McQ (1974)

Director:

John Sturges

Writer:

Lawrence Roman (written by)

Release Date:

6 February 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Crime

Tagline:

The cop no one can stop. Even the cops. [DVD]

Plot:

Police Lieutenant Lon McQ investigates the killing of his best friend and uncovers corrupt elements...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Drugs | Hitman | Detective | Private Detective

Cast

John Wayne	...	Det. Lt. Lon McQ
Eddie Albert	...	Capt. Ed Kosterman
Diana Muldaur	...	Lois Boyle
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Myra
Clu Gulager	...	Franklin Toms
David Huddleston	...	Edward M. 'Pinky' Farrow
Jim Watkins	...	J.C. Davis
Al Lettieri	...	Manny Santiago
Julie Adams	...	Elaine Forrester
Roger E. Mosley	...	Rosey
William Bryant	...	Sgt. Stan Boyle
Richard Kelton	...	Radical
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Eastham	...	Walter Forrester (uncredited)
Dick Friel	...	Bob Mahoney (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
Kim Sanford	...	Ginger (uncredited)
Joe Tornatore	...	Freddy LaSalle (uncredited)
Fred M. Waugh	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)

Directed by
John Sturges

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lawrence Roman		written by

Produced by
Arthur Gardner	....	producer
Jules V. Levy	....	producer
Lawrence Roman	....	co-producer
Michael Wayne	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Jr.

Film Editing by
William H. Ziegler		(as William Ziegler)

Casting by
Nessa Hyams

Production Design by
Walter M. Simonds		(as Walter Simonds)

Set Decoration by
Anthony C. Montenaro		(as Tony Montenaro)

Makeup Department
Joe DiBella	....	makeup artist (as Joe Di Bella)
Dave Grayson	....	makeup artist (as David Grayson)

Production Management
Michael S. Glick	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Grandey	....	second assistant director
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	second unit director (as Ron R. Rondell)
Ric Rondell	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jerry Graham	....	property master

Sound Department
Tex Rudloff	....	sound re-recordist
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound

Special Effects by
Howard Jensen	....	special effects

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bobby Bass	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary McLarty	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Hal Needham	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred M. Waugh	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernie Abramson	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Luster Bayless	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
James D. Brubaker	....	transportation coordinator (as James Brubaker)

Other crew
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
John Franco	....	script supervisor
Thomas John Kane	....	assistant to producers (as Thomas J. Kane)
Robert L. Levy	....	production coordinator (as Robert Levy)
June Foray	....	voice: disk jockey, various (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Batjac Productions
• Levy-Gardner

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia-Warner Distributors (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1974) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinemobile System  locations
• Military Armament Corporation  special weapon
• People and the Officials of the City of Seattle, The  thanks

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | West Germany:16 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Aberdeen, Washington, USA

Company:

Batjac Productions

Trivia:

This is the only movie that western-director John Sturges and cowboy-actor John Wayne made together.

Goofs:

Continuity: At one point, the parting in Eddie Albert's hair changes from one side to the other and back again.

Quotes:

Manny Santiago: [speaking on a pay phone in the men's room] So, one less detective to worry about.
[McQ grabs him from behind and puts him in a headlock]
Det. Lt. Lon McQ: Yeah, one less detective to worry about! I got a message from Patty Samuels! He's sorry he blew it on McQ but he rang it up with Boyle!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Mitchell (#6.12)" (1993)

Wayne liked that Trans Am for all the 'Horse' power

This is just not typical Wayne. Not like the westerns of which he had critical acclaim. To take into account that Wayne already had a body full of 'cancer' when he was making this film. In example, being that just two movies (barely a year and a half) later, he had to have oxygen administered to him, on the set of that last movie that he acted in 'The Shootist'. That was do to the fact that on the set of that old western picture that was shot in about, 1948' out in a desert area, where there had been previous nuclear testing performed. The location managers, happened to put the production company on that site to shoot the movie, it wasn't Wayne being stupid or his fault it was where they were set up to work...everyone else from that movie was gone long ago, Wayne was one of the last to go. Considering all the 'weight' on top of him, I really enjoyed the story and the action, and I am utterly impressed at the caliber of performance that Wayne brought to this picture!!

Also I wanted to mention my respect for Lawrence Roman and John Sturges, the writer and the director, who were the other part in making this what it was.

The back drop of Seattle was especially interesting to me, being born in the northwest originally. It seemed a different setting for Wayne, altogether. Astheticlly pleasing.

Also an impressive aspect for me in this is, John Wayne has a deep commanding voice of course and yet offers sympathy and sensitivity for the other characters at times. On the other hand he also didn't take crap from those around him looking to give it to him.

I guess thats a real balancing act, that kind of makes him sensible too I would think.

Inasmuch I reverted back to my childhood days with the partly cloudy skies of Washington, "The state" as I watched 'Lon' (Wayne) move around the city from place to place, tracking the trail of 'antagonist' Manny Santiago (lettieri). Pretty fun at the point that Lon is in the Men's room with Santiago, pounding him for all he's got and bloodying the city's cornerstone criminal. Lon would return to his bachelor landing pad, out at the dock, his trusty boat. An attempted car theft and after a loud commanding shout, Lon drops the fleeing felon with a single 'solid' aimed gunshot! POW!! Awesome Wayne stuff. Watching him take the witness's statement with the recorder was classic seventies persona kind of nostalgia.

I recommend this feature to any truly discriminating Wayne fan that has not seen it. It was a departure from his other major roles. I think, even though, as it has been said Mr. Morrison always played John Wayne in everything that he ever did. I once heard a man from Hawaii say, "It doesn't matter what the movie on the marque was, if John Wayne is in it, I'm gonna go see it." Lets face it...it was never his 'range of character' that people went to see anyway.

Just good Ol' John Wayne. For me, this movie is right around the caliber of 'BULLITT' (McQueen) Wayne comes through with 'Cowboy' style.(***)