A Mixed Bag

This is a strange one, saw it in 1982 when first released in NZ. I would say the minor cult following the film has gained is kind of deserved and there are elements in the film that work very well—it is quite gritty, violent and realistic with a fantastic soundtrack—but as an overall film it is way too flawed. For a start, some tighter editing would have helped overcome some of the longer drab uninteresting sequences Reynolds has cluttered the film with that needed to be left on the cutting room floor; not to mention a little more excitement that needed to be infused into the style of the film. I realise that Reynolds was probably attempting some kind of noirish\vouyeristic atmosphere and mood to the proceedings, but for me much of it is way too dreary and strained. The film needed to be snazzier.

Some of the stakeout sequences peeping on Dominoe look like a filmed television commercial—Rachel Ward is gorgeous and was perfectly cast. Charles Durning, who I think is a fantastic character actor is too over the top and it's like he is trying to milk humor by acting that way—but I would put this down to director Reynolds' fault though for not reigning him in.

This film is very much a product of it's time and although this is not necessarily a bad thing it also comes across as sort of naive. I can't help feeling that it could have been better to attain a classic status for it's genre as the material and potential was certainly there. Recently watched 'Across 110th St.' for the first time from 1972 and although it deals with a slightly different aspect of law enforcement, it kept me riveted and not once was I thinking "Come on get on with it".