Ellroy Confidential

		*McDormand, Kidman in 'Trade' negotiations (Variety)*

		By MICHAEL FLEMING, March 11, 1997 [...] ANOTHER ELLROY SET UP: James Ellroy, whose novel "L.A. Confidential" was turned into a pic starring Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Kim Basinger, has set up another. Tim Matheson and producer Gary Goetzman ("Silence of the Lambs") have optioned rights to Ellroy's detective mystery "Because the Night," which they'll jointly produce. They'll try to set it up at a studio as the feature directing debut for Matheson, who has cut his teeth on numerous telepics. The book focuses on a cop's quest to unravel three murders during a liquor store robbery at the same time a veteran cop disappears. Matheson and Goetzman have been friends since playing brothers in the films "Divorce American Style" (1967) and "Yours, Mine and Ours" (1968). They've wanted to work together, and found a vehicle after they became friendly with Ellroy. "He's the modern master of noir, with these highly flawed heroes crusading against evil," said Matheson of Ellroy. Goetzman, who's now producing the Jonathan Demme-directed "Beloved" starring Oprah Winfrey, said he'll try to seal a feature deal shortly.