NO MERCY
US, 1986, 106 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Kim Basinger, Jeroen Krabbe, Ray Sharkey, George Dzundza, William Atherton, Terry Kinney.
Directed by Richard Pearce.
No Mercy is a tough police thriller set principally in New Orleans (the striking location for such films as Angel Heart and Clint Eastwood's Tightrope). The film is a star vehicle for Richard Gere as a Chicago cop having to go to New Orleans to investigate the killing of his partner.
Kim Basinger is a Cajun girl, virtually a slave to Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbe (The Fourth Man, Jumpin' Jack Flash). There are good roles also for George Dzundza as the Police Captain and William Atherton as a Southern lawyer.
The director is Richard Pearce whose films include the semi-documentary Heartland as well as Country. His interest in environment is quite strong as he shows something of the Cajun life in the Bayous. However, ultimately, the film is a tough police thriller.
1. Interesting and enjoyable thriller? Police story? The exotic touch with New Orleans, the Cajuns and the Bayou?
2. The atmosphere of Chicago - familiar? The atmosphere of New Orleans, the city and its environment, the people, the Bayous and the Cajuns? The musical score?
3. The title and its vividness, violence, to the death?
4. The Chicago situation creating the atmosphere: the tip-off from the criminals, Eddie Jillette as an undercover policeman, his partner Collins, the meeting of the New Orleans businessmen, their looking for hired guns? The presence of Michelle?, The bar? Collins with Michelle? Eddie posing as the assassin, his going with Deveneux to the rendezvous, the discussion about the assassination? The gangsters and their rocket launcher, the destruction of the car, Deveneux's death, Jillette going to safety? His finding Collins dead and Michelle gone? Eddie's commitment to finding the killers, emotions, vengeance? No mercy? The role of his police superintendents?
5. Eddie going to New Orleans, his own initiative, to find the killers? His visit to Deveneux's widow and lack of success? The visit to his cousin Alan Deveneux? The smooth talk and his being put off? The threat to Deveneux, the police ordering him to leave the city? His decision to go across the river, into the Algiers part of New Orleans? His trying to find leads, the discussion with the black tattooist, Michelle and her tattoo? The discovery of Michelle at the nightclub?
6. His decision to arrest Michelle, handcuffing her, the pursuit by the Cajun gang, Losardo, his powerful presence? Their being handcuffed? The car chase, the car into the harbour, the escape, the two tied together in the swamps? The hunters attacking them? Escaping from Losardo? Eddie deciding to take Michelle to the police? The intervention of his boss? The dressing down by the local police? His being ordered to go?
7. The portrait of Michelle, the story of her background, the slave, her relationship with Losardo? Her dancing, the arrest, being chained to Eddie, the effect on her, the antagonism, the change of heart? Her going with Deveneux and Losardo?
8. The Police Captain giving Jillette the arms, his encouraging him to pursue Losardo? His going to the Algiers Hotel? Barricading himself? The booby-trapping of the building? Michelle coming to help him, his trying to get her to leave? Losardo's arriving, the gangsters, the violent and extended shootout? Michelle asking for Eddie's life, her promise to stay with Losardo? Losardo and the steps, his death? Eddie and Michelle leaving the hotel? Their future?
9. The action sequences, dramatic staging, editing and pace? The familiarity of these police stories - another variation on the theme? How interestingly done? The portrait of the American police?
