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The People vs. Larry Flynt
Milos Forman’s provocative biopic starring Woody Harrelson as a notorious pornographer turned unlikely hero and champion of free speech.
Director: Milos Forman
Overview
Woody Harrelson stars as Larry Flynt, a small-time strip-club owner who created a publishing empire with his raunchy Hustler magazine, but it pushed the limits of American tolerance. Arrested for obscenity and constantly harassed, he began an arduous fight against the rising tide of censorship and the emerging radical religious right.
Flynt became an unlikely hero and secured his place in history when he took his struggle against the Rev. Jerry Falwell all the way to the Supreme Court. Director Milos Forman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) was an Oscar® nominee and won the Golden Globe for his acclaimed, controversial film.
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