Obscure Movie Recommendations

[Little Garwood]

I remember seeing Clu in the 1974 John Wayne cop film (yes, Duke did 2 of those I think) called McQ. Gulager turned out to be the baddie in that film (what else, right?). But despite being one of the main supporting cast members he had very little screen time. Makes me think that maybe a lot of his scenes were cut or something. He was like the 4th or 5th billed actor in that film but many of the smaller billed actors actually ended up with more screen time than him. In fact Roger E. Mosley was in that one too (like 11th billed or something) and he probably had more screen time than Clu. I thought that was odd. The film is worth checking out, if only for the stellar car chase on the beach at the end between the Duke and Al Lettieri and his goons. There's an incredible car flip/roll there!!

McQ has that great Elmer Bernstein score--a CD I play on my stereo-- and that car chase on the beach always entertains. Is McQ the first movie featuring a MAC-10 sub-machine gun? The movie was released in 1974, a year in which I am particularly fascinated.

[Pahonu]

I remember seeing Clu in the 1974 John Wayne cop film (yes, Duke did 2 of those I think) called McQ. Gulager turned out to be the baddie in that film (what else, right?). But despite being one of the main supporting cast members he had very little screen time. Makes me think that maybe a lot of his scenes were cut or something. He was like the 4th or 5th billed actor in that film but many of the smaller billed actors actually ended up with more screen time than him. In fact Roger E. Mosley was in that one too (like 11th billed or something) and he probably had more screen time than Clu. I thought that was odd. The film is worth checking out, if only for the stellar car chase on the beach at the end between the Duke and Al Lettieri and his goons. There's an incredible car flip/roll there!!

McQ has that great Elmer Bernstein score--a CD I play on my stereo-- and that car chase on the beach always entertains. Is McQ the first movie featuring a MAC-10 sub-machine gun? The movie was released in 1974, a year in which I am particularly fascinated.

I have McQ in my DVR ready for a rewatch after TCM played it a month or so ago. I think there’s no better time than the present. It’s been many years but I’m looking forward to it.

[terryfromkerry]

Hi Pahonu, I must have another viewing too. Look out for the scene where McQ arrives at the door to Rosey's (played by our beloved Roger) apartment. I am tempted but I 'll avoid the spoiler.

[Little Garwood]

The one thing I remember about The Duke's other cop movie, Brannigan, is his exchange with Richard Attenborough(?)

Attenborough: "So how's the world's second-greatest navy?" [referring to the US navy]

Duke: [Chuckling] "You oughta know!" [referring to the British navy]

As for McQ, Al Lettieri was the "heavy" of the early-to-mid '70s: The Godfather; The Getaway; Mr. Majestyk; McQ. The guy packed a lot in until he, well, packed it in for good in 1975.

BTW, a tip of the hat to anyone who's actually watched any of my (or anyone else's) obscure recommendations. The unfortunate thing about some of the films mentioned is that a number of them were once pretty well known. Now, not so much. Our collective pop culture memory has become depressingly short. I thought of this when I was going to mention The Drowning Pool (1975). It stars the great Paul Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward, not to mention Melanie Griffith, but the film, along with seemingly most of the detective genre, has been rendered obscure by the relentless passage of time.

[Pahonu]

Hi Pahonu, I must have another viewing too. Look out for the scene where McQ arrives at the door to Rosey's (played by our beloved Roger) apartment. I am tempted but I 'll avoid the spoiler.

Cheers to rewatching!