Shamus (1973)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Buzz Kulik

Writer:

Barry Beckerman (written by)

Release Date:

5 February 1973 (Sweden)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Drama

Tagline:

SHAMUS a pool-shooting, card-playing, broad-chasing, private eye...cross him, and he'll blow your head off!

Plot:

New York private eye Shamus McCoy likes girls, drink and gambling, but by the look of his flat business can't be too hot...

Plot Keywords:

Diamond | Flamethrower | Cat | Private Detective | Character Name In Title

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Shamus McCoy
Dyan Cannon	...	Alexis Montaigne
John P. Ryan	...	Hardcore
Joe Santos	...	Lieutenant Promuto
Giorgio Tozzi	...	Dottore
Ron Weyand	...	E.J. Hume
Larry Block	...	Springy
Beeson Carroll	...	Bolton
Kevin Conway	...	The Kid
Kay Frye	...	Bookstore Girl
John Glover	...	Johnnie
Merwin Goldsmith	...	Schnook
Melody Santangello	...	Alice
Irving Selbst	...	Heavy
Alex Wilson	...	Felix Montaigne

Also Known As:

Passion for Danger

Runtime:

106 min | Norway:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1990) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1973) | Iceland:16 | Norway:16 | UK:18 | USA:PG (certificate #23378)

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Although the "87th Precinct" series of novels by author Evan Hunter (writing as "Ed McBain") have sold millions of copies since the first one appeared in the late 1950s, and still sell well today, this is one of only a relative handful of theatrical films--not counting a few made-for-TV movies and a TV series in the 1960s--to have been made from them.

Goofs:

Continuity: When McCoy enters the shipping room at the warehouse, the border pattern on the front of the glass panel does not match that seen through from the rear. The two verticals over the PP in SHIPPING should be visible through the frosted glass, but there is a horizontal join instead.

Movie Connections:

References The Big Sleep (1946)

Neat piece of moviemaking, worth preserving

The story of Shamus seems to be loosely based on Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep. Burt Reynolds is in the Humphrey Bogart role, and he acquits himself well playing the Philip Marlowe of the chewing gum generation. He doesn't take himself too seriously, is less sarcastic than the forties version and there are quite a few good laughs to be had.

Shamus is remarkable for reflecting the period it was shot in. The directing and the cinematography are very good. I also liked the musical score. There are quite a few nicely stylized action scenes on real locations in dock areas. Dyan Cannon gives her usual solid performance and wears clothes today's fashion designers will be very interested in. Her character's apartment in a high rise on East River must be the "dernier cri" of 1973‘s interior decorating: prints of Vasarely and Miro, steel frame chairs with white leather cushions, lamps with huge chrome bowls etc. etc.

This movie, a bright child of its time, is well worth preserving.