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Madigan
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by Universal Studios
Sales Rank: 23981
Price: $9.98
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They don't make detective thrillers like this anymore. <I>Madigan</I> is a gem from the '60s, anticipating the more popular <I>French Connection</I> and <I>Dirty Harry</I> with its gritty urban realism. However, this film has a wonderful poetry and sense of camaraderie, thanks to Abraham Polonsky's writing and Don Siegel's inspired direction. Richard Widmark plays a hardbitten New York cop who must redeem himself after losing his gun to a psychotic thug (a plot somewhat reminiscent of Kurosawa's <I>Stray Dog</I>). Henry Fonda costars as a stern police commissioner overwhelmed by his day-to-day decisions. He can't stand Widmark's freewheeling attitude, but he's a hypocrite when it comes to his own private life. Moral decisions don't come easy in this contemplative film. Fine support is provided by Harry Guardino as Widmark's partner, Inger Stevens as Widmark's wife, James Whitmore as Fonda's slightly corrupt pal, and Steve Ihnat as Widmark's charismatic nemesis. <I>--Bill Desowitz</I>
Viewer Reviews
Before he directed "Dirty Harry", the late Don Siegel made this gritty New York City thriller about a maverick cop(the late Richard Widmark) who along with his partner (Harry Guardino) loses their guns to a psychopathetic killer. In contrast to "Harry", "Madigan" focuses on the lives of the various people in the Police Department, the Commissioner (Henry Fonda), Madigan's troubled marriage, a corrupt veteran cop (James Whitmore), and of course the pursuit of the killer interwined with the various subplots. It plays almost like a police soap opera but a fine cast of pros (Widmark, Fonda, Whitmore) bring it to life. According to sources, Fonda was particularly displeased that the movie focused more on the maverick cop than his character, nevertheless the film proved to be a hit commercially and critically and even spawned a TV series also starring Widmark. As he has recently passed, this film marks one of the late actor's best roles (the others being "Night and the City", "The Bedford Incident" and "Kiss of Death"). Don Costa contributed a nifty score and the film is never boring. Recommended for Widmark fans and lovers of cop flicks!!
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