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McQ (1974) (http://imdb.com/title/tt0071824/) - John Wayne stars in this 70's crime/action/drama directed by John Sturges. John Wayne is police detective McQ who's partner has been killed and he sets out to investigate. The film is enjoyable and was really good viewing. Some interesting twist and turns with a good beach car chase and shootout at the end.

 :thumbup: :thumbup: (8 out of 10 Stars) Couldn't ask for anything more. Solid John Wayne film.

(http://www.historylink.org/db_images/mcq.JPG)

This is one of those movies that I enjoy watching from time to time, but I'm not sure why.  I don't think it's an especially good movie (on a scale of 4 stars I would give it 2 1/2), but there's something about it that makes me want to watch it once every couple of years.  I bought the DVD (along with BRANNIGAN) and they are nice components of my John Wayne collection.

This is a pretty good movie, always liked John Wayne as an action hero. Some how though this movie also made him seem more like a regular guy and less like a super hero, that's something else I've always liked about this film.

Yea, this was a good ole film from the 70's. A real pleasure and I'd like to see BRANNIGAN sometime.

I remember an interview in which John Wayne said that he preferred westerns because the working wardrobe was more comfortable and easier to move around in, he didn't like wearing a coat and tie (something I agree with) especially in an action film. 
(http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q122/DENNISDURWARDHAMMOND/002415_12.jpg)

The cowboy accent for a Seattle police detective was a little off also, but it didn't matter as the film was good viewing even though.

I always liked Branigan more than this one. I give them points for trying something different with Wayne as tastes changed, but it also seems like they were just following the trend at the time.

Plus Wayne looks so tired at the end, when he firing the Mac sub-machine gun. Like they knew because of his health they would have to skimp on the action and just let the gun do the work at the climax.

OTOH, it does have the excellent character actor and villain Al Lettieri in it. He was great, it's a shame he died fairly young. It would have been fun to see what else he could do.

I'm with Yaddo on this one, too. Prefering "Brannigan," which I believe is the audience favorite, to "McQ," which I believe is the critical favorite. Both of which were made about the same time.

In "Brannigan," he's a police detective, too, but he's a fish out of the water, as he's in London to pick up a prisoner to be extradicted to the U.S. While in London he interacts with such British actors as Sir Richard Attenborough, Judy Geeson, Lesley-Ann Down, etc. Among the other American actors in the film are Mel Ferrer, John Vernon, and Ralph Meeker.

For my money, "Brannigan" has one of the best bar brawls, or pub brawls, I have ever seen. Or, as they call it in the U.K., a punch-up.

 :bouncegiggle:

The scene in Brannigan which always makes me laugh is in the bar brawl where Richard Attenbrough klonks John Wayne on the jaw.  :teddyr:

That always reminds me of what almost happened to Lord Dickie when he came to South Africa to scout locations for Cry Freedom and nearly had the you know what beaten out of him in a petrol station toilet by, in his words, "two huge farmers" in the Orange Free State. :question:

Question...(and a weird one...) I think isaw BRANNIGAN years ago on TV,and I thought I rembered a brief scene in which he fights Bruce Lee(of all people) :question: in an office..is it so,or am I loosing my marbles? Seems like Bruce was wrecking the joint ,and Wayne said,"AW,the hell withit and knocked him threw a window???

RCM, that sounds more like scenes from Marlowe starring James Garner. Lee has a couple of scenes as a gangster's underling (offer maker/muscle).

When Garner turns down Lee's offer of cash to drop the case he's working, Lee takes the office apart while Garner sits behind his desk.

They meet again on a restaurant's balcony, Lee uses the isolated location to attack Garner for not dropping the case. Garner turns Lee's attacks against him, goading him on by questioning his manhood ("You're pretty light on your feet. You're just a little bit gay, aren't you?" IIRC working from memory), until Lee kicks too aggressively, overshoots as Garner dodges out of the way, and plunges to his death.

Yaddo's right ~ that is from Marlowe. :thumbup:

Another funny moment, after Bruce Lee karate-chops James Garner's desk in two, Carroll O'Connor looks in, sees the shattered desk and asks what happened.

James Garner replies: "Termites."  :teddyr:

Yeah!!! That must be it!!! That was driving me bonkers,cuz I just looked up cast for both Wayne films on IMDB, and no Bruce Lee...then I came back here and read this...now I can go to work this morning at peace with the world... :smile:

Here's a short MCQ clip of the cars on beach chase scene.

[youtube=425,350]http://youtube.com/watch?v=NXdi3Euky64&mode=related&search=

I hated this film the first time I watched it. Wayne couldn't look more fish-out-of-water, and he was too old to star in an action movie. The funny thing is that it has become a guilty pleasure with repeated viewings. Even I have to admit that Wayne is fun to watch, and the final car chase is great.

I saw "Brannigan" recently. Definitely a much better film, Wayne looks more awake here, the buddy movie elements work  and the action is handled much better.

Your right Neville. MCQ is oddly fun to watch.

Where have you been Neville lately?

Uh? I never left. Just been posting about good movies for a change, such as the first "Star Trek" films.