The Last of the Finest (1990)

Director:

John Mackenzie

Writers (WGA):

Jere Cunningham (story)
Jere Cunningham (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 March 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

It's time for heroes again.

Plot:

An elite group of vice cops are fired from the L.A.P.D. for being over-zealous in their war against drugs...

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Kingpin | Drug Dealer | Hand Grenade | Police Shoot Out

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Brian Dennehy	...	Frank Daly
Joe Pantoliano	...	Wayne Gross
Jeff Fahey	...	Ricky Rodriguez
Bill Paxton	...	Howard 'Hojo' Jones
Michael C. Gwynne	...	Anthony Reece
Henry Stolow	...	Stant
Guy Boyd	...	R.J. Norringer
Henry Darrow	...	Captain Joe Torres
J. Kenneth Campbell	...	Calvert
Deborra-Lee Furness	...	Linda Daly
Lisa Jane Persky	...	Harriet Gross
Patricia Clipper	...	Rose
Michele Little	...	Anita
Susannah Kelly	...	Daly Baby
Sheila Kelly	...	Daly Baby
Micah Rowe	...	Justin Daly
Joey Wright	...	Jimmy Green
Georgie Paul	...	Myrna
John Finnegan	...	Tommy Grogan
Ron Canada	...	Cregan
Michael Strasser	...	McCade
Xander Berkeley	...	Fast Eddie
Pamela Gidley	...	Haley
Burke Byrnes	...	Commnader Orsni
Tom Nolan	...	Travers
Jason Ross	...	Bradan
Kathleen Dennehy	...	Lab Technician
Patrick Stack	...	Press Officer
Larry Carroll	...	Newsman
Jeanne Mori	...	Female Journalist
Kimble Jemison	...	Scared Dealer
Michael Simpson	...	Disc Jockey
James Dalesandro	...	Contra #1
Ray Vegas	...	Contra #2
Joe Minjares	...	Contra #3
Victor Contreras	...	Contra #4
Ramon Angeloni	...	Contra #5
David Allen Young	...	Paramedic
Chenea Ellis	...	Arresting Officer
Frank V. Trevino	...	Clerk
Charles Chiquette	...	Guest #1
Rudy E. Morrison	...	Guest #2
Robert Figg	...	Guest #3
John D. Johnston III	...	Referee
Robert Lee Jarvis	...	Armorer
James W. Gavin	...	Pilot

Directed by
John Mackenzie

Writing credits (WGA)
Jere Cunningham		(story)
Jere Cunningham		(screenplay) and
Thomas Lee Wright		(screenplay) and
George Armitage		(screenplay)

Produced by
Darlene K. Chan	....	associate producer
Jere Cunningham	....	executive producer
John Davis	....	producer
Kurt Neumann	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Michael Hoenig
Jack Nitzsche

Cinematography by
Juan Ruiz Anchía

Film Editing by
Graham Walker

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
Lawrence G. Paull

Set Decoration by
John T. Walker		(as John Thomas Walker)

Costume Design by
Marilyn Vance

Makeup Department
Mel Berns Jr.	....	makeup artist
John Norin	....	makeup artist (as John M. Norin)
Stephen Robinette	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Gary Jones	....	post-production supervisor
Kurt Neumann	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Coad	....	second assistant director
David R. Ellis	....	second unit director
Bill Scott	....	first assistant director (as William P. Scott)
B. Scott Senechal	....	second second assistant director (as Scott Senechal)

Art Department
Ken Adachi	....	assistant property master
Scott M. Anderson	....	prop assistant
Robert J. Carlyle	....	construction foreman
Geoff Hubbard	....	assistant art director
John L. Jensen	....	illustrator (as John Jensen)
Mark Konkel	....	painter
Michael Milgrom	....	property master
Clarence Lynn Price	....	construction coordinator (as Lynn Price)

Sound Department
Peter Bond	....	adr editor
Peter Bond	....	dialogue editor
Richard Fettes	....	assistant foley editor
Kirk Francis	....	sound mixer
Ian Fuller	....	supervising sound editor
Joe Gallagher	....	assistant dialogue editor
Gregory M. Gerlich	....	associate editor
Peggy Names	....	sound utility
Bob Risk	....	foley editor
Mychal Smith	....	boom operator
Andy Stears	....	assistant sound editor
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer

Special Effects by
Roger Hansen	....	special effects person
Gary L. King	....	special effects person
Jay King	....	special effects person (as Jay B. King)
Dale L. Martin	....	special effects supervisor
Robert K. Worthington	....	special effects person

Visual Effects by
Simon Dowling	....	main title designer (uncredited)

Stunts
Pete Antico	....	stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Bobby Burns	....	stunts (as Bobby Andrew Burns)
David Burton	....	stunts
Eric Chambers	....	stunts
Steven Chambers	....	stunts
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts (as Gil Combs)
Wally Crowder	....	stunts
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts (as Steve Davison)
Tim A. Davison	....	stunts (as Tim Davison)
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
Eddy Donno	....	stunts
Cheryl Wheeler Duncan	....	stunts (as Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon)
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Annie Ellis	....	stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (as Davis Ellis)
David R. Ellis	....	stunts (as David Ellis)
Richard M. Ellis	....	stunts (as Richard Ellis)
Gary Epper	....	stunts
James W. Gavin	....	stunts
James M. Halty	....	stunts (as Jim Halty)
Steve Hart	....	stunts
Freddie Hice	....	stunts (as Fred Hice)
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts
Steve Holladay	....	stunts
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (as Hank Hooker)
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (as Tom Huff)
Jeff Imada	....	stunts
Ed Lang	....	stunts
Al Lee	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts (as John C. Meier)
Bennie Moore	....	stunts
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Steve Picerni	....	stunts
Don Pulford	....	stunts
Spiro Razatos	....	stunts
Robby Robinson	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunts
Erik Rondell	....	stunts
R.A. Rondell	....	stunts
Dane Selznick	....	stunts
Paul Sherrod	....	stunts
Clifford Strong	....	stunts
Tierre Turner	....	stunts (as Tierre Ramon Turner)
David Welch	....	stunts
Danny Weselis	....	stunts
David Zellitti	....	stunts (as David M. Zelliti)
Dick Ziker	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Perry Adleman	....	second assistant camera
Gale M. Adler	....	still photographer
Chris Centrella	....	key grip
Stuart E. Cropley	....	electrician (as Stuart Cropley)
David Dubois	....	best boy electric (as David W. DuBois)
Brad Edmiston	....	first assistant camera
Eric Engler	....	camera operator
Khan Griffith	....	electrician
Robert Allan Guernsey	....	first assistant camera
Mark Hadland	....	electrician
Danny Jimenez	....	dolly grip
Ian Kincaid	....	gaffer
Dean M. King	....	grip
Kenny King	....	grip (as Ken King)
Jeff Kluttz	....	key rigging grip
Kim Kono	....	electrician (as Kim K. Kono)
Hugh McCallum	....	best boy grip
Dayton Nietert	....	rigging gaffer
Lee Redmond	....	camera operator
Joyce Rudolph	....	still photographer
Chris Squires	....	camera operator
Jeff Zucker	....	rigging best boy electric (as Jeffrey Zucker)

Casting Department
Stephanie Schwartzman	....	casting secretary

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James 'Mike' Balker	....	costumer (as James M. Balker)
Elinor Bardach	....	costumer (as Elinor C. Bardach)
Gary Sampson	....	costumer
Nick Scarano	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Albert Coleman	....	first assistant editor
Karen Dale Greene	....	editor: Los Angeles
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Jim Howe	....	first assistant editor
Kate Mackenzie	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Pamela Neal	....	score engineer
Mick Taylor	....	featured musician
Richard Whitfield	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Donald R. Casella	....	transportation coordinator
Tim Roslan	....	transportation captain (as Timothy F. Roslan)

Other crew
Michael Adley	....	production assistant
Patrick Armstrong	....	production assistant
Brooke Brooks	....	assistant: Mr. Davis
Christopher Conkling	....	assistant production auditor
Shari Eubanks	....	assistant: Mr. Mackenzie
Karen Golden	....	script supervisor
Regina Gruss	....	unit publicist
Larry Hand	....	production auditor
Joseph Brad Kluge	....	production assistant
Bruce Lawhead	....	location manager
Alyson Milne	....	production assistant
Carol Lea Pike	....	production secretary
Ronald M. Quigley	....	location manager
Richard W. Scarpone	....	craft service (as Richard Scarpone)
Martin Tarr	....	production assistant
Kristan Wagner	....	location manager
Marjorie Webster	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Orion Pictures Corporation
• Davis Entertainment

Distributors

• MGM Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (DVD-R)
• Orion Home Video (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Orion Pictures Corporation
• RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (1990) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures International (1990) (Italy) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Animal Actors of Hollywood  animals by
• De Lane Lea  re-recorded at
• FotoKem Laboratory  color
• Lee America West  grip equipment
• Metamusic Productions  music recorded at
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment
• The Optical Partnership  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Norway:15 | UK:15 (video rating) | USA:R | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Quotes:

Ricky Rodriguez:[opening the garage door] I quit too
Frank Daly:[taken aback] That garage door hasn't been able to open in eight years

Movie Connections:

References Psycho (1960)

Soundtrack:

It's Not Unusual

Fair for the Action Genre

The Last of the Finest, also released as Street Legal, is a fair action film from 1990, starring Brian Dennehy as Officer Frank Daly of the LAPD, and he and his fellow officers (Joe Pantoliano, Jeff Fahey and Bill Paxton) are up aganist a drug operaton headed by a US Government agent (Guy Boyd). After the investigation grows cold, Daly is forced to turn in his badge, but he takes matters into his own hands and also doesn't realize that his former police captain (Henry Darrow) is also apart of the operation. After Bill Paxton's character is killed, Daly does what any honest cop would, to bring justice back, or let the Government get away with the crime. Director John MacKenzie tries to build up a good cop story, but seems to rely mostly on tongue in check, not to mention some slow moving scenes, without action or adventure. However the ending showdown on a Los Angeles football field was pretty good, the helicopter crash looked rather authentic. But like most early 90's action films, The Last of the Finest is an average film most of us have probably seen.