The Spirit (1987)

A legally dead police detective decides to battle crime as a masked superhero.

Director:

Michael Schultz

Writers:

Will Eisner (characters), Steven E. de Souza

Stars:

Sam J. Jones, Nana Visitor, Bumper Robinson

Cast

Credited cast:
Sam J. Jones	...	Spirit / Denny Colt
Nana Visitor	...	Ellen Dolan
Bumper Robinson	...	Eubie
Garry Walberg	...	Commissioner Dolan
Les Lannom	...	Officer King
Laura Robinson	...	P'Gell Roxton (as McKinlay Robinson)
Daniel Davis	...	Simon Teasdale
Philip Baker Hall	...	Sevrin
John Allen	...	Bruno
Sarah Dammann	...	Hilde
Janet Rotblatt	...	Purse Snatch Victim
Ernestine Mercer	...	Martha
Annibal Llende	...	Ricardo
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ed Cambridge
Robert Jayne	...	(as Bobby Jacoby)

Storyline

When Denny Colt, detective for the Central City Police Department, survives an assassination attempt by criminals, he is still believed by the public to be dead. He decides to use to his advantage, since being "dead", he isn't subject to the rules that bind regular cops. To this end, he equips an abandoned tomb in a graveyard into a residence and headquarters and prepares for a new career. With that, he becomes the Spirit, a mysterious crime fighter whose only costume is a blue business suit, fedora hat and a little eye mask. His first major case pits him against P'Gell, a femme fatal who has criminal designs on the city.

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Plot Keywords:

mask | superhero | based on comic book | hot tub | whipping | 

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Genres:

Action

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 July 1987 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Von Zerneck-Samuels Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the comic book on which the film is based, Eubie is called Ebony White and he is usually depicted as a racial stereotype. The movie changed his name and characterization in an effort to make him more acceptable to audiences of the time.

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Connections

Version of The Spirit (2008)

User Reviews

In spite of its flaws I liked it.

Based upon Will Eisner's comic book character, the movie manages to capture the essence of the hero while sacrificing the film noir elements of the original comic book. Here are all the trademarks of the original character: the torn shirt, the beautiful femme fatale, the cemetery, the rain storms. However, the film never looks "right" - the film appears low budget despite some very good actors and actresses. Part of the problem is the translation of the Spirit to the 1980's. Two scenes in the film stand out as classic Esiner: the scene in the foundry and the final fight in the museum. Not a great film but a fun way to spend an afternoon.