48 HOURS

US, 1982, 96 minutes, Colour.
Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, Annette O'Toole.
Directed by Walter Hill.

48 Hours is a tough-paced police thriller, a variation on the buddy theme. It was directed by Walter Hill, noted for his tough movies including Southern Comfort, Extreme Prejudice (with Nick Nolte), Johnny Handsome, Red Heat. It is a star vehicle for Nick Nolte with his rather laid-back plus boorish manner. However, he is matched by Eddie Murphy in his first major feature. Murphy steals the show and went on to extraordinary popularity. The material, except for Murphy's comedy style, is routine but is given strong and powerful presentation by Hill.

1.Popular police story? Serious tone? Buddy film? Comedy?

2.San Francisco locations, the police, the gangsters, prisons, apartments and Chinatown? Musical score?

3.The title, the time for the investigation and the deadline? The plausibility of the plan?

4.The tough style, action editing and pace, the language, the opening and the tough prison break? Violence?

5.Jack Cates and his work, tough, his attitude, tense relationship with Elaine? Dedication to his work, attitude towards authorities, co-workers? The hotel, the stake-out, the police deaths? Pursuing the criminals? His idea of following leads and using Reggie?

6.Eddie Murphy as Reggie? Comedy style and screen presence? In prison, his patter, jokes? The idea, getting out of jail, his character, criminal past, the justice of his sentence? The clash with Jack and Jack's use of violence, racist tones? The visit to the girls and following leads, the clash? The bet about going into the bar, the comedy with Reggie frightening the rednecks? Their worst nightmare? The failure of the pursuit? Tracking Luther? The authorities and their reaction to the plan?

7.The chase, finding Luther, the lead, his running? Gance and Billy Bear and their criminal brutality? The pursuit, the train, the kidnapping?

8.Gance and Billy Bear, Luther, criminal types, vicious? The deaths? Their girlfriends and their support?

9.The build-up to the confrontation in Chinatown, the violent shoot-out?

10.Reggie and his achievement? Jack relenting? The bond between the two, The apology?

11.Themes of police investigation, law and justice? With the ironic touch?