COPS AND ROBBERSONS

US, 1994, 93 minutes, Colour.
Chevy Chase, Jack Palance, Dianne Weist, Robert Davi.
Directed by Michael Ritchie.

Cops and Robbersons is an easygoing American comedy drama, a Chevy Chase vehicle and an opportunity for Jack Palance to repeat the kind of performance he did in his Oscar-winning role in City Slickers.

A money dealer (Robert Davi) lives next door to an ordinary American family in affluent suburbia. The police want a stakeout, so Jack Palance and his assistant (David Barry Gray) move in, with alarming results at first, and then, of course, become part of the family. Chevy Chase portrays the father who has always wanted to be a policeman - and he does his gangling National Lampoon Vacation style of performance. Dianne Weist is his feisty wife.

The expected action sequences happen as well as the ingratiating family comedy sequences. Direction is by Michael Ritchie, who had directed Chevy Chase in the two Fletch films.

1.Entertaining action comedy? The ingredients for sitcoms? The relying on audience knowledge and appreciation of police thrillers - and how ordinary citizens, television watchers, might emulate them?

2.Affluent suburbia? Homes? The city streets? Police precincts? Restaurants? The musical score?

3.Audience expectations and the pun of the title?

4.The plausibility of the plot? Over the top? The presentation of the family? The criminals next door? Police action?

5.Norman Robberson and Chevy Chase's style? Daffy? His relationship with his family, tension with Helen, with the children? His work? His infatuation with TV police programs? Dreaming of being in the police? The proposal for the stakeout, his welcoming it, not telling the family, the mix-up in the morning? Settling down? His going into the criminals' house, investigating the room and the bed, cover-ups? His handling of the children - and his inability with discipline? The contrast with Uncle Jake? The neighbour, making up the story about Uncle Jake? His daughter and the boyfriend? His ruining the police chances? Going off by himself, the bagel seller and his instinct that he was a criminal, Jake to the rescue? The disappointment, going off by himself, Jake's phone call, his coming home, interpreting the code, swinging into the wall? His contribution to the arrest? The final photo? The album during the final credits and the success of the family, love for Helen, the bonds with his children?

6.Helen, patient with Norman, exasperation, taking the kids to school, wanting to leave? The mix-up, especially with Tony and the shower? The hospitality and cooking for Jake? Her relationship with the children? The abduction, her finally getting the gun, her tough stance? Winning the day?

7.The daughter, her quick thinking with Tony as her boyfriend, the outing with him? Her love for her father? The abduction? The aftermath and the album with the wedding photos? The boys, Kevin and his smoking, Billy and his Dracula outfit, playing the games, exasperating Jake? The change to the police games and his giving the information to the criminal? The reconciliation with Dad?

8.Jake, Jack Palance's style, the crusty policeman? The stakeout, his expertise? His living alone, food, not wanting to impose on the family? His crusty reactions with the children and yet their idolising him? Giving good advice? Quick thinking and becoming Uncle Jake? The arrest at the diner and his acknowledging Norman's hunch? The build-up to the finale, the confrontation? His staying on as a friend of the family, the photos?

9.Tony, his brashness and police headquarters, on the stakeout, the comedy in the shower and the aftermath? Attracted to the daughter? Their outing? The confrontation, with the guns? The wedding?

10.The criminal, the initial explosion? The money-laundering, his suspicions of Norman and Norman's visit, his visiting Norman's house, the story about Uncle Jake and Jake explaining that Norman was not of sound mind? The criminal visiting him, suspicions, the boy and the giveaway, the confrontation and the shootout?

11.The background of the police, Jake's contrast with the programs on television and the heroics? The film clips that Norman watched?

12.An amusing blend of comedy and drama? The parody of police action thrillers? The parody of the American family? Yet the ending and its sentiment?