The Firm (1993 film)

Mitch McDeere, about to graduate from Harvard Law School, accepts a generous job offer from Bendini, Lambert & Locke, a boutique firm in Memphis, Tennessee. Mitch and his wife Abby move to Memphis, and he studies to pass the Tennessee bar exam. Senior partner Avery Tolar mentors Mitch and introduces him to the firm's professional culture, which demands strict loyalty, confidentiality, and a willingness to charge exceptional fees. Mitch is seduced by the money and perks – including a house, new car, and his student loans paid off – but Abby is suspicious of the firm's interference with employees’ families.

Mitch passes the bar exam and begins working long hours, straining his marriage. Working closely with Avery, Mitch learns that most of the firm's work involves helping wealthy clients hide money in off-shore shell corporations and other dubious tax-avoidance schemes. On a trip to the Cayman Islands, Mitch hears a client state that the firm's Chicago clients break people's legs. Seduced by a local woman, Mitch cheats on Abby; this encounter was arranged by the firm's security chief, Bill DeVasher, who blackmails Mitch with photos of his tryst to keep him quiet about the firm's activities. Learning that four of the firm’s associates died mysteriously, Mitch hires private investigator Eddie Lomax, who is shot dead, which Lomax’s secretary Tammy witnesses.

Mitch is approached by FBI agents who reveal that BL&L's biggest client is the Morolto crime family of the Chicago Outfit. Most of the firm is complicit in a massive tax fraud and money laundering scheme. The dead associates had learned the truth and were killed on the firm’s orders, as was Lomax. The FBI warns Mitch that his house, car, and office are probably bugged, and pressures him to provide evidence against the firm and the Moroltos. Mitch agrees to cooperate in return for $1.5 million and the release of his imprisoned brother Ray. The FBI releases Ray, planning to return him to prison once Mitch hands over the incriminating files, and gives him half the money. Mitch confesses his one-night stand in the Caymans to Abby, who prepares to leave him.

When a client complains that he was billed for several hours of extra fees, Mitch realizes that mailing clients these padded bills is mail fraud, exposing the firm to RICO charges. He secretly copies the firm's billing records with help from Tammy, but needs files from Avery’s house in the Caymans. Avery invites Abby to come with him to the Caymans and she declines, but he reveals his work schedule has changed, threatening Mitch's plans. Telling Tammy not to inform Mitch, Abby flies to the Caymans to seduce and drug Avery. The firm's phone tap picks up Abby's warning to Tammy, and DeVasher sends his hitmen to the Caymans. After Abby and Tammy steal, copy, and return the files, a drowsy Avery warns Abby to leave, and is later found dead.

Mitch's plans are jeopardized when a prison guard on the Moroltos' payroll alerts DeVasher after Ray is transferred to FBI custody without the usual formalities. Evading DeVasher and his thugs, Mitch meets with the Moroltos, presenting himself as a loyal attorney looking out for his clients' interests. He claims that his contact with the FBI and his copying of files were an attempt to expose the firm's illegal over-billing, and asks the Moroltos for permission to turn over their billing invoices to help the FBI’s case against the firm. Revealing that he has made his own copies, he assures them that as long as he is alive, any information he knows about their legal affairs is safe under attorney-client privilege. Guaranteeing Mitch's safety, the Moroltos let him give the FBI the evidence it needs to prosecute the firm. Since attorney-client privilege does not apply when a lawyer knows about ongoing criminal activity, Mitch is able to continue his legal career, and reconciles with Abby.

The film ends as the McDeeres return to Boston, driving the same well-used car in which they arrived in Memphis.

Principal photography took place from November 9, 1992 to March 20, 1993 and though it was primarily filmed in Memphis, Tennessee, some scenes were filmed in Marion, Arkansas and the Cayman Islands.

The film's soundtrack is almost exclusively solo piano by Dave Grusin.

Gene Hackman's name did not appear on the film's release poster. Hackman joined the film late, when it was already well into production, because the producers had originally wanted to change the gender of the character and cast Meryl Streep, until author John Grisham objected and Hackman was eventually cast. Tom Cruise's deal with Paramount already stated that only his name could appear above the title. Hackman also wanted his name to appear above the credits, but when this was refused he asked for his name to be removed completely from the poster.[2] Hackman's name does appear in the beginning and end credits.

This is also the final film for Steven Hill and John Beal.

The film accords with the book in most respects, but the ending is significantly different. Mitch does not end up in the Caribbean, as in the book; he and Abby simply get into their car and drive back to Boston, as the ending narration, "Do you think [the car] will make it?...to Boston?..."

A more fundamental difference from the book is the motives and manner in which Mitch solves his predicament. In the book, Mitch acknowledges to himself that he is breaking the attorney-client privilege by copying information and giving it to the FBI. In most US states this privilege only applies to crimes that have already been committed. The privilege does not apply if a lawyer knows that his client either is committing or will commit a crime. However, Mitch must disclose information about his legitimate clients as well. Accepting that he will likely not be allowed to practice law anywhere again, he swindles $10 million from the Firm, along with receiving $1 million of a promised $2 million from the FBI for his cooperation. After an extended manhunt involving the police, the firm's lawyers, and hired thugs from the Morolto family, Mitch escapes with Abby (and his brother Ray) to the Cayman Islands. Before fleeing, he leaves behind detailed records of the firm's illegal activities, as well as a recorded deposition. Mitch's information gives federal prosecutors enough evidence to indict half of the Firm's active lawyers right away, as well as several retired partners. The documents also provide the FBI with circumstantial evidence of the Firm's involvement in money laundering and tax fraud, and thus probable cause for a search warrant for the firm's building and files. This additional evidence is enough to smash both the firm and the Morolto family with a massive RICO indictment.

In the film, apparently in order to preserve the protagonist's personal integrity, Mitch exposes a systematic overbilling scheme by the firm, thus driving a wedge between the Moroltos (who in essence become complicit with Mitch) and their law firm (in the book, overbilling only received a brief mention). He receives a smaller amount of money from the FBI, which he gives to Ray, allowing him to disappear. Rather than capitalizing on his circumstances by stealing money from the Firm, as in the book, the movie's McDeere ends up battered and bruised, but with his integrity and professional ethics intact. Mitch also makes the FBI have to work in order to bring down the firm by having to argue that each instance of excessive billing is a federal offense (by virtue of the excessive bills being sent through the mail). The volume and frequency meet the criteria for RICO, thereby enabling the FBI to effectively put the Firm out of business by seizing its property and equipment and freezing its bank accounts. From here the Moroltos would then need to find another law firm willing to take them on as clients, and if they couldn't, charges for non-lodgment of tax returns could be brought. Since Mitch is exposing only illegal activity, he is able to retain his law license.

Instead of a BMW, Mitch gets a Mercedes-Benz for joining the firm.

Avery Tolar was originally Avery Tolleson; the latest version of the novel uses the film's surname. Tolar is portrayed as a sort of reluctant villain in the film, while in the novel he has no such moral conflicts.

The surname of the second man killed on Grand Cayman is Joe Hodges, instead of Hodge as in the novel.

Mitch's confession to Abby about his sexual infidelity was also unique to the film. In the novel, McDeere never tells Abby about his infidelity. In the book, Abby's not knowing about Mitch's infidelity is a major "suspense" piece. Mitch comes home one evening and finds an envelope addressed to Abby, that has "Photos – Do Not Bend" written on it. The photos were surreptitiously given to DeVasher by Art Germain. Mitch thinks it is the pictures he was shown of his infidelity overseas. Abby is in the bedroom when he sees the open package. He enters the bedroom and learns that Abby opened the package, but it was empty. Mitch realizes DeVasher is toying with him, and this incident in the book causes Mitch to cooperate with the FBI. In the film, Mitch's confession prompts Abby to seriously consider leaving him, but she ultimately helps him bring down the firm.

Also, in the book, Eddie's old secretary, Tammy, seduces and drugs Avery. In the movie, however, it is Abby who seduces Avery. This also changes the character development because in the movie Abby is portrayed as risking herself for Mitch. In the book, Abby is simply an accomplice to Tammy.

In the novel, a dirty FBI agent betrays McDeere to let the firm know about the deal. In the movie, a prison guard alerts the firm to Ray McDeere's release, alerting them that Mitch McDeere cut a deal with the FBI.

The film was released on VHS in December 1993, the cassettes were specially made of blue plastic. The DVD was released on May 23, 2000. The special features include only the teaser and theatrical trailers. The Blu-ray was released on September 11, 2012.

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• The Firm on IMDb
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• "The Firm: Blu-ray Review" at HD-Report