塘鹅暗杀令

Two Supreme Court justices, the liberal Justice Rosenberg (Hume Cronyn) and conservative Justice Jensen are assassinated. A terrorist named Khamel (Stanley Tucci), who works as a hired assassin, shoots one of the justices as he lies in his sickbed. He strangles the other in a gay porn film theater. As the nation learns the shocking news, the authorities including the FBI (charged with protecting the lives of the Supreme Court Justices), do not seem to have any clear indications of who may have been behind the assassinations.

Tulane University Law School student Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) theorizes that there may be some similarity in their otherwise-different voting patterns that may provide a motive for their assassinations. She decides to research the two justices' records and cases pending before the Court, suspecting the real motive might be simple greed, not politics. She discovers that both were protective of the environment in their votes. She writes her theories into a legal brief, which she shows to her law professor, mentor and lover Thomas Callahan (Sam Shepard). Callahan, a recovering alcoholic, is grieving for Rosenberg, whom he interned for. He finds Darby's work interesting, but fails to recognize the high stakes involved. Nevertheless, he gives a copy of the paper (which becomes known as the "Pelican Brief") to Gavin Verheek (John Heard), a friend of his who works as a lawyer with the FBI.

Not long after this, Callahan is killed by a car bomb as the couple is leaving a bar in New Orleans; Darby escapes the attack because she holds back from getting into the car with her drunk lover. She soon realizes she is under surveillance, and is subsequently attacked by an unknown assailant. Realizing that her brief was accurate, she goes into hiding and reaches out cautiously to Verheek for help.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., political reporter Gray Grantham (Denzel Washington) is contacted by an anonymous informant who calls himself "Garcia" and claims to have information about the assassinations which he had apparently seen inadvertently at his place of employment. Grantham manages to take a photograph of "Garcia" but is unable to identify him. "Garcia" subsequently disappears. Darby then makes contact by telephone with Grantham and mentions the Pelican Brief; although initially skeptical, Grantham discovers that the limited information Darby discloses has validity.

Darby finds out from fellow classmate Alice (Cynthia Nixon) that her apartment has been ransacked and her computer, disks and files are gone. Soon after, the man who had attacked her previously finds her again and gives chase, but Darby evades him a second time. She contacts Verheek and arranges to meet him the next day in a crowded public place. Prior to their meeting, Verheek is murdered in his hotel room by Khamel, who then goes to meet Darby dressed as Verheek. Just before Khamel can kill her, however, he is shot and killed by an unknown agent, and Darby flees.

Darby contacts Grantham again and agrees to meet him in New York City. There, she gives him the details of her brief.

The legal brief speculates that the assassinations were committed on behalf of Victor Mattiece, an oil tycoon who wants to drill for oil on a Louisiana marshland which is a major habitat of an endangered species of pelicans. A court case on appeal, filed on his behalf to gain access to the land, is expected to make its way to the Supreme Court. The two slain justices had a history of environmentalism — their only common view — and thus Darby surmised that Mattiece, who has a pre-existing business relationship with the President, hoped to turn the case in his favor by eliminating the two justices, thus leaving his friend, the President, in a position to appoint new justices more likely to rule in his favor.

Grantham tells her about "Garcia", and together they discover that "Garcia" is Curtis Morgan (Jake Weber), a lawyer in the oil and gas division of White & Blazevich in Washington.

Darby visits White & Blazevich, pretending to have an appointment with Curtis Morgan. When she is told that Morgan had been killed by muggers just a week ago, she suspects that his discovery of incriminating evidence was the real reason for his murder, and Darby hurries out of the office. She and Grantham visit his widow, who gives them a key to a safe deposit box he owned.

While Darby visits the bank to retrieve the contents of the box, she is followed and a bomb is planted in her car. When she and Grantham return to their vehicle, Grantham has difficulty starting the car, and Darby recognizes the faltering sound as what she heard just before Callahan was killed. She stops him and they flee the vehicle. They are instantly pursued on foot and by a car, which finally crashes into their parked vehicle, detonating the bomb and killing one of their pursuers.

They escape to the Washington Herald building, where they review the documents and a videotape from Morgan's box. The tape contains testimony from Morgan that confirms his discovery that Mattiece ordered the assassination of the Justices and the documents are memos that confirm these accusations. With the evidence that he needs, Grantham writes his story. He gives the FBI a chance to comment, and Director Voyles (James B. Sikking) comes to meet with him personally. On the record, Voyles confirms that the Pelican Brief was delivered to the White House; off the record, he reveals that the President ordered the FBI to "back off". He tells Darby that CIA agents were investigating Mattiece, and that one of them killed Khamel to save her life. Voyles arranges for a plane to fly Darby, accompanied by Grantham, to an undisclosed foreign location. Upon arrival, they are given a copy of the day's Herald with their story, which credits both Grantham and Darby in the byline. After embracing, Darby departs in a waiting van and Grantham returns to the plane.

The movie ends with Darby in her foreign hideaway, watching Grantham being interviewed on TV, where it is revealed that Mattiece and two of his lawyers have been indicted in federal court, the President's chief of staff has resigned, and the President himself will not run for office again. Grantham deflects speculation that Darby is fictional, a composite of sources, but does agree that she is "almost" too good to be true. Her life having been saved, Darby smiles as the screen cuts to black.

选修课上看的，因为时间关系，只看了一半，前部分节奏缓慢，好多同学都睡了……后半部分更惊险刺激。Stanley Tucci演的杀手一开始特别厉害，后半部分对男女主的追杀更凶猛可怕，完全对得起这个中文片名。一直很喜欢政治犯罪题材的电影，可能和纪录片接近吧，我迷恋那种接近真实的质感。Julia Roberts那时应该才25左右，与角色年龄也符合，但是她看起来比较成熟。据说Denzel Washington被评为最性感男星，电影他第一次出场的确很……太晚了不说了

片名：《The Pelican Brief》（《塘鹅暗杀令》） 年代：1993年 国家：美国 导演：Alan Pakula（艾伦•帕库拉） 主演：Julia Roberts（朱莉娅•罗伯茨）；Denzel Washington（丹泽尔•华盛顿）；Sam Shepard（山姆•夏普德）


最高法院的两名法官被暗杀，聪颖漂亮的法学院高材生Darby Shaw在导师兼情人的鼓励下，随后开始对此案的调查。Darby奔走图书馆和档案室、走访当事人，调阅各种案卷和资料，运用自己缜密的法律逻辑思维，分析整理出一份报告，直指两名法官被暗杀，并非恐怖袭击、也非仇杀，而是背后的利益驱使，两名法官性格各异，但在一点上两人是共同的，都是环保人士。
报告论及在一片塘鹅栖息的沼泽地，附近却有着惊人的石油储量，石油大亨Mattece看中了又一次发财的机会，但是石油的开采需要在这片湿地铺设管道，管道的建设势必会破坏这片沼泽地，以及生活在这一片土地上的塘鹅--一群频临灭绝的动物。Mattece是美国首富，旗下企业遍布美国各地，还是各种竞选的献金大户，他埋设管道的要求轻而易举获得政府批准。不料一家名叫绿色基金会的环保组织搜集各种资料，花了7年的时间终于把Mattece告上法庭，陪审团成员基于跟Mattece旗下企业千丝万缕的联系，裁定Mattece胜诉，法官却支持绿色和平组织的提议，认为塘鹅是联邦保护的动物，不允许在这片湿地上进行破坏。Mattece上诉到最高院，诉讼的过程是漫长的，但是诉讼的结果却已经显现不利因素，摆在眼前的局面就是两名大法官是环保人士，Mattece要取得诉讼的胜利，唯一的突破是减少大法官中有环保倾向的人数来支持自己的诉求。新一任的总统已经筹备大选，目前任职的总统跟Mattece有着良好的私人关系，已经表明会参选总统，Mattece为这名总统候选人做好万全安排，会全力通过各种渠道用金钱把总统候选人推上宝座。Mattece解决掉挡路的两名法官，总统在提名新法官的人选上自然会心照不宣避免环保人士。Darby运用自己详实的逻辑分析推导出的报告因为涉及塘鹅栖息的这片土地，也叫《塘鹅报告》。
（美国总统大选，目前经估计用于候选人的竞选经费高达几十亿美元，其中联邦政府提供的竞选经费是十分有限的，余下的都需要候选人的竞选团队分头筹集。为了避免总统在竞选过程中被收买，《联邦竞选法》每几年就要根据现实情况修订一次，对于私人捐款也有相当严格的规定，私人对每一个竞选人的捐款以1000美元为限，对政党的捐款，则以25000美元为限。没有永久居留权的外国人不得捐款，不得替他人捐款，也不得从第三捐款人手中接受捐款。当然公司是禁止向竞选人直接捐款。那有没有大的财团公司通过各种渠道收买议员进行游说或者助选总统呢？显然是有的，从《联邦竞选法》的不停修订以及《跨党派竞选改革法》等法案的推出都是为了限制金主可能通过竞选获得利益交换。）
Darby的导师并未特别在意Darby费尽心力编写的这篇报告，在去华盛顿参加两名法官的葬礼时，顺便会见自己在FBI做律师的朋友谈到法官遇害事件，FBI对此案依然毫无头绪，Darby的导师随手把Darby写的报告转给他作为破案的参考，FBI的朋友同样也不在意，给了同僚们传阅，大家都不把这份报告当一回事，一个法学院的高材生能有多大的能耐可以解决FBI焦头烂额都不能破解的案子呢？
Darby的报告从FBI被转到总统幕僚的手上，再转到总统手上。这一份大家认为无关紧要的报告，却开始引发一系列始料未及的事件。Darby的导师在发动汽车时被炸身亡，侥幸逃脱的Darby被追杀，准备启动调查报告的FBI探长被总统叫停，Darby的报告不再是总统说的捕风捉影，而是让总统已经坐立不安的实锤。如果这篇报告属实，石油大亨Mattece已经走在通往监狱的路上，总统的行为已经涉嫌干涉司法。那么最好的结果就是这篇毫不起眼的报道不会走漏风声，Darby得死，所有看过《塘鹅报告》而又可能泄露的人也得死。
Gray Gramtham是一名新闻调查记者，他是最后一名见到其中一名法官的当事人，同时也是一直追踪Mattece环保诉讼案的新闻记者。有一天Gray突然接到一个莫名其妙的电话，是一位自称“加西亚”的人打来的，自称他知道谁杀死了两名大法官，因为他看到了可以证明有人企图杀掉大法官的证据。Gray是希望得到切实可行的证据作为支撑，电话里的人显然对这件事极为犹豫和不安，涉及到关键证据就闭口不谈，却又备受煎熬多次电话联系Gray。Gray通过回拨查到该公用电话号码，并找到该号码的电话亭位置，下一次来电话的时候，Gray一边使用移动电话跟该人联系，一边在电话亭对面偷偷拍下爆料人。对于Gray的见面要求，该人一口回绝，后来竟失去了联系，这条线索算是断了。
峰回路转的是Darby找到Gray，情人的死亡，情人朋友的死亡，Darby已经没有其他的渠道可以揭露自己这篇报道所透露的令人震惊的事实，Gray是情人所欣赏的能坚持新闻道德的新闻人，这是Darby活命的最后希望，也是公开这件事唯一的出路。
Gray根据Darby会谈以及爆料人的信息，凭着新闻人的敏感，基本上可以确认《塘鹅报告》的真实性，那就是总统的献金大户，杀害了两名挡路的法官，是为了让总统提名通情达理能够揣摩圣意的法官。如果Gray掌握足够的证据，可以报导这是事实，石油大亨没有是没有办法对Gray及其报社提起诉讼的。目前有了Darby的推导报道，缺乏实际的证据支撑，寻找那个打来电话的爆料人，就是Darby能够脱身，以及Gray能够伸张正义的唯一出路。Gray和Darby带着偷拍的爆料人照片，终于确认这个人就是一家大型律师行石油及天然气部门的工作的一名叫查尔斯摩根的律师，找到摩根的时候，遗憾摩根已经被暗杀。幸运的是摩根夫人保留了一把摩根在银行的保险柜钥匙，柜子里是摩根留下的一盘录像带和一份手写的备忘录，录像带是摩根陈述自己在办案时不小心拿错了给Mattece代理案件同事的文件资料，发现了资深合伙人手写的一份备忘录，备忘录建议要改善客户的处境，必须除去两个大法官。
报道推出后，FBI对Mattece及其律师团队立案调查，总统宣布不再继续参选新一轮的总统大选。FBI探长如果指证总统，那么总统不仅仅被弹劾，甚至涉嫌犯罪，所期待的就是新任总统对自己的豁免。
因为有宪法第一修正案的庇护，美国的新闻报道有很大的空间，新闻记者不会因为自己报道中是事实，但是无法证实的内容而被判有罪，对公众人物和官员需要证明真实恶意的存在。例外是涉及国家机密的时候，新闻的报道者必须提供新闻来源，正如电影《真相至上》为了保护线人的女记者，因为不肯泄露新闻源，被判入狱两年半。
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一次在酒吧听到Scorpions的always somewhere，深深的沉迷进去，而且竟然能听得懂大部分的歌词。。
后来知道这是《鹅塘暗杀令》的主题曲，直到很久之后才拾起这部两个多小时的电影。所以对我来说这是一部因歌而识的电影。
至于电影的名字，《鹅塘暗杀令》或者《鹈鹕报告》都比《绝对机密》要来的吸引人，听起来就像是一个童话，不是么？

故事讲得不错，更何况当年的茱莉亚罗伯茨和丹泽尔华盛顿让我怦然心动。大嘴美女不必说，我对华盛顿的最深印象来自当年在辩论队时集体看《伟大的辩手》。
93年的鹅塘暗杀令放到今天感觉算不得多么新奇的电影，即便剧情最紧张的时候，我心中依然波澜不惊——而这正是我最喜欢的状态。。

就如同《美国往事》，那种浓郁的旧时光的情调密密的包裹住你，渗透进皮肤，渗透进呼吸，渗透进你的一举一动，感觉到自己变得优雅起来，深邃起来。
某个寒冬的夜晚，你也许会吹起美国往事中的那段口哨；某个陌生的旅馆中，你也许会想起always somewhere的旋律……像黛比那般套着松松垮垮的衬衣，感受着那丝让人上瘾的忧郁。

   看这部片子完全是因为对大嘴美女的喜爱，故事里机智与果敢被演的恰到好处。
   当权利过分集中，只手遮天就是必然，即使在三权分立的美国，也不过如此。可喜的是在美国权利还是可以争取到的。