COP AND A HALF

US, 1993, 97 minutes, Colour.
Burt Reynolds, Norman D. Golden II, Holland Taylor, Ray Sharkey, Ruby Dee.
Directed by Henry Winkler.

Cop and a Half is in the Home Alone genre. Burt Reynolds is a jaded cop. He is assisted in his investigations by a pint sized eight year old orphan. The film was directed by Henry Winkler, his strictly formula material designed for the family audience. Youngsters enjoy the slapstick comedy as well as the young boy (Norman D. Golden II) identifying with the police and helping them in their investigations. The setting is Florida, drug dealers (Ray Sharkey hamming it up as the villain). Ruby Dee is the boy's grandmother. The boy himself is precocious but not quite sentimentally as so many youngsters.

1. Audience enjoyment of formula material? The adventure appeal, comedy? American style?

2. The Florida and Tamper settings, action sequences, stunts? Musical score?

3. The title, Burt Reynolds and his background in police films and investigations, teeming up with the young boy (a variation on Home Alone)?

4. Devon, eight year old, playing games with the toy gun, the school bullies, squirting the principal, the principal lecturing him - and his repeating it later when he held him up for speeding? Home, no parents, relationship with his Grandmother, her going to work? The busy body neighbour? His hopes, his friend? At home by himself contact with his friend by radio? Watching the TV and the police styles, absorbing the action, the language and the actions? The binoculars? Following the police, watching Nick McKenna? at work, crashing through things, his words to the criminal? Getting the number plate - the not giving it to the police, doing a deal?

5. The car, following it to the warehouse, seeing the killers, the murder, the information, almost caught - the pigeons? Nick, the police, the deal, the staff and their exasperation? His wanting to be a policeman for a day? Rachel finally agreeing?

6. Nick, Burt Reynolds screen image, at work, the mayhem, the story of his past, and the death of his partner? Antagonism towards kids? The deal, his reluctance, taking him on the day, the badge, the handcuffs? Devon chasing the man with the bag and finding he was trying to catch his wife? Solving the problems with the quarrelling couple? His being kidded by people? The interview with the killer, taking Devon home - talk, reading him a story, the gun in the middle of the night and the glass o milk, Devon absent and his worry, exasperatedly giving him up, watching over Devon, chasing the car and rescuing him?

7. Devon and his day with Nick, his use of the language of television, his identifying with the police? The chase, the quarrelling couple? Back to school, his friends, the bullies putting him in the toilet? The visit by the gang leader? His yelling? Going to Nick’s, talking, the story? His day with Nick's friend, the radar, catching the principal and interviewing him? Nick saving him from the henchmen?

8. The henchmen going to the school, the bullies and their being handcuffed by Devon, pushed by the henchman after they had vandalised their car? Devon hiding in the car, being taken to the warehouse, the phone call to the police, the information about hundred grand? The chase, Nick on the bike, the boat, the happy ending?

9. Devon as a kid in an adults world, the antagonism towards adults, teachers? The anti-smoking? Yet the reliance on guns? Responsibility and being a kid, the impact of the media?

1.Nick, his relationship with Devon, the effect on him? The rowboat finale with Rachel?