Saturday, 18 September 2021 19:06

Jack Reed: Badge of Honor






JACK REED: BADGE OF HONOUR

US, 1992, 100 minutes, Colour.
Brian Dennehy, Susan Ruttan, William Sadler.
Directed by Kevin Connor.

Jack Reed: Badge of Honour is a pilot for a police series starring Brian Dennehy with Susan Ruttan as his wife. The setting is Chicago and Dennehy portrays a former priest now working as a detective. Some references are made to this to give some picture of Jack Reed's integrity and intelligence as well as his commitment.

This is quite a good police thriller - focusing on a moral issue where the villain, played by William Sadlier (also villain in the telemovie of Dean Koontz's Face of Fear) is a pathological criminal who is used in cover-up by the FBI to try to corner a French arms dealer. However, the criminal is also violent towards women, raping and even murdering. Should the FBI employ and protect such a criminal? What should local police do? These are some of the dilemmas that face Jack Reed.

Brian Dennehy, as usual, gives a solid performance as Reed. There is an intensity about his screen presence and performance. (He also acted as executive director of the telemovie.)

1.Interesting American police drama? The police investigation, personalities of the police, clashes? Crime and investigation? Stopping crime? The human element and audience sympathies? As pilot for a series?

2.The Chicago settings, homes, precincts, the streets, the warehouses? Location filming and a sense of authenticity? Musical score?

3.The title and the focus on the police, their work, integrity?

4.The focus on Jack Reed and Brian Dennehy's screen presence and interpretation? The family man, the opening in the park, his pursuing the drunken driver - and resisting the bribe from his senator father? His relationship with the authorities? His nightshift and the tensions at home? His wanting his wife to stay at home, her independence? The emerging of his background as a priest and leaving the priesthood? His quoting of theological authors? The principles behind his work and commitment? The murder of the woman and the investigation? His skill in detective work? His sympathy with his wife bringing home the sister and the murdered woman's son? The clash with Eddie and his abrupt approach? The lead with Dr Anatole, the interview, impressions? Wayne and his being mentally impaired, his being accused, Reed defending him, getting clues from Wayne? The continued visits to Dr Anatole? The closing down of the case and lack of evidence? Anatole's phone calls, his going to Kansas City and discovering his mother? The record of the criminal and the identity of the son? The interviews with Anatole's wife? The revelation that Anatole was being used by the FBI? The clash with the FBI officer and the morality of their using Anatole with his criminal tendencies? The other rape victims - Maria, an illegal immigrant, and her unwillingness to testify? The woman at the federal office and her approach to Reed? The setting up of Anatole and his arrest? His getting the FBI to deport Maria? The losing of the court case? The background of his imagination and the discussion with Reed about his dreams of being a mercenary? The truth about his brutality and imprisonment? Reed and the visits to the rifle range? The discussions with Joan, the discovery of the van, the analysis of the evidence? Going to the rifle range and his dramatising his willingness for a shootout? The arrest of Anatole, his achievement? The more sympathetic side as he talked with Gregory, talked with him on the walk, visited the grave of his mother at the end? A sympathetic picture of an American policeman?

5.Reed's wife, her teaching, the encounter with Gregory, looking after him and his aunt? The kids, their not seeing their father, admiring him? The violin recital? (And Anatole stalking the children?) The clash between husband and wife about who should work and who should be at home, on what was a good parent and mother? The bond between husband and wife?

6.Anatole, his work in x-ray? His friendliness to Reed? His alibi? His relationship with Joan and her love for him? Bringing her a present at work, getting her to phone the police that Wayne was a suspect? At the rifle range? His story about South Africa and being a mercenary? His meeting the arms dealer and the set-up? His reporting in to the FBI agents? The uncovering of his story, his despising of his prostitute mother? His mother and the phone calls, Reed's visit - and her wanting to undo the harm of the past? His fitness training? His cover story to Joan? The continued lies and cover? The truth - and his being immune, deporting the illegal immigrant, his dealings with the woman at the office, the date, his brutality towards her? Her trying to save herself by responding seductively? His winning the court case? Joan confronting him about the van - his lying again? The final confrontation at the rifle range, his big talk about having a shootout, his cowardice in the face of being arrested, his confession? A convincing and credible villain?

7.Joan, her love for her husband, giving him an alibi, making the phone call, the gift at work? Her beginning to question? Her reaction at looking at the abused woman after the trial, going to Reed, the truth about the van?

8.Eddie and the Chicago police, tough, blunt, doing their job? The range of investigators? The comparisons with the FBI, their setting up the cover story for four years, not wanting cover to be broken? The raid and the arrest - and having to let the criminal go? The woman FBI agent and her disgust - resignation and going to tell Reed that he was right?

9.Greg, orphaned, his aunt, grief? The human side of murder and murder victims?

10.Maria and not wanting to give evidence? The office worker and her encounter with Anatole, the rape, victim?

11.The number of police investigation dramas, stereotypes and conventions? How well did this film compare in treatment and originality?


More in this category: « Jewboy Tale of Cinema »