McQ (1974)

Seattle cop Lon McQ investigates the murder of his best friend and the corruption within the police department.

Director:

John Sturges

Writer:

Lawrence Roman

Stars:

John Wayne, Eddie Albert, Diana Muldaur

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Wayne	...	McQ
Eddie Albert	...	Kosterman
Diana Muldaur	...	Lois
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Myra
Clu Gulager	...	Toms
David Huddleston	...	Pinky
Julian Christopher	...	J.C. (as Jim Watkins)
Al Lettieri	...	Santiago
Julie Adams	...	Elaine
Roger E. Mosley	...	Rosey
William Bryant	...	Stan Boyle
Richard Kelton	...	Radical
Joe Tornatore	...	LaSalle
Dick Friel	...	Bob Mahoney
Richard Eastham	...	Walter Forrester

Storyline

Police Lieutenant Lon McQ investigates the killing of his best friend and uncovers corrupt elements of the police department dealing in confiscated drugs.

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Plot Keywords:

police officer | police officer killed | police officer shot in the chest | police officer killed by silenced gun | police officer shot with silenced gun | 

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Taglines:

The cop no one can stop. Even the cops. [DVD]

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 February 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Detektiv McQ

Filming Locations:

Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$9,280,710, 31 December 1974

Company Credits

Production Co:

Batjac Productions,Levy-Gardner,Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kim Sanford's entire dialogue is dubbed, either by Sanford, or by another actress.

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Goofs

At the end of the movie in the beach gun shooting scene, all three of the cars and occupants are at the edge of the surf, with waves coming up past the cars. As one of the bad guys walks up, he is walking up through the surf to get the briefcase when McQ fires at the briefcase, which can be seen partially in the water. As the guy jumps back, he is clearly up on dry sand, way up from the surf.

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Quotes

Santiago: [speaking on a pay phone in the men's room] So, one less detective to worry about.
[McQ grabs him from behind and puts him in a headlock]
McQ: Yeah, one less detective to worry about! I got a message from Patty Samuels! He's sorry he blew it on McQ but he rang it up with Boyle!

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Connections

Edited into La classe américaine (1993)

User Reviews

Wayne liked that Trans Am for all the 'Horse' power

This is just not typical Wayne. Not like the westerns of which he had critical acclaim. To take into account that Wayne already had a body full of 'cancer' when he was making this film. In example, being that just two movies (barely a year and a half) later, he had to have oxygen administered to him, on the set of that last movie that he acted in 'The Shootist'. That was do to the fact that on the set of that old western picture that was shot in about, 1948' out in a desert area, where there had been previous nuclear testing performed. The location managers, happened to put the production company on that site to shoot the movie, it wasn't Wayne being stupid or his fault it was where they were set up to work...everyone else from that movie was gone long ago, Wayne was one of the last to go. Considering all the 'weight' on top of him, I really enjoyed the story and the action, and I am utterly impressed at the caliber of performance that Wayne brought to this picture!!

Also I wanted to mention my respect for Lawrence Roman and John Sturges, the writer and the director, who were the other part in making this what it was.

The back drop of Seattle was especially interesting to me, being born in the northwest originally. It seemed a different setting for Wayne, altogether. Astheticlly pleasing.

Also an impressive aspect for me in this is, John Wayne has a deep commanding voice of course and yet offers sympathy and sensitivity for the other characters at times. On the other hand he also didn't take crap from those around him looking to give it to him.

I guess thats a real balancing act, that kind of makes him sensible too I would think.

Inasmuch I reverted back to my childhood days with the partly cloudy skies of Washington, "The state" as I watched 'Lon' (Wayne) move around the city from place to place, tracking the trail of 'antagonist' Manny Santiago (lettieri). Pretty fun at the point that Lon is in the Men's room with Santiago, pounding him for all he's got and bloodying the city's cornerstone criminal. Lon would return to his bachelor landing pad, out at the dock, his trusty boat. An attempted car theft and after a loud commanding shout, Lon drops the fleeing felon with a single 'solid' aimed gunshot! POW!! Awesome Wayne stuff. Watching him take the witness's statement with the recorder was classic seventies persona kind of nostalgia.

I recommend this feature to any truly discriminating Wayne fan that has not seen it. It was a departure from his other major roles. I think, even though, as it has been said Mr. Morrison always played John Wayne in everything that he ever did. I once heard a man from Hawaii say, "It doesn't matter what the movie on the marque was, if John Wayne is in it, I'm gonna go see it." Lets face it...it was never his 'range of character' that people went to see anyway.

Just good Ol' John Wayne. For me, this movie is right around the caliber of 'BULLITT' (McQueen) Wayne comes through with 'Cowboy' style.(***)