Karl Malden, born Mladen George Sekulovich in 1912, was one of the finest character actors of his generation. The people who know him at all know him from being the commercial pitchman for American Express. Although he appeared on the stage and in the movies -- his big-screen career stretched from 1940 through 1987, with two Oscar nominations and one win -- his homely, broken face and straightforward delivery were also on show for six years in the TV show THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO. There, paired with Michael Douglas as two police inspectors, he was nominated four times for an Emmy as Best Leader Actor in a Dramatic Series. Alas, STREETS was a well-regarded show, but its numbers were never great and he never won.
Twenty years after the show's debut, this movie was made. In it, time has passed and Malden (80 years old at the time of the broadcast) is now a police captain, dealing with the changes that time has wrought. He has to make recommendations as to which cop is to be promoted to Inspector, and which to the higher-ranking lieutenancy. One is Conor O'Farrell, a computer-smart man, and the other is Debrah Farentino, who Malden thinks is too hot-headed.
There's also a mystery to solve, when Michael Douglas' character turns up missing, and then dead.
I would like to rate this higher, but despite Malden's vigor and fine acting, and some good playing by the younger actors, it's a by-the-numbers effort, with the stakes raised through the this-time-it's-personal trope. It's still a solid TV movie, and it looks like an attempt to revive the series, with Malden in a senior role, and the two youngsters showing off their different personalities. It might have made a good series.
