PrairieKid The end of an era. Cops in suits with narrow ties and fedoras, worn inside and out, day and night. Lincoln sedans with rear suicide doors. Women in bright colours, hats, and fully made up stay at home wives. The bad guys and near criminals in mauves and plush velour at the edge of the beatnik fringe. Dial telephones, typewriters, carbon paper, no computers, cops using phone booths and carrying dimes, cigarettes and booze everywhere, adultery, a near drunken sexual assault, all 60's stuff at the end of an era. Widmark is too old to have both a hot wife and an ongoing pleutonic relationship with a nightclub singer. He is also a nice guy one minute and physically threatening an old lady the next or kicking down a door without a warrant. He can't carry off the bad cop and rule breaker role. There is a subplot with police corruption and the straight laced commissioner learns too bend a little with advice from his married girlfriend. There is a second subplot with a potential racial police incident with a black suspect. The finale is pre-SWAT teams with the two detectives breaking through a door armed with two handguns each in a shootout reminiscent of a B western. Forget the plot, with its many flaws, and focus on the New York and the sixties look and feel

jamdifo When I saw Richard Widmark and Henry Fonda as the stars with Don Siegel directing, I expected at least a half decent movie. Instead, this movie was a total bore. Not much police action and everyone was sleeping around committing adultery. Henry Fonda, roughly 63 at the time of this film, is sleeping with a married 28 year old of 3. Way to go Commissioner, you Hippocratic moron. Richard Widmark, 54 at the time has a hot wife 20 years younger, and pays no attention to her. He sleeps around on her with some saloon singer. Widmark is not that good looking. Widmark's wife cheats on him. Its a whole soap operary mess.Madigan and his partner are suppose to be chasing a killer, who got the drop on them because Madigan can't take his eyes off a young woman's ass. The killer didn't seem that bad. We see him briefly at the beginning and end. Henry Fonda did this role after doing Once upon a Time in the West(which he was excellent in). He seemed tired from that role and in this movie was constantly in a daze looking like he wished he were somewhere else, even when he was with the hot young woman.This movie was so far fetched with the older actors with hot younger women. It dragged and dragged and dragged and when the end came, I was glad Madigan acted like a fool, not wearing his bulletproof vest (he threw it off) and went straight in that apartment in the line of fire. There was no immediate threat and swat was there. Madigan did everything a detective should not do, so good riddance. Its so hard to believe they made a TV series after this movie. I guess Madigan got struck by lightning and came back from the dead for the TV series. Don't waste your time on this movie.

AaronCapenBanner Richard Widmark(Madigan) & Harry Guardino play two police officers who lose their gun to a murder suspect(Steve Inhat). They are then given a short period of time to catch him, and retrieve his gun, before it is used in the commission of a crime. Madigan must also deal with his home problems involving his bored and neglected wife(played by the beautiful Inger Stevens) Henry Fonda plays the police commissioner who must deal with the hard-headed Madigan, and other issues that threaten the safety and reputation of the city.Moderately interesting yarn has good performances and direction, though a somewhat tedious and familiar story, though the ending is a surprise. Later inspired a brief TV series.

Woodyanders Maverick veteran detective Daniel Madigan (a superb and credible performance by Richard Widmark) and his equally seasoned partner Rocco Bonaro (well played by Harry Guardino) have to catch maniacal psycho Barney Benesch (a memorably edgy turn by Steve Ihnat) with 72 hours. Meanwhile, stern by-the-book police commissioner Anthony Russell (Henry Fonda in typically top-drawer form) has personal and professional problems of his own. Director Don Siegel, working from a gripping and thoughtful screenplay by Howard Rodman and Abraham Polonsky, relates the compelling story at a steady pace, makes inspired use of authentically gritty New York City locations, grounds the plot in a thoroughly believable harsh urban reality, maintains a serious no-nonsense tone throughout, and stages the rousing climax with tremendous skill and aplomb. Moreover, this picture acquires additional depth, substance, and even poignancy by showing the troubled private lives of the main characters in a convincing and straightforward manner. The uniformly stellar acting by the first-rate cast qualifies as another major asset, with especially commendable work by Inger Stevens as Madigan's fed-up neglected wife Julia, James Whitmore as the amiable, on the take Chief Inspector Charles Kane, Susan Clark as Russell's classy mistress Tricia Bentley, Michael Dunn as antsy bookie Midget Castoglione, Don Stroud as excitable low-life informant Hughie, and Sheree North as sultry nightclub singer Jonesy. Russell Metty's no-frills cinematography further enhances the overall stark realism. Don Costa's spirited score hits the stirring spot. A worthwhile action thriller.