Talk:The Pelican Brief (film)

From article
"The book's subplot of romantic tension between Shaw and Grantham is conspicuously absent from the film, reportedly because of Washington's refusal to have a kiss scene with Julia Roberts, although Roberts had been the one pressuring producers to cast Washington as her co-star." If this is true, a verifiable citation is needed. Shannernanner  12:23, 2 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Firstly, no verifiable citation is needed.  Many people have read the book and also seen the movie.   Thus, It becomes self-evident, this fact of the movie omitting the romantic tension beween the two characters.   If this issue is added to the article, then it should include some statement asserting the overall undertones of the final scene.   Grantham is on TV, and grins when questioned about Shaw being "too good to be true."  And then they cut to Shaw in a house watching Grantham on the TV, and she grins, when she sees Grantham on the TV grinning.   This is the only hint in the entire movie to any sub-plot from the book, of any romantic tension.  Marc S. Dania Fl 206.192.35.125 (talk) 16:14, 28 June 2013 (UTC)
 * Strange, I don't think it's really missing, just subtle. It seems that the scene showing them both in their beds trying to sleep was meant to help convey this tension, as well the lantern they hang on their hug at the airport. Also obviously the scene that is mentioned above with the shared smile. I get the impression from the film they have a deep connection and a very close friendship, that might turn into something more if they ever make it out of this mess. Plus, the notes on this page imply more of the epilogue is in the book than in the movie, but the movie interview with Grey doesn't appear to be more than a few weeks or months after the article is published. While Grey might join Darby where she is eventually, and likely would at least visit even if there is no romantic connection, right now there is way too much still going on for him to do so. CleverTitania (talk) 02:36, 20 November 2016 (UTC)

Differences between the book and the movie
Can we delete this section? It is clutter. It clutters the article. The key question is: does all this nitpicking of differences display any major deviance of the movie plot from the book plot? 2602:306:24DE:C0B9:AC3F:41D2:96CB:15FA (talk) 01:56, 8 April 2015 (UTC)

Subject to seeing the film again (and not having read the book), but I find nowhere in all the commentaries where anyone has noted my pet peeve with this production. Darby-Julia goes nearly the entire film watching people expire due to the content of her "brief", which she reveals to any and all, but we of the audience are never given a peek into the content of it which is so fatally controversial. Isn't it de rigueur for a mystery or suspense story to at least give us a clue as to what it's about sometime before the ending? Is it just me who notices this stuff? And I will come back here and say "oops" if I find that I had just dozed off during that moment early in the film.64.146.214.243 (talk) 03:06, 14 August 2016 (UTC)


 * To the user above asking about the contents of the brief - you must've dozed off. The whole scene where Grey reviews his notes and the audio recording of his interview with Darby details what information is in the brief; that it started with the Pelican suit, the death of the lawyer who started it, right through to why Mattiece needed to knock off the two justices right now, in case the president he had influence over wasn't re-elected. And also, she doesn't reveal it to "any and all." She makes that comment to Grey about "Everyone I've told about the brief is dead," but she's really exaggerating reality based on her guilt over Thomas and Gavin's deaths. The only people she actually tells about the brief are Thomas and Grey. Thomas tells Gavin about it, and Gavin passes it around from there. Darby doesn't actually share it herself, with anyone else.


 * To the general topic, I've removed this line from the differences section, "In the book, Thomas seems to be attempting to be sober, but in the film, his alcoholism is alive and well as he dates Darby." That is not accurate. There are multiple references in the film, to Thomas' attempts to stay sober, which ultimately fail the day he is killed. Darby and he talk in an earlier scene about how much he wants a drink after Rosenberg's death, and Darby mentions the "one day at a time" that is commonly part of recovery programs. She also reminds him in the scene just before the car explosion, that his depression will only be made worse by the fact he is drinking. I think it's clear that Thomas' attempts at sobriety are an ongoing part of his and Darby's conversations.


 * I also don't think that the article is cluttered by the existence of this section, given the article itself is pretty short. I actually came here specifically to see whether there were any notable differences. At the least, the fact that Mattiece is in the book, but never actually scene in the movie, is noteworthy in my opinion - and I appreciate that it's explained by the removal of the one agents death making his appearance completely unnecessary. CleverTitania (talk) 01:20, 20 November 2016 (UTC)
 * I can't recall the ending of the book, read it too long ago. Just saw the movie, so I can't comment on this controversy.  When Darby and Gray fly off in the FBI plane. no one is supposed to know the destination except Darby, Gary and the pilot when Darby informs him where to go.  Yet when they land a messenger appears with a copy of the paper with the front page story.  How did the messenger know to deliver it?  What that a mistake on the part of the screenwriters or was it intended to let the viewer know that nothing was kept secret, the FBI had been informed by the pilot of the destination. 2601:C2:8280:280:CF4B:DC62:E86C:4112 (talk) 03:13, 8 January 2023 (UTC)

Pakula should have stopped with his prior film
Pakula should have stopped with his prior film — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.54.25.237 (talk) 20:32, 27 July 2020 (UTC)