IMDb > Brannigan (1975)
Brannigan
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Brannigan (1975) More at IMDbPro »

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Brannigan (1975) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
5.8/10   1,636 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 41% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Douglas Hickox
Writers:
Christopher Trumbo (screenplay) and
Michael Butler (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Brannigan on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
26 March 1975 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Crime | Drama more
Tagline:
Big Jim Brannigan takes on London - Chicago Style ! more
Plot:
Jim Brannigan is sent to London to bring back an American mobster who is being held for extradition... more | add synopsis
User Comments:
Pure entertainment more (39 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

John Wayne ... Lt. Jim Brannigan

Richard Attenborough ... Cmdr. Charles Swann
Judy Geeson ... DS Jennifer Thatcher
Mel Ferrer ... Mel Fields

John Vernon ... Ben Larkin
Daniel Pilon ... John Gorman
John Stride ... Insp. Michael Traven
James Booth ... Charlie-the-Handle
Arthur Batanides ... Angell
Ralph Meeker ... Capt. Moretti
Barry Dennen ... Julian

Lesley-Anne Down ... Luana (as Lesley Anne Down)
Pauline Delaney ... Mrs. Cooper (as Pauline Delany)
Del Henney ... Drexel
Brian Glover ... Jimmy-the-Bet
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Joe Battle
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Runtime:
111 min
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Brannigan's revolver, as pointed out by Cmdr. Swann, is a Colt Diamondback .38 Special with a four-inch barrel. He carries the same handgun in McQ (1974). more
Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: Early in the movie, the informant picks tries to fire an empty Luger. He pulls the trigger twice, and each time there is a loud click. The Luger, as a single-action semi-automatic pistol, would not click when it's empty. more
Quotes:
Cmdr. Charles Swann: This isn't Chicago!
Brannigan: You're right, you can't get a decent burger anywhere in this town.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Shaun of the Dead (2004) more
Soundtrack:
Let the Sunshine In more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
10 out of 11 people found the following comment useful.
Pure entertainment, 26 March 2007
10/10
Author: mysteriesfan from United States

From the time I saw Brannigan in the theaters as a kid, through a number of chances to watch it again over the years, it has been one of my favorite movies. I grew up with the crime dramas of the 1970s, had little patience for Westerns, and am sorry John Wayne had so little time left to make detective movies. His other police drama, McQ, was trying so hard to imitate other "gritty" characters and films, was so formulaic, artificial, confusing, dreary, stiff, heavy-handed, and cliché, that these elements crowded out Wayne. Not so Brannigan.

Wayne shined. He was natural and utterly comfortable and convincing in the role. He was likable, frank, good-natured, decent, down-to-earth, and tough -- "so damn solid," as Geeson's character put it (to which he replied, "Fat, you mean") in a nice, genuine scene where Brannigan talked about wanting to catch the hood responsible for killing his rookie partner because it was his duty to protect the kid even though, no matter how "nice a story" it would make if the kid had been like a son to him, he had not even liked the "smart-aleck" kid. Wayne had terrific, commanding screen presence. He looked as fit and acted as vigorous as called for by the role. Suggestions in other reviews that he was "too old" or "too fat" are nonsense. The mature cast is a pleasant contrast to today's rampant superficiality.

All of the supporting actors -- Attenborough, Geeson, Ferrer, Vernon, Pilon -- were real professionals who similarly brought substance to their roles and played them smoothly and effectively. The characters were nicely sketched. For example, Attenborough's titled Scotland Yard official was not a caricatured fop or dandy; he was polished but also appreciated rough, direct action to get the job done, which created a nice grudging rapport between him and Brannigan. One review's dismissal of Pilon's hit-man as "Inspector Clouseau" is absurd; both the policeman and the hit-man were portrayed effectively in this movie, with the policeman actually outsmarting and outmaneuvering the hit-man in believable ways. The story had action, energy, purpose, and humor. The dialogue was smart, and the plot interesting, with some clever touches. The photography and music made it all the more enjoyable.

This is a fun, smart, well-paced, well-produced detective story with a good plot, well-drawn and well-cast characters, and good locations. The movie is excellent entertainment. As such, I could not recommend it more highly. Reviewers who apparently failed to watch the film on its own merits and have nothing to offer but pseudo-sophisticated, overly general, cheap-shot criticisms do not do it justice.

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Worst assassin since Wile E. Coyote? jazzyjeffg
U.S. or British law? nelson95
filmed in Chicago downers89
Politics betw. Actor and Writer thorburn52
You Go John! wtl471629
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