User:Coder Dan/Sandbox
Plot
The story describes a conflict that arises after a burglar witnesses Secret Service agents killing the beautiful young wife of an elderly billionaire during her drunken rendezvous with the fictional President of the United States. The burglar is Luther Whitney (Eastwood), a master jewel thief. The President is Alan Richmond (Hackman), a known philanderer. The billionaire is Richmond's friend and financial supporter Walter Sullivan (Marshall), and his wife is Christy (Hardin). Luther has a daughter, Kate (Linney), who grew up while he was in prison. She is a successful prosecutor and has been estranged from Luther for years. The Secret Service agents are Bill Burton (Glenn) and Tim Collin (Haysbert).
Luther begins to rob Sullivan's mansion while the Sullivan family is on vacation, but Christy and Richmond interrupt him, Christy having asked her family to go without her. Luther hides behind a one-way mirror and watches their sexual encounter. When Richmond slaps Christy and tries to strangle her, she attacks him with a letter opener, he screams, and Burton and Collin shoot her to death. They and Chief of Staff Gloria Russell (Davis) then make the scene appear as if a burglar killed her. Luther escapes with some valuables and the bloody letter opener.
Detective Seth Frank (Harris) investigates the crime. Luther is a suspect in the burglary, but is not Frank's prime suspect in Christy's murder. Luther starts to flee the country until he sees Richmond on television, vowing to find the murderer. Incensed by this hypocricy, Luther decides to bring Richmond to justice. Meanwhile, Burton asks Frank to keep him informed about the case while a Secret Service agent bugs Frank's office telephone.
Kate takes Frank to Luther's town house to search for clues. Photographs of her indicate that Luther has secretly been watching her as she grew up, but she still suspects him of killing Christy, so she agrees to Frank's request that she meet with Luther. Frank guarantees Luther's safety, but Burton learns about the plan through the wiretap, and Richmond or his staff alert Sullivan, who hires a hitman to kill Luther. At the meeting, Collin and Sullivan's sniper try to shoot Luther, but they both miss, and Luther escapes through the police cordon by posing as a security guard. Frank accompanies Kate back to her apartment. After he leaves, Luther comes out of hiding in the apartment, explains to Kate how Christy was killed, and leaves.
Luther taunts Russell by sending her a photograph of the letter opener and tricking her into wearing Christy's necklace in public. Correctly suspecting that Kate knows the truth, Richmond instructs Collin and Burton to kill her. When Frank tells Luther that the Secret Service has taken over surveillance of Kate, Luther races back to DC to protect her. He arrives at her jogging area just moments after Collin pushes her and her car off a cliff. Collin tries to kill her again at the hospital, but Luther stops him and injects him with poison.
After learning from Frank that Sullivan gave no reason why Christy stayed home, Luther incapacitates Sullivan's chauffeur and drives Sullivan around Washington, telling him what really happened the night of the murder and explaining that Richmond incriminated himself by citing Christy's excuse (that she was sick), which he must have learned from her. Luther gives Sullivan the letter opener and drops him off outside the White House, and Sullivan sneaks the letter opener into Richmond's office.
Meanwhile, alerted by Luther that his phones are bugged, Frank arrives at Agent Burton's office. In remorse for the attempt on Kate, Burton has committed suicide and left evidence, which Frank uses to arrest Russell. Later, on the television news, Sullivan confirms reports that the President apparently committed suicide by stabbing himself to death, although the previous events indicate that Sullivan killed Richmond himself.
The film ends as Luther watches Kate in her hospital room. After Frank visits briefly, Luther suggests to Kate that she invite Frank to dinner.