IN THE LINE OF DUTY: THE FBI KILLINGS.

US, 1988, 95 minutes, Colour.
David Soul, Michael Gross, Ronny Cox, Bruce Greenwood.
Directed by Dick Lowry.

In the Line of Duty: the FBI Killings was written by veteran Tracy Keenan Wynn and directed by Dick Lowry, director of many telemovies. It has a strong cast with Michael Gross (of Family Ties) and David Soul (Starsky and Hutch) playing, most persuasively, two criminals with violent and sadistic streaks. The FBI group is led by Ronnie Cox.

The film was based on a true story: two men who get army supplies, kill ruthlessly, rob banks with seeming impunity. The film also shows the approach of the FBI in order to track them down. There is finally a violent confrontation with several deaths.

The film was made on location in Florida, has an atmosphere of the city and the menace of the criminals as well as offering insight into the workings of the FBI.

1. Strong thriller? Portrait of criminals, their ordinary lives and their crimes? The FBI, personalities, working together? The final violent confrontation?

2. Florida locations, the city, the streets and the homes, supermarkets and banks? The home life of those involved? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score? Editing and pace, stunt work?

3. The title, the focus on FBI agents, their duty, the dangers? The criminals and the killing? The film based on a true story?

4. The portrait of Michael and Bill? Their friendship, their domination of each other? Their callous killing of the shooter, taking his car? The brutal robberies and the killing of the guards? Inept in terms of getting money? Their continued robberies? Terrorising people and enjoying it? Shooting people viciously? The picture of their ordinary life: Michael, Sandra and Corey, home life, genial with both? His association with Bill? Going off, the lies about CIA drug crises? Bill and Cherylanne, his viciousness, the possibility of his having murdered his previous wife? Resentment of Cherylanne's pregnancy, treating her brutally? Yet the irony of his going to the religious services and giving testimony? His double standards - and his reaction to the police investigation about the murder of his wife? The two men and their friendship, working together, schemes - the pinball machines and the threat to the salesman? The shooting of the man in the pond, taking his car? The robberies, knowing that they were being pursued? Bill and his sense of something bad happening? Relationship with Vicki, her duty to make him happy? The final job, the shoot-out, the violence of the two men against the FBI? Their deaths?

5. Sandra and Cherylanne, their devotion to their men, Cherylanne and her disgust? Vicki and her puzzles, love? Corey and his friendship with Michael? The human side? The contrast with the violence?

6. The introduction of the FBI group: their work in Florida, the office, the agency, their particular skills, friendship, nicknames? Gordy and his wife and daughter, wariness about his daughter? The home scenes? Jerry and his arrival, induction, the training, waiting for a nickname, his girlfriend, thinking of settling down? Morales and the jokes about his eating, his concern about custody? The lawyer?

7. Ben Grogan and his skills, his leaving the group (and the humour about his being run off the road on his bike)? His skill in the investigation?

8. The clues, interrogations, the Identikit? The pursuit of the cars? The build-up and hunches? The Christmas party and their being together, the photo (used in the final credits)?

9. The final stake-out, the skill in preparing, the pursuit, the trapping of the criminals, the violence of the shoot-out, the onlookers? The police coming? The lack of preparation and skills - and the deaths of the various men? Injuries, heroism in shooting?

10. The final information about the criminals? About the FBI agents?

11. The value of this kind of portrait of a crime? Alerting people to social violence? The role of the FBI agencies and collaboration with them?