To Live and Die in L.A.

film by Friedkin [1985]

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July 21, 2026

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To Live and Die in L.A. is a 1985 film directed by William Friedkin, known for his earlier works like The French Connection and The Exorcist. The movie is a gritty drama centered on federal agents pursuing a counterfeiting ring in Los Angeles. The film features performances by William Petersen and Willem Dafoe. Los Angeles itself is characterized by its horizontal development, reliance on automobiles, and a lifestyle that idealizes outdoor recreation and celebrity, largely due to Hollywood's influence. Despite its critical reception, To Live and Die in L.A. did not fully restore Friedkin's reputation at the time.12

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Willem Dafoe
Platoon, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Shadow of the Vampire
…prominence for his role in To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), in which he played a counterfeiter attempting to elude capture by the police. Perhaps his best-known role was as Sgt. Elias Grodin in Oliver Stone’s Platoon (1986), which earned Dafoe his first Academy Award nomination.
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…prominence for his role in To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), in which he played a counterfeiter attempting to elude capture by the police. Perhaps his best-known role was as Sgt. Elias Grodin in Oliver Stone’s Platoon (1986), which earned Dafoe his first Academy Award nomination.
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William Friedkin
Although To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) failed to salvage Friedkin’s reputation, the gritty drama about federal agents on the trail of a counterfeiting ring was generally praised. Of particular note were performances by William Petersen and Willem Dafoe.
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Although To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) failed to salvage Friedkin’s reputation, the gritty drama about federal agents on the trail of a counterfeiting ring was generally praised. Of particular note were performances by William Petersen and Willem Dafoe.
Read More