Absence of Malice
“In America can a man be guilty until proven innocent?”
Megan Carter is a reporter duped into running an untrue story on Michael Gallagher, a suspected racketeer. He has an alibi for the time his crime was allegedly committed—but it involves an innocent party. When he tells Carter the truth and the newspaper runs it, tragedy follows, forcing Carter to face up to the responsibilities of her job when she is confronted by Gallagher.
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Cast
40 people
Sally Field
Megan Carter
Known for
Forrest Gump
Mrs. Doubtfire
Paul Newman
Michael Colin Gallagher
Known for
Cars
The Sting
Bob Balaban
Elliott Rosen
Known for
Isle of Dogs
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Melinda Dillon
Teresa Perrone
Known for
A Christmas Story
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Luther Adler
Santos Malderone
Known for
D.O.A.
The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel
Barry Primus
Robert Waddell
Known for
New York, New York
Eternity
Josef Sommer
McAdam
Known for
Witness
Patch Adams
John Harkins
Davidek
Known for
Birdy
Being There
Don Hood
James A. Quinn
Known for
Pretty Baby
Obsession
Wilford Brimley
James J. Wells
Known for
The Thing
Cocoon
Arnie Ross
Eddie Frost
Known for
Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure
Piranha II: The Spawning
Barbara Keegan
News Staff
Also in
Saving Mr. Banks
J. Edgar
Sydney Pollack Director · Kurt Luedtke Writer Dave Grusin Composer
Worldwide gross $41M · Budget $12M · United States release November 19, 1981
Box office
Budget
$12,000,000
Worldwide gross
$40,716,963
Gross vs. budget
3.4×
Production
Mirage Enterprises
Production
Columbia Pictures
Production · Studio
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · Spanish
Release dates
United States · November 15, 1981
Premiere · Washington, D.C.
United States · November 19, 1981
Limited theatrical
United States
November 17, 1981 · Premiere · Los Angeles, California
December 18, 1981 · Theatrical
Germany
March 5, 1982 · Theatrical
Hungary
October 18, 1984 · Theatrical
Ireland
May 28, 1982 · Theatrical
Italy
March 5, 1982 · Theatrical
Japan
February 20, 1982 · Theatrical
Portugal
March 4, 1982 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.