The Big Easy (1986)

A corrupt lieutenant in the homicide division is threatened by the righteous DA while trying to solve a string of mysterious murders.

Director:

Jim McBride

Writer:

Daniel Petrie Jr. (screenplay by)

Stars:

Dennis Quaid, Ellen Barkin, Ned Beatty

4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Quaid	...	Remy McSwain
Ellen Barkin	...	Anne Osborne
Ned Beatty	...	Jack Kellom
John Goodman	...	Det. Andre DeSoto
Lisa Jane Persky	...	McCabe
Ebbe Roe Smith	...	Ed Dodge
Tom O'Brien	...	Bobby McSwain
Charles Ludlam	...	Lamar Parmentel
Grace Zabriskie	...	Mama
Marc Lawrence	...	Vinnie 'The Cannon' DiMotti
Solomon Burke	...	Daddy Mention
Gailard Sartain	...	Chef Paul
Jim Chimento	...	Freddie Angelo
Edward Saint Pe'	...	Patrolman (as Edward St. Pe)
Robert Lesser	...	'Silky' Foster

Storyline

Set in New Orleans. Remy McSwain, lieutenant in Homicide finds that he has two problems, the first of a series of gang killings and Ann Osborne, a beautiful attorney from the D.A.'s police corruption task force in his office. He begins a relationship with her as the killings continue only to have charges filed against him for accepting bribes as he stumbles on a police corruption Sting. While this is happening, the criminals insist that none of the crime gangs are behind the killings.

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Plot Keywords:

seduction | lust | cleavage | new orleans louisiana | neo noir | 

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Taglines:

Police action at its best

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 August 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Big Ea$y

Filming Locations:

Moss St. by Cabrini High School, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$17,685,307

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kings Road Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was spun-off as a television series for two seasons on the USA Network during 1996 and 1997 [See: The Big Easy (1996)].

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Goofs

Anne's necklace just after Daddy Mention is killed.

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Quotes

Remy McSwain: If I can't have you, can I have my gator?

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Alternate Versions

While the UK theatrical release ends with the boat exploding, a fade out and cutting to Remy and Anne dancing around on their wedding night, the UK video release has an extra scene which features Anne talking Remy out of resigning and Remy proposing marriage.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: The Best Films of 1987 (1988)

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Soundtracks

LITTLE LIZA JANE
Performed by St. Augustine's Marching Hundred

User Reviews

Has Its Moments But Just Fair Overall

I found this to be a so-so modern-day film noir drama - not bad, but nothing super. To its credit, it provides a little humor to offset the ugliness.

It also provides the standard sex scenes, this one featuring Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin; the seedy New Orleans atmosphere and the standard cops-are- crooked angle. The last part plays a big role in this story as even the good guy Quaid admits to numerous minor offenses. Unfortunately, you can't always understand Dennis as he gives us his Cajun accent. He sounded - and looked - as if he had marbles in his mouth.

Barkin was not as rough-talking and rough-looking as she was in a bunch of other films from the mid '80s to mid '90s, which was fine with me. New Orleans was pictured, as it so often is, as very bleak and dingy. If city residents weren't happy with this movie, I could understand that.

The ending of the film is a little hokey but overall, the story was interesting and I gave it two looks over the years, liking it better the second time.