Madigan
Director: Don Siegel
Year Released: 1968
Rating: 2.0
Standard cop drama that goes through the clichés: gritty police officer (Richard Widmark) that's respected but doesn't play by the rules, wife who doesn't understand his dedication, police commissioner (Henry Fonda) who's a real hard ass but does have his own code of ethics, plenty of 'sexually peculiar' criminal types, a turn-in-your-badge scene and of course, several speeches about the need for law enforcement, flag waving and nods to peace and prosperity. What helps transcend this rather standard setup is the performances by both Widmark and Fonda, both of whom look and act as if all their actions are of the utmost importance, and whose collective intensity drives the picture along.
