Review of Brannigan (1975) by Stuart K — 05 Aug 2013

Directed by Douglas Hickox (Theatre of Blood (1973) and Zulu Dawn (1979)), this is a tough British thriller which put John Wayne as a fish-out-of-water cop in London, that's the novelty about it. It was the second of only 2 cop films Wayne did, the other one being McQ (1974), but there is quite a bit to admire about this film, it has a great cast, although it does owe alot to Coogan's Bluff (1968), only set in London, but it does work.

Chicago cop Jim Brannigan (Wayne) is sent to London to extradite American gangster Ben Larkin (John Vernon). Brannigan is aided by local policewoman Jennifer (Judy Geeson), and Brannigan reports to Commander Swann (Richard Attenborough), who runs the Metropolitan Police, and doesn't like that Brannigan carries a gun to sort out matters.

But when Larkin is kidnapped by Mel Fields (Mel Ferrer), Brannigan goes on a manhunt across London looking for him, but a contract has been put out on Brannigan's life to prevent him sending Larkin back to America, with hitman Gorman (Daniel Pilon) sent to London to stop Brannigan, but Brannigan won't be stopped at doing his job.

It's a routine action thriller, but it's very light hearted, with Wayne playing it up, and causing a bar-room brawl as he would have in one of his westerns, but it has some amusing sights like Wayne fighting Brian Glover and Wayne throwing Tony Robinson into the Thames.