Hey_Sweden

Beginning in classic 'Sledge Hammer!' style, this is overall not quite as hilarious as the previous three episodes, but it still has some great moments. Sledge is targeted by John Kogan (Jack Thibeau, "Escape from Alcatraz"), a crooked cop who's just escaped from prison. Kogan has vowed to kill Sledge, but there's one big problem: Kogan is even deadlier with a gun (and a quicker draw) than our hero.

The flat-out funniest sequence has Sledge attempting to deal with a sleazy informant (Dennis Fimple, "House of 1,000 Corpses"), and having to make multiple calls - all while the informant is only a couple of pay-phones away.

Rasche, as usual, is lots of fun to watch, especially when Trunk refuses to suspend Sledge, and Sledge works hard to get out of filing duty. And Thibeau is a worthy adversary for Rasche, overacting his role in a priceless manner. His crime spree - "coming soon to a city near you!" - is related in montage, and is a hoot.

A young Jonathan Brandis ('SeaQuest DSV') plays Sledge as a kid.

Seven out of 10.

Albert Finney ("Millers' Crossing") plays Eddie Ginley, an announcer & bingo caller bored with his life. A man with a real affinity for Bogart, he longs for both a shot at comedy stardom and some sort of private-eye career. His first case as a private-eye is an amusingly convoluted affair involving various sordid characters.

"Gumshoe" is a lightweight but amusing tongue-in-cheek take on vintage film noir stories, set in the seedy parts of Liverpool & London circa 1971. Absolutely nobody takes the material seriously, whether it's the characters on screen or the filmmakers. There's very little danger, and the villains are simply not that threatening. But Finney & his superior, mostly British supporting cast make the most of the material.

Finney himself is fun; also appearing are Billie Whitelaw ("The Omen"), Frank Finlay ("The Four Musketeers"), Janice Rule ("3 Women"), Carolyn Seymour ("The Ruling Class"), Fulton Mackay ("Local Hero"), George Silver ("The Meaning of Life"), Wendy Richard ('Are You Being Served?'), and Maureen Lipman ("Educating Rita").

This marked the first full-length theatrical feature for the celebrated filmmaker Stephen Frears ("Dangerous Liaisons", "The Grifters"), and was scored by none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber. The major asset of the film is the rapid-fire banter between the characters (effortlessly delivered by Finney & co.), courtesy of screenwriter Neville Smith, who also appears on screen as Arthur.

Overall, a fun (if unmemorable) comedic ode to the works of Hammett & Chandler.

Seven out of 10.

Trailblazing female director Ida Lupino does a commendable job co-writing & directing this solid little crime picture. An appropriately unhinged William Talman ('Perry Mason') is the title character, otherwise known as Emmett Myers, a homicidal creep on the loose who forces good friends Gil Bowen (Frank Lovejoy, "House of Wax") and Roy Collins (Edmond O'Brien, "D. O. A.") to drive him towards a possible escape route in Mexico.

A blazing pace, tons of atmosphere, sufficient tension, and three excellent lead performances make this well worth watching. Myers thinks he has the two friends pegged correctly as pushovers, but they're biding their time until they can make a move against him. And this whole dynamic between the main characters makes this compelling, while we see in a subplot that the authorities have picked up Myers' trail.

Inspired by a real-life murder spree, "The Hitch-Hiker" is also commendable for treating its material in a reasonably realistic manner. And Lupino, who co-wrote the script with frequent producer / ex-husband Collier Young, gets down to business in record time, beginning with a montage of Myers hitching rides and murdering the poor saps who stop to pick him up.

Overall, the film is taut entertainment for lovers of vintage B's & crime thrillers.

Seven out of 10.