GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK
US, 1977, 95 minutes, Colour.
Chuck Norris, Anne Archer, Jams Franciscus, Lloyd Haynes, Dana Andrews, Jim Backus.
Directed by Ted Post.
Good Guys Wear Black is one of several action vehicles for world karate champion Chuck Norris. It is the best of them. Others include A Force Of One and The Octagon. This film has a good supporting cast of veteran Hollywood stars. It is directed by Ted Post, a veteran of many telemovies as well as action features including Clint Eastwood's Magnum Force. Post also directed a film on the Vietnam war, Go Tell The Spartans, with Burt Lancaster. The Vietnam them of this film can be linked with the other feature. The material is quite average - but well done in its way.
1. Enjoyable action adventure? An American presentation of the martial arts? A vehicle for Chuck Norris? The blending in of contemporary American issues of the '70s: the Vietnam war and negotiations, Washington administration, deals and cover-ups, exposure? A popular action adventure comment on American politics?
2. The title and its ironies - traditions of who wears black and who wears white? In the United States of the '70s who were the good guys?
3. The film's use of the Vietnam situation - as an occasion for action adventure? Or for deeper comment through the action adventure? The introduction with the negotiations and their style? Conrad Morgan and his important role, strong stands, negotiation, manipulation? Edgar Harolds and his assistance? The Vietnamese and the tension in Paris? The transition to Vietnam and the background of the negotiations, prisoners who could not be released? Conditions for peace and the sacrifice of some men? The ambush and the deaths? The cover-up? Morgan and his philosophies of expediency and control? Harolds and his conscience and drinking? Harolds' collapse, giving clues to Margaret for investigation? The build-up to the exposure of Morgan on the eve of his achieving political success? The confrontation?
4. The visualisation of Vietnam, the mission, the mystery ambush, the deaths? Booker and his leadership, survival? The ugliness of this kind of American political expediency of its own citizens?
5. Booker as hero: Chuck Norris and his personality and style, martial arts techniques? His lecturing, test driving? The encounter with Margaret and her provoking him? The build-up of information? The deaths? His travelling around to forestall the deaths? The skiing accidents and discovering the assassin? The action sequences concerning the deaths? Audience interest, involving and emotion?
6. Margaret as heroine - her arrival, prodding Booker, accompanying him, the tension and friendship, the discovery of the truth, the pathos of her death?
7. The picturing of the assassins and the deaths? The build-up to Booker confronting them - and the martial arts fights?
8. The sketch of Harolds, his drinking, his political work, relationship with Morgan? His giving information to Margaret? His presence at the final confrontation with Morgan?
9. The value and validity of the pressures on Morgan? His arrogance? The necessity of this kind of exposure - in the light of Watergate?
10. The integrity of the hero? His being tricked - as was the American public? The transition to a new era of openness of government? The philosophies of expediency and double-think? Political point made by a popular action vehicle?
