Synopsis

In early 1950s Los Angeles, an elite LAPD squad investigates the brutal death of Allison Pond, a woman secretly involved with Lieutenant Max Hoover. Their search uncovers hidden films, radioactive evidence, and a government cover-up connected to atomic testing in Nevada. As federal agents and military officials close ranks, Hoover and his partners must confront corruption that reaches far beyond the city's criminal underworld.

Factoids & Trivia

• The squad is loosely based on the real-life LAPD "Hat Squad," an elite group known for expensive suits, distinctive hats, and using highly aggressive tactics against organized crime.

• The film's conspiracy combines two historical elements: the LAPD's postwar battle against organized crime and the secrecy surrounding U.S. atomic weapons testing in Nevada.

• Production took place in Los Angeles, Malibu, Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, and Wendover, Utah. The locations included Los Angeles City Hall, Mulholland Drive, and the former Perino's restaurant.

• Production designer Richard Sylbert had also created the look of Chinatown. His work on Mulholland Falls helped give the movie its carefully constructed period-noir atmosphere. Sylbert also appears briefly as a coroner.

• The detectives drive a 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible, chosen for its instantly recognizable period styling and four round "Ventiports" on the front fenders.

• The film's original score was written by Dave Grusin. The soundtrack also features "Harbor Lights," performed in the movie by Aaron Neville.

• Released on April 26, 1996, the film cost approximately $40 million but earned about $11.5 million theatrically. It later found a modest cult following through cable broadcasts and home-video releases.

• Although it was released before L.A. Confidential, both films drew on the same renewed interest in stylish period Los Angeles noir. Their release order led some observers to wonder whether Mulholland Falls might have been received differently had it arrived afterward.