After the Party followed author Dominic Dunne as he covered the trial of Phil Spector for the murder of Lana Clarkson for Vanity Fair. The film also allowed Dunne to reflect on his life, from his upbringing at the hands of his aggressive father, to his time in Hollywood and the event that changed his life, the murder of his daughter Dominique.
The Party
Partying is what Dominick Dunne did for most of his life. While working as a stage manager in Hollywood he befriended Humphrey Bogart and ended up being a player in town. Dunne threw his own lavish parties and took them very seriously. Griffin Dunne recalled his father ironing the invitations before he sent them out. Dunne became a movie producer before an unwise remark led to a you’ll never eat lunch in this town again type downfall.
Dominic Dunne Movie Producer
Dunne produced the movie that gave Al Pacino his first starring role, The Panic in Needle Park (1971). While producing Ash Wednesday (1973) he made an inappropriate comment about one of the most powerful women in Hollywood, Sue Merger. Paramount boss Robert Evans, producer of Chinatown, phoned Dunne and told him he was finished.
After the Party
So Dunne burnt himself out by letting his already prodigious drinking habits take over. Then he started taking drugs, until somebody OD’d in front of him and he began to think better of it. Selling his stuff got him enough money to rent a cabin in Oregon where he began to write a novel. The Two Mrs Granvilles changed his life completely and he began a successful career as a novelist.
Dominique Dunne Murder
Meanwhile his children were beginning to make their way in the acting business. Griffin had a memorable role in An American Werewolf in London (John Landis 1981) and Dominique appeared in Poltergeist (Tobe Hooper 1982). Things were going well. Except Dominique was dating a violent creep called John Sweeney. Dominique got wise and kicked him out. Sweeney came back and attacked her, putting Dominique in a coma.
Dominic Dunne and Vanity Fair
Tina Brown recalled meeting Dominic Dunne just before he was due to attend Sweeney’s trial. She encouraged him to keep a diary and Dunne began his career covering the trials of the rich and famous for Vanity Fair. Dunne was outraged by the paltry two year sentence given to Sweeney for killing his daughter. Sweeney was cleaned up and told to talk about his new friend Jesus. The jury fell for it. The judge thanked them on behalf of both families and Dunne was led from the court still shouting at the cretin. Still Dunne got his own back, recalling with relish how the words he had written effectively sent this judge’s career into a nosedive.
Phil Spector Trial for the Murder of Lana Clarkson
Dunne only covered the trials of the rich and famous because their money and fame afforded them the kind of privileges unavailable to the poor. They come from a world he understands and can write about with insider knowledge. Dunne knew Spector and said there had been rumours about his penchant for pulling guns on people for years.
Dunne compared Lana Clarkson to a character from Nathaniel West's novel The Day of the Locust. Clarkson may have been the girl who didn’t quite make it in Hollywood, but there is no shame in being a B-movie actress. The defence tried to portray Clarkson as being suicidal due to her perceived failure, but Dunne dismissed this as nonsense. Beautiful women don’t shoot themselves in the face.
Dominic Dunne passed away on August 26 2009. After the Party is a moving farewell. When a guy with a history like Robert Evans says your life is “stranger than fiction,” then you’ve lived a remarkable life.
- After the Party
- Starring Dominick Dunne
- Directed by Kirsty de Garis and Timothy Jolley
- Year of Release 2008
- Running time 85 mins
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