Walter Hill wrote a string of excellent crime films in the 70s: The Getaway, The Warriors and The Driver. Hickey & Boggs is the weakest of the bunch, but it's still a very good film.
It was directed by Robert Culp who also plays the co-starring lead. Direction wise it is very good, but workman like. It is helped immensely by a great script with snappy dialogue. I can't help, but think if Hill or Peckinpah had directed it that it might have a bit more flair.
Robert Culp lacks the charisma of Clint Eastwood or Steve McQueen. He's a fine actor though and is physically imposing even next to Bill Cosby. Bill Cosby plays it straight, no jokes, no silly laugh; just a tough guy role. The role lacks something that Eddie Murphy brought to 48Hrs, maybe just humour. This pre-dated the buddy cop style of film by a decade though, which has been the blueprint ever since.
Bill Cosby's private life has since buried this film like a suitcase of stolen money. I think if you can look beyond that it is a very good film with some great stunts, sharp dialogue and action scenes. Like all 70s films it also has cops who look like real people rather than male models and criminals who are genuinely nasty rather than corny pantomime gangsters.
The Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber has a superb print, but only 2.0 sound. It's sadly difficult to find.
