AN INVESTIGATION OF MURDER (THE LAUGHING POLICEMAN)

US, 1973, 113 minutes, Colour.
Walter Matthau, Bruce Dern, Lou Gossett, Albert Paulsen, Anthony Zerbe, Val Avery.
Directed by Stuart Rosenberg.

An Investigation of Murder is once again the police pair of the 70's. The original title of film and novel was The Laughing Policeman. one wonders whether this is an over-ironical title. The authors of the original novel are Swedish, and another of their films was made by Bo Widerberg as the Man on the Roof (1976). This film has a complex plot involving a horrifying bus massacre and the detecting of the criminal (and chase); it has a documentary flair in showing police at work and their methods, as well as a tour of the seamiest side of San Francisco; it has character sketches of two men: totally dedicated, depersonalised, laconic investigator played by Walter Matthau, and the up-and coming pragmatist played by Bruce Dern, and the difficult relationship between them. Similar to many of the police films of the early 70's, this film works well on all levels.


1. The alternate title to this film was The Laughing Policeman. Which was the more appropriate title - emphasis on the policeman or on the investigation?

2. How entertaining did you find this film? In its serious approach to its police subject? In its presentation of the sordid San Francisco background? In the violence of murder and police investigation?

3. How realistic do you think this film was? In its presentation of the initial massacre? In the details of the police, of their lives. and personalities,, their exasperation? The people that were portrayed in the film?

4. The initial impact of the prologue - the suspense build-up the mysterious telephone call, one man following the other without identification, the sudden massacre? Did this atmosphere remain through the film? Its importance for the reprisal at the end with the possibility of another massacre? How successful was this dramatically?

5. What insight into policemen did the film give? Did it portray them as human beings? As obsessed with their job? As harassed by their job and investigations? Their continual cursing and swearing and anger? Their regard towards law and justice? Getting their job done? How realistic was this?

6. How well did the film portray the details of the investigation - as police work, the following up of clues, the amount of thought needed for investigation, the following up of leads and dead ends? The details of the personalities interrogated - in the strip joints, drug addicts, the lesbian nurse, the policeman's girlfriend etc.? What of the details of the places visited - the San Francisco homes, work places, strip joints and the homosexual bars? Was this all necessary to give an authentic picture of the investigation? How successful was it?

7. The personality of Martin - a good policeman? Obsessed with his case. his impersonal way of acting, his relationship to fellow policemen,, the murdered policeman, to Larsen? The importance of the sequences with his family,, and his lack of relationship with them? What had his job done to his life? Was he a likable character? Why? A good policeman?

8. Was Leo Larsen a good policeman? His toughness his mischievous and blunt nature, as obtuse in regard to negroes and leads, his brutality and threats? His inability to relate well with Martin? His wanting to keep alive? His gradual absorption into Martin's point of view? Was he likable? Was he a good policeman?

9. How well did the film show partnerships in the police force? The initial strain to relationships? Their lack of. contact and communication? Martin's obsession and Larsen's inability to understand it? How did the partnership grow? The way they worked together at the end? In solving the case?

10. How important was the portrayal of the other policemen in the film? Larrimore? The Lieutenant?

11. The portrayal of the criminal himself? Was it credible that he should have committed the massacre? What was at stake in his cover-up? The background of his personality, his mistress, the murder of his ally, the homosexual background? Was it credible that he should try to massacre more people in the bus or was this just for the film?

12. How well filmed was the final chase, and the intricacy of the final death of the criminal?

13. What values did this film stand by? As regards right and wrong, law and justice, human personalities and work?