OF TELEVISION CLASSICS! SET 1: BEST OF LUCY AND FRIENDS INCLUDING 6 EPISODES OF LIFE WITH ELIZABETH, STARRING BETTY WHITE (4- DISC SET, 36 EPISODES) AND SET 2: BEST OF THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (4-DISC SET, 40 EPISODES). AWESOME COMEDY SERIES FOR YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS ENTERTAINMENT!

Average customer rating:

2 DVD SETS OF TELEVISION CLASSICS! SET 1: BEST OF LUCY AND FRIENDS INCLUDING 6 EPISODES OF LIFE WITH ELIZABETH, STARRING BETTY WHITE (4- DISC SET, 36 EPISODES) AND SET 2: BEST OF THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (4-DISC SET, 40 EPISODES). AWESOME COMEDY SERIES FOR YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS ENTERTAINMENT!

Manufacturer: MILL CREEK ENTERTAINMENT
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

2 DVD SETS, 4-DISC COLLECTION EACH, TOTAL OF 8 DVDs
SET 1: BEST OF LUCY AND FRIENDS STARRING LUCILLE BALL, INCLUDES 6 EPISODES OF LIFE WITH ELIZABETH STARRING BETTY WHITE
SET 2: BEST OF THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. MEET THE CLAMPTETTS. BEVERLY HILLS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
GREAT, MEMORABLE COMEDY SERIES
GREAT FOR FUN, FAMILY & FRIENDS ENTERTAINMENT

ASIN: B000UD975G

Product Description

HOURS OF FAMILY HOME VIEWING ENTERTAINMENT!

Average customer rating:

Guilty Conscience is good story, fair DVD
Great Movie, Lousy DVD
Dreadful....hard to believe Hopkins and Danner could be this bad
DON'T BUY IT UNTIL YOU READ THIS!!!
Great movie - Lousy copy

Guilty Conscience
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , Blythe Danner , Swoosie Kurtz , Donegan Smith , and Wiley Harker
Director: David Greene
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B0000E6XIV
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Customer Reviews:

Guilty Conscience is good story, fair DVD.......2007-08-27

I don't quite agree this DVD is horrible, but to me that only paid $5.47 and have paid more for used, I suppose it is a matter of what you expect. Furthermore this movie was made at a time when the quality of the original wasn't all that great. Go back and look at other movies of this period and you will see the color and sound wasn't very good. This DVD in fact is not a great transfer. It almost looked like it might have been copied from VHS in the beginning of it, but it does improve somewhat as the movie progresses. The sound isn't great either, but all-in-all this is watchable and the story is very interesting. In a nutshell an attorney played by Anthony Hopkins imagines ways he would kill his wife and even ways his wife and mistress would kill him, but not till the last minutes do you see a murder and know they won't get away with it. But before the murder you will see Hopkins argue with himself on the lack of merits on various methods of disposing of his wife and then with his wife and mistress on how they plan to dispose of him. His skills at argueing his points will make you truly think he is a barrister. It was interesting to hear Hopkins say "Quid Pro Quo" as well since it was more menacing in a later movie. I would love to see this on a better quality DVD as well but I have no complaints here considering the price.

Great Movie, Lousy DVD.......2007-01-25

Arthur Jamison (Anthony Hopkins) is a brilliant and successful criminal defense attorney. There's just one problem. His wife (Blythe Danner) has decided to file for divorce and is planning to milk him for all he is worth. Since Arthur doesn't want that, he needs to figure out a way to kill his wife. But, being the attorney he is, he knows that he'd be the first suspect. While he plots various ways to bring about her demise, his mistress (Swoosie Kurtz) shows up unexpectedly. Now what will Arthur do?

This is an interesting little made for TV movie from the mid-80's, made long before any of the stars were a success. It has a bit of a low budget feel, but all three stars do a great job acting. It almost feels like a play since almost all of it takes place in Arthur and Louise's house and these three characters are the only real characters.

The plot is hard to discuss without giving anything away. We get several sequences of Arthur's plots to kill his wife and then the cross examination he images he'll have when the case goes to trial. I was getting a little bored with the movie, but half way through there's a great twist that grabbed my interest for the remainder of the film.

While the movie itself is 5 stars, I had to take a couple off for the DVD transfer. It's absolutely horrid. The picture looks like it is a third of fourth generation VHS recording. The transitions at the original commercial breaks are jarring.

While this is great movie, the DVD is a disappointment. If you must have this movie, go ahead. But be forewarned this is not the quality we normally get these days.

Dreadful....hard to believe Hopkins and Danner could be this bad.......2006-02-24

Not only was the DVD quality dreadful, the entire movie was equally awful. I bought this thinking that the acting would make up for the video quality. Much to my surprise, I found that even terrific actors (Anthony Hopkins and Blythe Danner) can make dreadful films. The acting was awful, the plot boring.

I had trouble even sitting still for the 90 minutes of the film. Avoid this stinker at all costs.

DON'T BUY IT UNTIL YOU READ THIS!!!.......2005-07-15

Nearly all the other reviews are right...the transfer copy of this was obviously done off the TV by somebody with a subpar VHS recorder, a low-quality tape and bad editing skills. But beware...at least half a dozen cheap video companies have made their prints from the same inferior master. So don't think buying a different copy with different graphics will make a difference, it won't, it's still the same lousy print. Until a real reputable company (Criterion, Image, etc.) buys it and announces they will be putting this out, any future copies will be as bad as these. That being said, if the quality of your print matters little, then buy it and enjoy the film, it's a great one!

Great movie - Lousy copy.......2005-07-09

This is a very good movie and very cleverly written, and I highly recommend it, HOWEVER, the quality of the copy I received from this Canada-based company was the worst copy of a movie I have ever seen. If you made a copy of a copy of a copy and did that at least 20 times, you would end up with a better copy than I got. And as unbelievable as it may seem, it actually says on the box and on the cassette label that it was recorded in EP instead of SP, which of course was never mentioned in the description. I will never buy from this company again, and in closing take note that Amazon has a no return policy on video purchases, so beware. Thanks a lot for the rip off, guys.

Average customer rating:

Guilty Conscience is good story, fair DVD
Great Movie, Lousy DVD
Dreadful....hard to believe Hopkins and Danner could be this bad
DON'T BUY IT UNTIL YOU READ THIS!!!
Great movie - Lousy copy

Guilty Conscience
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , Blythe Danner , Swoosie Kurtz , Donegan Smith , and Wiley Harker
Director: David Greene
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00005LDD2
Release Date: 2000-12-26

Customer Reviews:

Guilty Conscience is good story, fair DVD.......2007-08-27

Great Movie, Lousy DVD.......2007-01-25

Dreadful....hard to believe Hopkins and Danner could be this bad.......2006-02-24

DON'T BUY IT UNTIL YOU READ THIS!!!.......2005-07-15

Great movie - Lousy copy.......2005-07-09

Average customer rating:

Guilty Conscience is good story, fair DVD
Great Movie, Lousy DVD
Dreadful....hard to believe Hopkins and Danner could be this bad
DON'T BUY IT UNTIL YOU READ THIS!!!
Great movie - Lousy copy

Guilty Conscience
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , Blythe Danner , Swoosie Kurtz , Donegan Smith , and Wiley Harker
Director: David Greene
Manufacturer: Essex
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

Television | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: 630470173X
Release Date: 1997-11-14

Customer Reviews:

Guilty Conscience is good story, fair DVD.......2007-08-27

Great Movie, Lousy DVD.......2007-01-25

Dreadful....hard to believe Hopkins and Danner could be this bad.......2006-02-24

DON'T BUY IT UNTIL YOU READ THIS!!!.......2005-07-15

Great movie - Lousy copy.......2005-07-09

Average customer rating:

Guilty Conscience
Starring: Blythe Danner , Wiley Harker , Swoosie Kurtz , Ruth Manning , and Anthony Hopkins
Director: David Greene
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000ADWD6Q
Release Date: 2005-07-18

[DVD] Guilty Conscience (1985) Starring Anthony Hopkins from Treasure Box Collection

Average customer rating:

Great Movie but the DVD playback is of poor quality

[DVD] Guilty Conscience (1985) Starring Anthony Hopkins from Treasure Box Collection

Manufacturer: Treasure Box Collection
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00073IQ1A

Product Description

Guilty Conscience Starring Anthony Hopkins Treasure Box Collection 98 Minutes Color Anthony Hopkins plays a young lawyer who debates with his conscience over the pros and cons of murdering his wife for his younger mistress. UPC #7-28665-90017-5

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie but the DVD playback is of poor quality.......2007-01-22

DVD:

DVD

DVD