Kim Basinger plays "Lynn Bracken" a high-class Hollywood hooker who has been surgically altered to resemble Veronica Lake. It’s part of a honey trap scam creating more desirable hookers by having them closely resemble the popular films stars of the time.
This is used as bait to draw influential people and lured them into compromising positions. The Big scandal mag of the time is ’LA Confidential’ who are "in on/being used" to spread the results.
This is by far Kim Basinger’s best role to date apart from playing the corpse in Tom Petty’s (Mary Jane’ s Last Dance) video. Getting sued for dropping the ’Boxing Helena’ movie, after signing the contracts, was the best move she ever made.
It put a great strain on her financial situation and she started taking roles that otherwise might have been thought beneath her.. not at all! Her portrayal of ’Lake’ is wonderful and the supporting cast and storyline are extremely strong. Well worth watching.
In the scene where Kim Basinger is watching the film of Veronica Lake in her house, we hear the dialogue... but the projector is not a sound projector. [Apparently often movies of that era came with a separate audio tape that played the soundtrack in time with the movie, dating back to the time of silent movies].
When Kevin Spacey is alone in the bar looking at the $50 bill (quite a close up), it’s a bill dated from the 80’s or 90’s.
License plate numbers are incorrect for the period. In the 1950s there were 5 digit plates, but in the film, there are 6 or 7, like days license plates.
"L.A. Confidential" is a critically acclaimed neo-noir film released in 1997, directed by Curtis Hanson and based on the 1990 novel of the same name by James Ellroy. The movie is set in the early 1950s Los Angeles and dives deep into the city’s police corruption, Hollywood glamour, and underworld crime. It is known for its complex plot, dark themes, and atmospheric portrayal of post-war Los Angeles.
The narrative focuses on three LAPD officers with starkly different personalities and approaches to their job: Sergeant Ed Exley (played by Guy Pearce), who is willing to do anything to climb the ranks; Officer Bud White (played by Russell Crowe), who has a violent streak and a strong sense of justice, especially when it comes to women’s safety; and Sergeant Jack Vincennes (played by Kevin Spacey), who enjoys the limelight and has connections with the press. Their paths intertwine as they investigate a series of murders that lead them to uncover a deep-seated corruption within the police department and the glamorous yet seedy world of Hollywood.
Kim Basinger also stars in the film as Lynn Bracken, a call girl who resembles Veronica Lake, and her performance won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film itself was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won two (Best Supporting Actress for Basinger and Best Adapted Screenplay for Hanson and Brian Helgeland).
"L.A. Confidential" was praised for its sharp screenplay, direction, and the performances of its cast. It successfully captures the mood and tone of classic film noir while presenting a modern and intricate narrative. The film’s attention to detail in its setting, costumes, and dialogue contributes to its authenticity and immersive experience. Over the years, "L.A. Confidential" has been recognized as one of the best films of the 1990s and a standout entry in the noir genre, maintaining a strong legacy in film history.
