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Storyline
LA cops Gould and Blake get in over their heads when they don't heed orders from above and go after a big crime boss. While higher ups in the police department want the cop duo to just focus on nabbing petty criminals, the team does so while still going after LA kingpin Rizzo. Various fist fights, chases, shootouts and other carnage occur as the two cops go after Rizzo's crime syndicate. Written by
Patrick Knightly <pjknight@polsci.umass.edu>
Plot Summary
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Taglines:
What this film exposes about undercover vice cops can't be seen on your television set.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
In the courtroom scene of Jackie the hooker's preliminary hearing, the Judge's name on his desk nameplate is "Hon.
Fred R. Simpson" . This is also the name of the film's First Assistant Director.
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Goofs
Near the end of the movie, during the ambulance chase, there are already skid marks on the road surface at the school crossing. These appear to be from previous takes on the scene as they match the ambulance's path perfectly.
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Quotes
Vice Detective Michael Keneely:
"Dear Mom and Dad. How are you? I am just swell. A fag ate my leg."
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Connections
References
Shazam! (1974)
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Peter Hyams' debut movie is a forgotten movie jewel from 1973. It's a typical early seventies cop and action thriller about two police officers (Elliott Gould and Robert Blake) hunting a mafia boss and finding out that the villain is co-operating with police officials.
Blake and Gould (who is incredibly "groovy" looking) are giving fine performances in this dirty little picture. They are doing raids in whore houses and gay bars, they are beaten up by gangsters and often use their guns to get what they want. Their characters are not far away from those of Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider in "French Connection" which has clearly influenced the settings, tempo and plot of this movie.
Some high points of "Busting" next to the main actors are the funky, Lalo-Schifrin-style sound track and a big showdown between the cops and a bunch of gangsters in a shopping mall battered with people. You can alos find those certain hints of conspiracies and paranoia all over this movie that became benchmarks for later Peter Hyams films such as "Capricorn One", "Outland", or "Star Chamber". Watch this incredible seventies movie, you won't regret it!