48 Hrs. (1982)

Director:

Walter Hill

Writers:

Roger Spottiswoode (written by) and
Walter Hill (written by) ...

Release Date:

8 December 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

When a tough cop has a cool convict as a partner and 48 hrs to catch a killer, a lot of funny things can happen in . . . 48 HRS. [Australia Theatrical]

Plot:

A hard-nosed cop reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal temporarily paroled to him, in order to track down a killer.

Plot Keywords:

Tough Guy | Alcoholic | Revenge | Racial Overtones | Stolen Car

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Nick Nolte	...	Jack Cates
Eddie Murphy	...	Reggie Hammond
Annette O'Toole	...	Elaine
Frank McRae	...	Haden
James Remar	...	Albert Ganz
David Patrick Kelly	...	Luther
Sonny Landham	...	Billy Bear
Brion James	...	Ben Kehoe
Kerry Sherman	...	Rosalie, Hostage Girl
Jonathan Banks	...	Algren
James Keane	...	Vanzant
Tara King	...	Frizzy, Hotel Desk Clerk
Greta Blackburn	...	Lisa, Blonde Hooker
Margot Rose	...	Casey
Denise Crosby	...	Sally

Also Known As:

48 Hours (USA) (alternative spelling)
Forty Eight Hours (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Australia:R | Singapore:PG (cut) | Netherlands:12 | USA:R (Certificate #26865) | UK:15 (2009) (uncut) | South Korea:15 (cable rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) | Argentina:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) (cut version) | UK:18 (original rating) | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Eddie Murphy's film debut.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): During the "class isn't something you buy" scene when Jack & Reggie are following Luther, Jack says to Reggie class isn't something you buy and then says "...look at you, you've got a 500 dollar suit on and your still a lowlife." But earlier in the film when Reggie is first released and is wearing the suit he tells Jack that it was a $900.00 suit which Jack should have known later in the film.

Quotes:

[Jack and Reggie enter the country and western bar]
Reggie: Not a very popular place with the brothers.
Jack: My kinda place. I always did like country boys. They're sure as hell gonna love you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Joan Rivers/Musical Youth (#8.17)" (1983)

Soundtrack:

NEW SHOES

Pretty entertaining thanks to great performances from the two leads...

It's the chemistry between Nolte and Murphy that makes this work, plus the fact that both men really attempt to 'get into the skin' of their character, something mostly ignored in other examples of this genre. Director Hill knows he's got a great team in front of the camera, and all that remains is for him to incorporate some spectacular action sequences around them. This he does competently. That one-two punch is what gives the movie its fireworks.

The banter and situations concerning the characters are also gleefully un-PC. It'd be interesting to see what a studio and director would make of the same premise in these 'enlightened' times. Murphy's comic stage persona is less restrained here than it would be in later films, and the results are often shamefully funny.

Don't expect Shakespeare, there's far too much cursing and other unsavoury shenanigans going on for that; do expect a pacy and entertaining early example of the 'buddy thriller'.