MADIGAN



US, 1968, 100 minutes, Colour.

Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, Inger Stevens, Harry Guardino, James Whitmore, Susan Clark, Michael Dunn, Steve Inhatt, Sheree North, Don Stroud, Raymond St Jacques.
Directed by Don Siegel.

Don Siegel had established a strong reputation at the end of the 1950s fought tough films, especially police films. By the end of the 1960s, his reputation had advanced with such films as To Mules for Sister Sarah and The Beguiled.

This is a precinct film three years before his classic Dirty Harry. Richard Widmark Henry Fonda are very good as to police on the search for a criminal. This film relies on Siegel’s toughness, strong characters, interaction, touches of violence.


1. Was this a good police thriller? Comment on its sharp terse style. The nature of the opening with the presentation of New York? The structure of the three days and the quest for Madigan and his associate to get the murderer?

2. Impressions of the Madigan type hero? What aspects of heroism did Madigan have? What were his limitations? What attitude did the film take towards Madigan? How well did he fit into the New York world? How important was this relationship between the policeman and his world? For frustration?

3. What did the film have to say about good and evil? Right and wrong? The book? The letter of the law and human rights? Which characters and sequences best illustrated this?

4. What insight into the criminal mind and behaviour did the film give? The nature of criminal evil? The work of the police? The demands made on them and their responsibilities?

5. What attitude did the film take towards police methods: being tough, violent, blackmailing and persuading people? What was your attitude towards Madigan's treatment of his suspects and of his associates? Your impressions of Madigan's way of life? His contacts with the underworld, people informing, his attitude towards the hierarchy of the police in New York? What insight into a policeman's life did this give?

6. Madigan and his relationship with his wife? Was this well handled or did it intrude into the film? The fact that his wife was so emotional? The changes of mood between them? How did this show the exasperation of the policeman’s way of life? Did you sympathise with his wife? Her attitudes at the end when he is dead?

7. How did Madigan contrast with Anthony Russell? What kind of person was Russell, as commissioner? As a man? His abiding by the book? His relentless and dedicated attitude towards work? How well was this presented? His going to various
functions? The contrast between this and his private life? His affair with a married woman? Did this bother his conscience? Why?

8. Why was Madigan afraid of Russell? how important was the sequence with the Rev Taylor as illustrating the type of police work needed?

9. How interesting was the quest of the two men to find the murderer? The methods they used the dangers they undertook? The final resolution of finding the murderer? In contrast with the opening when the police wore humiliated and he got away? The final shooting? (Your response to so much shooting in New
York?)

10. What was your emotional reaction to Madigan’s death? The nature of the risks and his heroism? His dedication? Did he have to do this?

11. How well did the film finally resolve its three plots: Madigan and his quest of the murderer, Russell and his relationship with his deputy? was this well illustrated, the emotional response of the deputy to his son's plight? The postponing of a decision about the Taylor case until the next day?

12. How important are films like this for insight into police work, justice, the American way of life and its combat of crime?

13. Midget? Busy? Conway? Jerry North?