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Madigan
Policemen Bonaro and Madigan lose their guns to fugitive Barney Benesch. As compensation, the two NYC detectives are given a weekend to bring Benesch to justice. While Bonaro and Madigan follow up on various leads, Police Commissioner Russell goes about his duties, including attending functions, meeting with aggrieved relatives, and counseling the spouses of fallen officers.
Release : | 1968 |
Rating : | 6.5 |
Studio : | Universal Pictures, |
Crew : | Art Direction, Art Direction, |
Cast : | Richard Widmark Henry Fonda Inger Stevens Harry Guardino James Whitmore |
Genre : | Drama Thriller Crime |
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Too much of everything
The Worst Film Ever
Strong and Moving!
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
Madigan is my kind of cop movie, why? Everything about the movie feels so classic. So many classic cop movie tropes are there; the one officer who is determined to play by the book, police corruption, guys in suits who show off their identification, one liners galore and aided by the aura of cool Richard Widmark brings to the screen. Plus is there a more cop name than Madigan? Many of the men in the film wear suits and fedoras with this being the late 60's and the final days in which it was common for working men to do so; although there is a sense of New Hollywood creeping in with the criminals in the movie appearing in that 1970's archetype. Madigan is also one of the best uses of location, never has the grit and grime of the New York streets been captured so vividly.The opening credits are a fantastic montage of New York in the early hours of the morning. This should come as no surprise as director Don Siegel had been a montage creator before becoming a director. I could happily have this movie playing in the background just to listen to the music. The score by Don Costa itself is one of the most underrated film scores I've heard; it's so motivating and makes you want to go and kick some ass. Much of my appreciation of Madigan is due to the film's aesthetics. The film's plots are good if not entirely exception but men are those some fine aesthetics.
I believe this is a great film, one of Don Siegle's best. Some reviewers did not appreciate the two plots. They thought the Henry Fonda story line was soapy. Actually the contrast between the two plots was the central theme of the movie. The first shot is of the old New York Central train (now Metro North) emerging from the underground to the elevated tracks. It sets the tone. You're still on Park Avenue but you're leaving the wealthy Upper East Side and entering East Harlem which in those days was a tough Italian American neighborhood (my old neighborhood) now known as Spanish Harlem. Fonda, once a street cop is now Police Commissioner his world is among the elites of the City. Widmark and Harry Guardino are two hard nosed detectives who were embarrassed by a psycho who took their guns and then killed another officer. Now they have to track him down. The difference between the two worlds and the different types of decisions that have to be made is what the film is about. The cast is excellent Fonda, scrupulously by the book, Widmark who throws the book away to do what's required of him James Whitmore. the more human Chief of Department, Guardino and the luminous Inger Stevens, the brilliantly filmed final gunfight all make for an unforgettable film.
Richard Widmark(Madigan) & Harry Guardino play two police officers who lose their gun to a murder suspect(Steve Inhat). They are then given a short period of time to catch him, and retrieve his gun, before it is used in the commission of a crime. Madigan must also deal with his home problems involving his bored and neglected wife(played by the beautiful Inger Stevens) Henry Fonda plays the police commissioner who must deal with the hard-headed Madigan, and other issues that threaten the safety and reputation of the city.Moderately interesting yarn has good performances and direction, though a somewhat tedious and familiar story, though the ending is a surprise. Later inspired a brief TV series.
The NYC police commissioner has given two policemen two days to bring in a fugitive. The cast is excellent: Fonda as the by-the-book commissioner, Widmark and Guardino as the not-by-the-book detectives, Stevens as Widmark's lovely and neglected wife, and Whitmore as Fonda's assistant and long-time friend. Siegel creates a gritty atmosphere in this companion piece to "Dirty Harry," with Widmark's title character having a lot in common with Clint Eastwood's maverick cop. However, while the film is well made, it is nothing more than a routine police drama. Widmark parlayed this role into a short-lived TV series of the same name a few years later.