Murphy's Law (1986)

Director:

J. Lee Thompson

Writer:

Gail Morgan Hickman (written by)

Release Date:

18 April 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

They set him up. He takes them down.

Plot:

An action-packed thriller starring Charles Bronson as Jack Murphy, a cop who is running to stay alive long enough to even the score with his wife's killer.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Stalking | Detective | Death | Thief

Cast

Charles Bronson	...	Jack Murphy
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Arabella McGee
Carrie Snodgress	...	Joan Freeman
Robert F. Lyons	...	Art Penney
Richard Romanus	...	Frank Vincenzo
Angel Tompkins	...	Jan
Bill Henderson	...	Ben Wilcove
James Luisi	...	Ed Reineke
Clifford A. Pellow	...	Lieutenant Nachman
Janet MacLachlan	...	Dr. Lovell
Lawrence Tierney	...	Cameron
Jerome Thor	...	Judge Kellerman
Mischa Hausserman	...	Dave Manzarek
Cal Haynes	...	Reese
Hans Howes	...	Santana
Joseph Roman	...	Carl (as Joseph Spallina Roman)
Chris DeRose	...	Tony Vincenzo (as Chris De Rose)
Frank Annese	...	Kelly
Paul McCallum	...	Hog
Dennis Hayden	...	Sonny
Tony Montero	...	Max
David Hayman	...	Jack
Lisa Vice	...	Blonde
Janet Rotblatt	...	Mrs. Vincenzo
Greg Finley	...	Booking Sergeant
Jerry Lazarus	...	Lawyer
Robert Axelrod	...	Hotel Clerk
John Hawker	...	Hotel Guest
Bert Williams	...	Police Captain
Daniel D. Halleck	...	Lead Cop (as Daniel Halleck)
Randall Carver	...	Mechanic
Gerald Berns	...	Young Cop
Don Brodie	...	Old Man (as Don L. Brodie)
Graham Timbes	...	Detective
David K. Johnston	...	Guard #1
Paul McCauley	...	Bailiff
Brooks Wachtel	...	Maitre D'
Richard Hochberg	...	Man with Glasses
John F. McCarthy	...	Patrol Cop
Leigh Lombardi	...	Stewardess
Charlie Brewer	...	Security Guard
Charles A. Nero	...	Liquor Clerk
Wheeler Henderson	...	Woman in Bathroom
Frank Bove	...	Guard #2
Christopher Stanley	...	Ambulance Attendant (as Chris Stanley)
Linda Harwood	...	Waitress
Nancie Clark	...	Restaurant Patron
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
C. Courtney Joyner	...	Bar Patron
Michael Cooper	...	LAX Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
J. Lee Thompson

Writing credits
Gail Morgan Hickman		(written by)

Produced by
Yoram Globus	....	executive producer
Menahem Golan	....	executive producer
Gail Morgan Hickman	....	associate producer
Jill Ireland	....	co-producer
Pancho Kohner	....	producer

Original Music by
Marc Donahue
Valentine McCallum

Cinematography by
Álex Phillips Jr.		(director of photography) (as Alex Phillips)

Film Editing by
Peter Lee-Thompson		(as Peter Lee Thompson)
Charles Simmons

Casting by
Perry Bullington
Robert MacDonald

Production Design by
William Cruse

Set Decoration by
Whitney Brooke Wheeler		(as W. Brooke Wheeler)

Costume Design by
Shelley Komarov

Makeup Department
Lilly Benyair-Gart	....	hair supervisor (as Lily Benyair)
Lilly Benyair-Gart	....	makeup supervisor (as Lily Benyair)
Melonie Cleric	....	assistant hairdresser (as Melonie Nadinia Cleric)
Dee Mansano	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jeffrey Silver	....	executive in charge of production
Michael R. Sloan	....	post-production supervisor
George Van Noy	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve Lazarus	....	first assistant director
Robert C. Ortwin Jr.	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Edwin M. Brewer	....	property master (as Edwin Brewer)
Joshua Culp	....	assistant art director (as Joshua S. Culp)
Jim Elyea	....	set dresser (as James Elyea)
Mark Heiner	....	assistant property master
John S. Karas	....	construction coordinator (as John Karras)
Aimee D. Orkin	....	scenic artist
Rodger M. Pitts	....	set dresser
Lynn Risdon	....	art department coordinator
Catherine Schlesinger	....	art department coordinator
Walter Shipley	....	set dresser (as Walt Shipley)
Rene Veluzat	....	construction coordinator
David Halver	....	art department assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
George Berndt	....	supervising dialogue editor
Jim Borgardt	....	dialogue editor (as James A. Borgardt)
Mike Clark	....	boom operator
Christine Danelski	....	assistant sound effects editor
Elliot Deitch	....	sound effects editor
John Duvall	....	foley editor
Craig Felburg	....	production sound mixer
Dennis Fuller	....	cable man
Jessica Gallavan	....	assistant dialogue editor
Sandy Gendler	....	supervising sound effects editor
Howell Gibbens	....	assistant sound effects editor
Robert Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bob Glass)
Victor Grodecki	....	dialogue editor
Julie Hall	....	sound effects editor
Richard King	....	sound effects editor
David Lebrun	....	foley editor (as David LeBrun)
Darwin Jay Lollar	....	boom operator
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Portman)
Barry Rubinow	....	foley editor
Ruth Schell	....	dialogue editor
Ralph Stuart	....	assistant sound effects editor

Special Effects by
John Bisson	....	special effects
Michael Clifford	....	special effects (as Michael A. Clifford)

Stunts
David Bilson	....	stunt player
May Boss	....	stunt player
Hal Burton	....	stunt player
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunt player
Christopher Doyle	....	stunt player
Beau Vanden Ecker	....	associate stunt coordinator (as Beau Van Den Ecker)
Tom Elliott	....	stunt player (as Tom Elliot)
Eurlyne Epper	....	stunt player
Jeannie Epper	....	stunt player
Debbie Evans	....	stunt player
Buck McDancer	....	stunt player
George Novak	....	stunt player
Alan Oliney	....	stunt player
Ernie F. Orsatti	....	stunt coordinator (as Ernie Orsatti)
Karen Price	....	stunt player
Carol Rees	....	stunt player
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunt player
John Sherrod	....	stunt player
Bob Stephens	....	stunt player (as Bob Norm Stephens)
Joe Stone	....	stunt player
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunt player
David Zellitti	....	stunt player
Kenny Bates	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ernie F. Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Josh Bleibtreu	....	second assistant camera
Anthony Caldwell	....	best boy grip
Andrew Cooper	....	still photographer
Caleb Edwards	....	best boy grip
Jack English	....	gaffer (as John P. English)
Joan Geguld	....	grip (as Joan Geduld)
Ed Giovanni	....	first assistant camera
Kevin Kuhn	....	second assistant camera (as Kevin Kühn)
John Maninger	....	electrician (as John H. Maninger)
Tony Mazzucchi	....	grip (as Anthony T. Mazzucchi)
Hugh McCallum	....	electrician
John Roy Morgan	....	key grip (as John Morgan)
Dino Parks	....	electrician
Charles W. Smith	....	electrician
Pat Swovelin	....	second assistant camera
Jesse Tango	....	grip (as Jess Tango Jr.)
Newton TerMeer	....	best boy electrician (as Newton Termeer)
Eric Ward	....	electrician (as Eric A. Ward)
Jamie Young	....	grip
George M. Chappell	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Dennis Hansen	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Heidi Freundlich Gilles	....	assistant costume designer
Beverly Val-Brown	....	second assistant wardrobe (as Beverly Brown)
Marion Kirk	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Johanna Lyle Bennett	....	assistant film editor (as Johanna L. Bennett)
Anne Couk	....	assistant film editor
Michael J. Duthie	....	additional editor
Mary E. Jochem	....	assistant film editor
Karen D. Joseph	....	assistant film editor (as Karen Joseph)
Daniel Loewenthal	....	additional editor
Omneya 'Nini' Mazen	....	post-production coordinator
Angelo Russo	....	color timer
Scott Stevenson	....	assistant film editor
Anne-Marie Vitello	....	negative cutter
Ron Vitello	....	negative cutter
Craig Weintraub	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
John Bisharat	....	composer: closing title theme
Bill Black	....	assistant music editor
Marc Donahue	....	music performer
Paula Erickson	....	music supervisor
Valentine McCallum	....	music performer
Barbara Pokras	....	music editor

Transportation Department
George K. Burnette	....	driver
John Conte	....	driver
Ross Ellis	....	driver
Edward Flotard	....	transportation captain
Allan Herendeen	....	driver
Jimmy Jones	....	transportation coordinator
Joe 'Stinky' Killian	....	driver (as Joseph Killian)
George R. Matejka	....	driver (as George Metejka)
Tim C. McHenry	....	driver (as Tim McHenry)
George Panivics	....	driver: chef (as George Panevics)
Joel Renfro	....	transportation coordinator (as Joel A. Renfro)
Jim Rogers	....	driver
Charlie Rothstein	....	driver (as Charles Rothstein)
Daniel Rothstein	....	driver
Danny L. Swanson	....	driver (as Danny Swanson)
Chip H. White	....	driver
John Yarbrough	....	driver (as John David Yarbrough)
Bruce Scott	....	driver: cast (uncredited)

Other crew
Wenden K. Baldwin	....	title designer
Caroline Baron	....	assistant production executive
Karin Cooper	....	script supervisor
Alan Gershenfeld	....	production coordinator
Amy Grandrath	....	production assistant
Mischa Hausserman	....	aerial coordinator
Gretchen Iverson	....	production assistant (as Gretchen Iversen)
Leonor Johnson	....	cook's helper
Leslie 'Tinker' Linville	....	accounting assistant (as Leslie Linville)
Michael Madl	....	security guard
Shelley Mills	....	production assistant
Patricia G. Payró	....	assistant to producer
Larry Pearson	....	location manager
Kevin B. Piatt	....	craft service
Kevin B. Piatt	....	first aid
Robert Saurman	....	police coordinator
Kyle Seidenbaum	....	title designer
Jonathan Wolf	....	production accountant (as Jonathan D. Wolf)
Erez Yaoz	....	production assistant
Enrico Mastracchi Manes	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Joe Straw	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Golan-Globus Productions

Distributors

• Cannon Group, The (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia - EMI - Warner Distributors (1986) (UK) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (1986) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Pan-Canadian Film Distributors (1986) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Scotia (1986) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• América Vídeo (1987) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Cannon Home Video (1986) (USA) (video) (through Media Home Entertainment)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MTC Video (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
• Media Home Entertainment (1986) (USA) (video)
• RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video (1987) (Australia) (video)
• Vestron Video (1986) (West Germany) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Pioneer FX

Other Companies

• Lion's Gate Studios  re-recording
• Pacific Title  main titles and opticals
• TVC Laboratories  color (as TVC)
• Vista Group  GMC trucks and Oldsmobile cars supplied through (as The Vista Group)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Singapore:M18 | Australia:R | Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 (f) | New Zealand:R16 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Kelly Gulch - 1801 North Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Topanga Canyon, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Golan-Globus Productions

Trivia:

This movie was made and released about two years before "Murphy's Law" (1988), a tv series that shared the same name. It was also made and released about two years before the similarly titled "Murphy Brown" (1988).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jack and Arabella escape from the hotel, she steps onto the fire ladder first. However it is Jack that steps off the ladder prior to her.

Quotes:

Joan Freeman:Go to Hell!
Jack Murphy:Ladies first.

Movie Connections:

References "Romper Room and Friends" (1953)

Soundtrack:

Murphy's Law

Great insults!

Our group watched this on valentine's day and I can tell you that it was a wonderful idea. We ended up writing down as many of those excellent 80's insults as possible, and our list ended up filling an entire page. You just don't see movies anymore where a major character says things like "I must have boogers for brains," or "eat it toe jam," let alone calls Bronson a "Snot Licking Donkey Fart" or a "Camel Crotch." We agonized over the seething sexual subtext throughout the film, wondering "would they or wouldn't they?" For maximum fun, appoint someone to yell "BRONSONED!!!!" whenever a heaping helping of snarling .44 Magnum super-justice appears imminent.