<PAGE>
[LOGO]
[HARTFORD LIFE]
September 20, 2000 LYNDA GODKIN
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL
& CORPORATE SECRETARY
Board of Directors
Hartford Life Insurance Company
200 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, CT 06089
RE: PUTNAM CAPITAL MANAGER TRUST SEPARATE ACCOUNT
HARTFORD LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
FILE NO. 333-50467
Dear Sir/Madam:
I have acted as General Counsel to Hartford Life Insurance Company (the
"Company"), a Connecticut insurance company, and Putnam Capital Manager Trust
Separate Account (the "Account") in Connecticut with the registration of an
indefinite amount of securities in the form of variable annuity contracts (the
"Contracts") with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended. I have examined such documents (including the Form N-4
registration statement) and reviewed such questions of law as I considered
necessary and appropriate, and on the basis of such examination and review, it
is my opinion that:
1. The Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing as a
stock life insurance company under the laws of the State of Connecticut
and is duly authorized by the Insurance Department of the State of
Connecticut to issue the Contracts.
2. The Account is a duly authorized and existing separate account
established pursuant to the provisions of Section 38a-433 of the
Connecticut Statutes.
3. To the extent so provided under the Contracts, that portion of the assets
of the Account equal to the reserves and other contract liabilities with
respect to the Account will not be chargeable with liabilities arising
out of any other business that the Company may conduct.
4. The Contracts, when issued as contemplated by the Form N-4 Registration
Statement, will constitute legal, validly issued and binding obligations
of the Company.
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Form N-4
registration statement for the Contracts and the Account.
Sincerely yours,
/s/ Lynda Godkin
Lynda Godkin