City Heat (1984)

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers:

Blake Edwards (story)
Blake Edwards (writer) ...

Release Date:

7 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

Take Clint the street-smart cop . . . take Burt the wise-guy private eye . . . and then take cover!

Plot:

A slick private eye and tough police lieutenant--once partners, now bitter enemies--reluctantly team up to investigate a murder.

Plot Keywords:

1930s | Detective | Gangster | Independent Film

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Lieutenant Speer
Burt Reynolds	...	Mike Murphy
Jane Alexander	...	Addy
Madeline Kahn	...	Caroline Howley
Rip Torn	...	Primo Pitt
Irene Cara	...	Ginny Lee
Richard Roundtree	...	Dehl Swift
Tony Lo Bianco	...	Leon Coll
William Sanderson	...	Lonnie Ash
Nicholas Worth	...	Troy Roker
Robert Davi	...	Nino
Jude Farese	...	Dub Slack
John Hancock	...	Fat Freddy
Jack Thibeau	...	Garage Soldier
Gerald S. O'Loughlin	...	Counterman Louie

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Spain:13 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | USA:PG (certificate #27552) | Netherlands:12 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1985) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Singapore:PG

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Trivia:

Marsha Mason was originally cast as Addy but left the film due to creative differences.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Spear gets into a shoot-out with the thug in the hallway and stairwell, he shoots the thug a total of eight times, all in the upper chest area. However, later when he and Murphy are examining the bodies in the morgue, there is an overhead shot of the same thug and he has no upper chest wounds of any kind.

Quotes:

Lt. Speer: How about a fast game of sleeper?
Poolroom thug: What's that?
Lt. Speer: That's where you take your best shot, and I put you to sleep.
Lt. Speer: [cracks him over the head with a pool cue]

Movie Connections:

References The Public Enemy (1931)

Soundtrack:

Montage Blues

Do you feel a cold draft?

It's 1933 and in Kansas City, we follow that of Detective Murphy, as his partner has just been killed by some big-heads and he finds himself caught up in the web he has left behind. While, this is going on Lieutenant Speer also investigates, but when the two collide, there are some fireworks, as they have a work history together. But they have to put their differences aside, if they are going to get the job done.

Should I call this a disappointment, because the effortlessly shallow material just doesn't go hand-to-hand with the talent that was involved. This parody / drama on noir and tough-guy images is no more than a vehicle for the two stars, who just seem to be slumming it out here. It's not a bad film, because it's well made, but the story doesn't entirely hit any strides, it changes direction between spoof and drama with mixed results and it can be quite tedious in spots. All the accolades though, would have to go to the delightfully smooth Burt Reynolds in the role as the charismatic, smart-guy detective Murphy. His presence definitely overshadows Eastwood. But the colourful banter and always at odds attitude between the two, makes it a fun pairing up to watch, as they work off each rather nicely. Clint Eastwood, plays the straight-faced, no-bull Lieutenant Speer with his usual approach and sly humour. They both get some highly witty, top-notch lines. The supporting cast are satisfactory with the likes of Rip Torn, Jane Alexander, Irene Cara, Richard Roundtree and Robert Davi dusting in with a skew of personalities. While, they're worth better material, they all do the best with what they're given to work with. The feel of the 1930's has an artificial air about it here, as clearly you can't escape the back-lot sets. But still it's professionally catered for with a pleasant blues score and a dour colour scheme crafted in to get that glum, wet atmospheric night build-up of Kansas City. The direction of Richard Benjamin is quite standard, but it has some neat photography techniques of the period and a few flashy impulses, like one fine and exciting late-night shoot-out in a deserted street.

Nothing much out of the ordinary and very forgettable, but only the fans of two stars should really bother with this one.