After the end of World War II, Americans turn their attention to other stories. Capturing the country's attention is the 1948 murder of a young woman known as "The Virgin Tramp". Her body is found in Los Angeles, neatly cut in half. There is some disagreement about whether the body requires one or two stretchers on its way to the morgue. My vote is one, but forensics folks like to keep the body as it was discovered. Arriving at the murder scene is police detective Robert Duvall (as Thomas "Tom" Spellacy). His brother is Catholic priest Robert De Niro (as Desmond "Des" Spellacy). There will be a connection...

You would expect a crime story involving a policeman and priest played by Mr. Duvall and Mr. De Niro to be better than this. There is also a great supporting cast, led by Duvall partner Kenneth McMillan (as Frank Crotty) and De Niro associate Charles Durning (as Jack Amsterdam). And, it's obviously well-produced. The story should have stuck with Duvall and the murder mystery. De Niro's character might have been more minor - the film is, simply, too sluggish. Also, there was no need for the bracketing opening and closing scenes set in the present. Surely, the brothers had more to reminisce about than this incident.

***** True Confessions (9/24/81) Ulu Grosbard ~ Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, Charles Durning, Kenneth McMillan

This was a really good little film. It takes a look at the Black Dahlia killing but it mainly focuses on the relationships between the people. Even though they look and figure out who the killer is, it's a secondary part of the story. The Black Dahlia part in this movie is not accurate to the facts from the real case but it's not really suppose to be. Catholic Church corruption, prostitution and murder all combined for a really quiet meaningful little flick.

Long before L.A. Confidential, this film made light of the massive corruption and lack of caring in the L.A. police department back in it's bad years from the 20's through the 50's. You'll be glad you didn't live there back in those days.

No action but high on drama/thriller twists and turns. If you like L.A. Confidential, see this. I'm willing to bet, you'll like it.

Robert DeNiro is a Monsignor of the Catholic Church. Robert Duvall is his brother, a cop assigned to a murder based on the Elizabeth Short murder.

It's a movie that examines their relationship in the corruption of 1940s Los Angeles. DeNiro gives a particularly layered performer, exuding an air of pellucid insincerity, punctuated with moments when the character's underlying decency breaks through. Most of the time, he seems uncaring, more interested in the routines and his own advancement in the Church's hierarchy than in the purported purpose of his priesthood. He works and moves in the money-raising aspect of his job, giving after-dinner speeches and referring to his golf game to raise a chuckle; yet when called upon to lead children in prayer, he rattles through the words, reducing them to mush.

It seems odd to praise DeNiro, without considering Duvall. While DeNiro seems rooted in his ambitions, focused on his future, Duvall lives in the moment, in doing his work, or the conversation he is holding, whether it be with DeNiro or their senile mother in the hospital. Duvall gives a performance which stands in contrast to DeNiro, and illuminates it.

Cinematographer Owen Roizman shoots the long shots in the mild amber tint that has become standard lighting for movies looking back half a century or more. Here, it produces a worn, slightly dirty atmosphere that complements the corruption of the story.

In the end, nothing is solved, but family remains. Despite the major themes, it remains a minor picture, trying to be important, but relying on its performances to carry it... which they do, to a remarkable extent.