'Boxing' Match

Crimes and misdemeanors took a backseat to stargazing when the Kim Basinger-Boxing Helena lawsuit came to trial at Los Angeles Superior Court. While lawyers for Basinger and Main Line Pictures argued about whether she broke her contract when she backed out of first-time director Jennifer Lynch's movie, court observers had a field day watching this real-life version of L.A. Law. Among the highlights:

*At Basinger's side was Alec Baldwin, with dark glasses and slicked-back hair (''He looks just like he did in Glengarry Glen Ross,'' said one potential juror). ''I wasn't that familiar with her work,'' admitted Judge Judith C. Chirlin, ''but him I knew.'' Baldwin had his arm around Basinger during jury selection and glared at anyone who made any noise.

*Four jurors asked to be excused when they heard that the NC-17-rated Boxing Helena (now with Sherilyn Fenn) might be shown in court. ''I don't care what kind of movie stars they are, I don't want to sit through that movie,'' said dismissed juror Margaree Eaton. Added another, Peter Estacio, ''I just went through a religious conversion, and I don't think I would like to see sex acts.''

*At one point during her testimony, Basinger was asked to recap all 15 of her movies. When she couldn't remember what she did after 1988's My Stepmother Is an Alien, her attorney, Howard Weitzman, prompted her by saying, ''If I hummed the tune, would it help?'' to which she shouted, ''Batman!''

You Might Also Like

• NEWS ROUNDUP Basinger, Thornton to be ''Informers''? | Mike Bruno
• All About Kim Basinger
• News + Notes The Deal Report (2004) | Gregory Kirschling, Brian Hiatt
• News + Notes The Deal Report | Gregory Kirschling, William Keck