Partners (1982/I)

Director:

James Burrows

Writer:

Francis Veber (written by)

Release Date:

30 April 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The oddest team on the squad and the funniest cops in America.

Plot:

Benson is a police detective. After a series of murders in the Gay community he is ordered to go undercover...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Homosexual | Gay Lead Character | Gay Interest | Gay Stereotype

Cast

Ryan O'Neal	...	Sgt. Benson
John Hurt	...	Kerwin
Kenneth McMillan	...	Chief Wilkins
Robyn Douglass	...	Jill
Jay Robinson	...	Halderstam
Denise Galik	...	Clara
Joseph R. Sicari	...	Walter
Michael McGuire	...	Monroe
Rick Jason	...	Douglas
James Remar	...	Edward K. Petersen
Jennifer Ashley	...	Secretary
Darrell Larson	...	Al
Tony March	...	Aide #2
Seamon Glass	...	Gillis
Steven Reisch	...	Counter Boy

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

San Diego, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During quick close-up of newspaper when female photographer reads story headlined MALE MODEL SLAIN, the article has nothing to do with murder and is just a jumble of meaningless sentences.

Quotes:

Kerwin: Have you got anything you can change into?
Benson: Why?
Kerwin: So you look sexy! Well, I mean, you're all we've got!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Celluloid Closet (1995)

ANTI-Gay??? Ridiculous!!!

PARTNERS (3+ outta 5 stars) Very funny movie... I guess you could basically call it the situation comedy version of "Cruising". In the Al Pacino role of the reluctant undercover cop who has to pretend to be gay is Ryan O'Neal. He is teamed up with Kerwin, an actual gay man (John Hurt) who will help them gain legitimacy as they move into LA's gay community to search for a killer. O'Neal does a nice, light comedy job (and even gets to show off some naked tush) but Hurt really gives this movie some heart as it becomes more and more obvious that he is starting to have tender feelings for his hetero partner. For the life of me I can't understand how people have gotten the idea that this is an ANTI-gay movie? Sure, some the attitudes towards homosexuals and the jokes directed at them are offensive at times... but the movie makes it clear that the people making those remarks are in the wrong! The film's sympathies are definitely with Hurt and not with the gay-bashing cops and their snide comments. As a police story or a mystery the movie is only so-so... but as a smile-inducing buddy movie it hits the bullseye. Scripted and produced by Francis Veber, who created "La Cage Aux Folles" and many other similarly-themed movies in France. The direction might be a little crude and uninspired, but the movie's heart is in the right place.