The Gingerbread Man. 1998. USA. Directed by Robert Altman. 115 min.
Screenplay by Al Hayes, based on a story by John Grisham. With Kenneth Branagh, Embeth Davidtz, Robert Downey, Jr., Robert Duvall. Altman’s aspirations for a fiery creative collision with John Grisham were likely thwarted by the resulting film, but the bedroom-to-courtroom intrigue is heightened by the director’s rich development of detail—including glimpses into Savannah, Georgia’s economic disparities and the evolving weather phenomena that punctuate the moody narrative. Cinematography by the esteemed Changwei Gu and a score by electronic composer Mark Isham also figure among the film’s strengths. 35mm print courtesy the Robert Altman Collection at the UCLA Film & Television Archive.