Badge 373

"When a man's partner is killed...You're supposed to do something about it"...Sam Spade..."The Maltese Falcon"

Do Something Duvall Does.

It Takes the Defrocked Cop to the Underbelly of the Puerto Rican Community in New York City that is Rife with Talk of Revolution in the Homeland.

Robert Duvall, in His First Starring Role, is a Powerhouse of Politically Incorrect Racist Rants and Fearless Behavior as He Bulldozes through Crime Gangs and Crime Lords.

It's a Dour Movie that Strips Away any Pretension of Police Hero-Worship.

A Movie so Bleak and Uncomfortable that it was Pummeled even on its Release-Date as so Offensive, in 1973, that Few Found it anything but Deplorable.

Viewed Today, it is Curious bit of Moviedom that Marks its Territory with Brutal, Unlikeable Human-Beings.

Be it Cop or Thug.

That Makes the Movie a Cringe-Fest of Unfettered, Unpleasant , Post-Code "New Hollywood".

There is a Second-Act Chase Scene, Featuring a Public Transit Bus, Full of Terrified Passengers.

The Ex-Cop Exploits it for Personal Satisfaction with No Regard for the Innocent Lives.

He, seemingly, is so UN-Aware that He Giggles with Glee.

This Makes the Movie more of a Cartoon than a Gritty Neo-Noir.

There are Other Things that are Over-the-Top.

Like the Comic-Book Villain with a Huge In-Your-Face Mustache and Sunglasses.

This is a Guilty-Pleasure at Best.

Watching Duvall and All Taking the Zeitgeist of the Crime Film Renaissance and Going So Far as to be Ridiculous.