Excellent but underrated film

A Disappointing Continuation

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Rogue cop who is "out of control" (in a now-cliché'd Dirty Harry sort of way) John Wayne goes to England to retrieve the Sheriff from KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE. Once there, the chief/old guy from JURASSIC PARK assigns him to the possessed alien mom from INSEMINOID as his flirty tease of a partner. While on the case, they shake down the warden from ALIEN 3 while spied on by the cowardly soldier "Hookie" from ZULU, here teamed up with one of the Death Star generals from STAR WARS. However his only real lead comes in the form of a shifty lawyer, the guy who married Audrey Hepburn before going blind and trying to poison Caesar in THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.As you can see, the cast of this movie is just marvelous and features a lot of "that guy"s from other movies you've seen. The chemistry between Wayne and the guy who directed GANDHI works really well as they have to team up from such opposite viewpoints to solve the mystery. Unfortunately for those seeking lots of action (Wayne enters the movie by kicking down a door and hitting a guy in the head with a 2x4), there's not much here. Wayne merely gets in one mediocre car chase and has a few close calls with a creepy hit man who tries to sneak up on people with the most conspicuous car possible and who would be a better shot if he hadn't hacked his broom handle Mauser pistol to fire full-auto. More often than not, the film decides to protract what would be smaller scenes in an American movie into 20 minute episodes. For instance, did we really need to witness every darn detail with the first money drop sequence? Or would our time have been better spend seeing Wayne (who looks quite tired) beating up a few more henchmen and spouting one-liners?All in all it's only made watchable by the cast and director Douglas Hickox's assured ability to enliven a lot of scenes that would otherwise have dragged far worse. There's a few nice surprises and some suspense, but you'd be better off just watching an full-blown Euro-crime movie than this tame and watered-down cross-pond excursion.

Superstars just Can't Help Themselves. Usually, Late in Their Stellar Careers, They have a Tendency to Remind Us all that indeed They are Human (Fat Elvis in a ridiculous bejeweled jumpsuit anyone?). This one is from "The Duke", John Wayne.Looking Old and Dying (He was), Wayne Stops just Short of Completely Embarrassing Us and Himself. He took on another Tough Cop Role (even after the big flop McQ (1974). Helping Him along this Misstep is a Good Supporting Cast and a Decent Production.The Most Glaring Cringe is the totally Out of Time and Place, Saloon Fisticuffs. But, there is just Enough Gravitas Left in Wayne to make this Worth a Watch for Fans. Thank the Lucky Stars that He Ended His Long Career Perfectly Cast and with the Excellent Direction from Don Siegel, His Curtain Call, "The Shootist" (1976) is One that the Big Galoot Can be Proud.

***SPOILERS*** John Wayne as Chicago cop Lt. James Brannigan is sent off to the UK to expedite Chigago hood Ben Larkin, John Vernon, who among his other crimes was responsible for the death of Bargginan's partner who he was trying to brake in. Now with Larkin about to be cuffed and sent back to Chicago with Brannigan escorting him back there he's kidnapped by a number of British hoods and held for as much as 1.3 million in ransom. The normal thing to do is let the hoods whack Larkin and save the state of Illinois the money to try him but instead the British police Scotland Yard as well as Let. Brannigan go all out to rescue Larkin from his captors which doesn't, in regards to Let. Brannigan, make no sense at all! The film gives Let. Brannigan this 25 year old partner British police Sergent Jennifer-no relation to the future British PM- Tatcher,Judy Greeson, to help the almost 70 year old Brannigan out who in fact risks his life throughout the film saving hers. There also Brannigan's boss in the London PD Commander Swann played by Richard Attenborough in a rare tough guy role where he's later involved is a massive bar brawl where he does, in working over the drunken bad guys, an even better job then the almost one foot taller and 50 pound heavier Let. Brannigan. As for the kidnapped Larkin his release is being negotiated by his crooked shyster lawyer Mel Fields, Mel Ferrer, who's about as slimy as they, shysters, get. whom you as well as his client Ben Larkin don't know until the very last minute who's side, the kidnappers or the kidnapped victim, he's really on.***SPPOILER*** Despite his advanced age and being way out of shape John Wayne is very effective in his role and even shows he still has it with the ladies with Jennifer falling heads over heels over him as well as a number of other young and sexy ladies in the cast. Wayne is also very effective in the fights he's in especially the aforementioned bar brawl as well as a sizzling car chase all through London that's one of the best, without the use computer enhancement, ever put on film.The fact that John Wayne not Clint Eastwood was offered the part of Inspector "Dirty Harry" Calahan and turned it down must have gotten to him in jut how successful the "Dirty Harry" series was to become. In fact in the movie "Brannigan" Wayne copies off the "Dirty Harry" sequel "Magnam Force" in its opening credits having Let. Brannigan's .38 Colt Diamondback police special compete with his name in the credits on the screen like Eastwood's .44 Magnam did with his in "Magnam Force". There's also the villain in the film John Vernon as Ben Larkin who in fact played Eastwood's rival the wimpy and totally gutless San Francisco mayor in the original "Dirty Harry".

When a local mobster named "Ben Larken" (John Vernon) skips bail and flies to London, "Lt. James Brannigan" (John Wayne) is sent from Chicago to bring him back. Unfortunately, during the extradition process Larken is kidnapped which results in both Lt. Brannigan and "Sir Charles Swann" (Richard Attenbourough) of Scotland Yard having to pool their resources to locate him. What neither of them realize is that a top assassin named "Gorman" (Daniel Pilon) has been hired to kill Lt. Brannigan and he is extremely tenacious in his work. He just doesn't quit. Now rather than risk ruining this movie for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was essentially an average movie made better by the presence of John Wayne. That's not to say that the supporting cast was lackluster by any means--as they certainly performed in an adequate manner--it's just that the Duke clearly dominated this picture. Having said that I should probably add that the story itself wasn't exactly novel and this was hardly the best movie he has ever made. That being the case I rate this movie as slightly above average.