
            Headlines in Florida's 'Miami Standard' newspaper reveal that Joseph Diaz, a longshoremen union leader, has been missing for months and is presumed dead, although the police have no leads. Reporter Megan Carter (Sally Field) visits the FBI task force headquarters, but the offices are empty as its members are watching footage of the funeral for bootlegger Tommy Gallagher.In the screening room, Elliot Rosen, head of the task force, points out Tommy's brother, Santos Malderone (Bob Balaban), the head of local organized crime. He also focuses on Tommy's son, Michael Colin Gallagher (Paul Newman), a liquor supplier who is supposedly clean. However, Rosen is suspicious and orders his men, including Bob Waddell (Barry Primus), to work a case against Gallagher.Later, Megan asks Bob why the task force is interested in Gallagher and he warns her to stay away, but Megan reports to her boss, "Mac" McAdam, that the task force must be investigating Gallagher regarding Diaz's disappearance.Rosen agrees to meet Megan but deliberately places Gallagher's file on his desk before her arrival, then leaves the room when she appears. Megan reads the file and writes an article claiming that Gallagher is a suspect in Diaz's disappearance. The newspaper's lawyer vets the article and asks Megan to call Gallagher so they can protect themselves legally; since the paper has no knowledge that the story is false, they are "absent malice" and cannot be sued. When the article is printed, Gallagher demands to know Megan's source, but she refuses to answer and unsuccessfully interrogates Gallagher about Diaz's disappearance.Elsewhere, District Attorney Quinn (Don Hood) questions Rosen about the reason for Gallagher's investigation and Rosen argues that pressure on Gallagher might produce information from his uncle, Santos Malderone. Meanwhile, Gallagher's friend Teresa Perrone (Melinda Dillon), a shy, Catholic school secretary, worries about the article because she was with Gallagher when Diaz disappeared. Gallagher tells her to be honest if questioned, but to refrain from revealing her whereabouts.A day or two later, Megan arranges a meeting with Gallagher, who offers to take her to lunch. Wearing a wire, Megan boards Gallagher's sailboat as the newspaper photographer who is following them tracks down a police helicopter for assistance. Gallagher reveals that he knows Megan is wired and demands information about her sources, but Megan remains uncooperative.Making his case, Gallagher insists that if Megan writes about his guilt, everyone believes her, but if he is proved innocent, the story will be buried in the paper and no one will know the truth. As a police helicopter flies overhead, the lunch ends and Gallagher returns to his warehouse where he finds workers on strike. Gallagher tries to convince the union representative that he was not involved in Diaz's disappearance, but the man does not believe him and insists that longshoremen cannot work there.Later, Gallagher takes Megan to dinner and asks for her consideration, but he soon realizes that Malderone's henchmen are following them. Gallagher meets with his uncle and promises that he will not help the task force.Sometime later, Teresa arranges a meeting with Megan and explains Gallagher's alibi; Teresa was pregnant from her former boyfriend and Gallagher took her to an Atlanta, Georgia, abortionist on the day Diaz disappeared. Although Teresa is a staunch Catholic and begs Megan not to write about the abortion, Megan insists the information will clear Gallagher. When the story makes headlines, Teresa commits suicide.Upset, Megan goes to Gallagher's warehouse but they argue and Gallagher rips Megan's blouse. Before she leaves, Megan admits that Rosen leaked the story. Meanwhile, Rosen meets with Bob and insists that the investigation must continue despite Gallagher's alibi. Elsewhere, Gallagher buys an answering machine and orders a bank check for $3,000, payable to District Attorney Quinn's non-profit political organization. Gallagher then calls Quinn to set up a deal, promising to look into Diaz's disappearance if Quinn makes a public statement clearing his name. Giving Quinn his phone number, Gallagher tells the District Attorney to call when the statement has made front-page news. Later, Gallagher brings a new blouse to Megan's apartment and concedes that it was not easy for her to reveal Rosen's name.Sometime later, Quinn orders Rosen to terminate the investigation and holds a news conference, clearing Gallagher. However, Rosen demands that Bob put both men under surveillance and orders an illegal wire tap on their phones. Megan brings Gallagher a proof of her article that clears his name, and, later, they are photographed as they enter her apartment building.The next morning, Gallagher leaves Megan's building and returns to his warehouse, where he listens to a message from Quinn suggesting that they meet. That day, Gallagher disguises his voice and leaves incriminating messages on his own answering machine about the meeting. Gallagher also orders another check for Quinn's non-profit organization.Meanwhile, Rosen and Bob discover the checks and study transcripts of the calls to conclude that Gallagher is bribing Quinn. When Bob tells Megan the news, she does not believe him, but Bob shows her the checks and photographs, including images of herself with Gallagher, and insists that she cannot print the story.That night, Megan cooks dinner for Gallagher and asks why Quinn made the public statement. Although Gallagher refuses to answer, Megan cannot let the subject drop and Gallagher leaves. Later, Quinn is shocked when Megan asks if he is receiving bribes and denies her claim, but Megan writes a story anyway, announcing that the task force is probing a link between Quinn and Gallagher.U.S. Assistant Attorney General James J. Wells (Wilford Brimley) assembles Gallagher, Megan, the newspaper's lawyer, Quinn, Rosen and Bob for a formal inquiry into the Quinn-Gallagher article. Rosen fails to make his case, as Gallagher claims that he only promised Quinn to look into Diaz's disappearance and argues that he donated money because he supported the organization. When Wells demands to know Megan's sources, she admits that Rosen deliberately leaked the story about Gallagher but she refuses to implicate Bob. Wells realizes that Gallagher set up Quinn and the task force, but sympathizes with Gallagher regarding Teresa's death. Wells dismisses Gallagher, Megan and Bob, but orders Quinn to resign. When Rosen refuses to leave the FBI, Wells fires him.Sometime later in the final scene, Megan stops by Gallagher's boat and learns that he has sold his home to sail North. Defending journalism as an honorable profession, Megan admits that she failed as a reporter but hopes to do better in the future.
    

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