Guide Note

Primal Fear is a 1996 dramatic courtroom thriller about the trial of a young alter boy accused of murdering the Roman Catholic archbishop of Chicago. Richard Gere stars as a flamboyant Chicago defense attorney who takes on the seemingly impossible defense of a penniless, bewildered young man from Kentucky who was seen fleeing the scene of the crime and whose clothes were soaked in blood. It is learned that the archbishop was involved in crooked land deals that cost many powerful Chicagoans millions of dollars. Consequently , he received many death threats. His relationships with several of the young altar boys and boys' choir member were less than priestly. The plot takes many twists and turns with a final surprise ending as a disillusioned Gere exits in the final scene.
The film is an adaptation of William Diehl's novel of the same name.

Fast Facts

1. Director: Gregory Hoblit
2. Producer: Howard W. Koch, Jr.
3. Release date: April 3, 1996
4. Run time: 130 minutes
5. Budget: 30 Million USD
6. MPAA rating: R

Cast

1. Richard Gere
2. Laura Linney
3. Edward Norton
4. Andre Braugher
5. John Mahoney
6. Alfre Woodard
7. Frances McDormand
8. Steven Bauer
9. Terry O'Quinn

Awards

Academy Award: Best Supporting Actor Nomination (Edward Norton)