Dos contra todos

One of the best of the cop-buddy-movie genre. Although there is just enough realism to keep the story's premise afloat, Director Richard Rush makes sure that this film doesn't take itself too seriously. Alan Arkin turns in a first-rate performance as the "Bean", the straight guy (with a couple of kinks of his own) against James Cann's maverick "Freebie" character.

There are a few surprising twists, even though a flick this funny doesn't really need much of a plot.

With a strong supporting cast including Valerie Harper and Loretta Swit, I found this feature outrageously funny when I saw it in the theater in 1975, and it's still just as good today. There is a scene with Alex Rocco as the "D.A.", at which my dad, a real-life D.A. at the time, nearly fell out of his seat laughing.

If you can find this classic, by all means watch it. As long as you remember that it's just a spoof, no more a serious look at policing than "Police Academy" was, you'll enjoy yourself. If we're lucky, maybe a DVD release is in the cards.

Although it's story is a letdown, Caan and Arkin' make a great teaming of "throw the book out the window cops", I'm prepared to forgive this. They're two of the most unruly cops I've ever seen. They're methods of questioning are mostly exorcised by physical violence and threats of intimidation. They total three squad cars in three days, would you believe, one of the cars going off a speed ramp and crashing through a wall of a elderly couples home is a classic. The couple, sitting up in bed, sharing milk and cookies, just have stunned looks. These cops are tailing this old codger, who's involved in racketeering, where there's a good chance he's gonna be hijacked. This leads us to wonder why our dynamic duo are so wasting their time on this clown. They even trawl threw a boot of garbage, fishing out a list, they present to their superior, who tells them "They're not fit to guard the fish at the aquarium". This movie works, thanks to Caan, and especially Arkin, who I loved in this. One interrogation scene, involving a gay guy in a bath, was funny too, wanting the two to rough him up, where Caan says "Let's get out of here before this freak starts drinking the bathwater". Valerie (Rhoda) Harper lends great support as Arkin's wife, while Loretta "Hot lips Hoolahan" Swit pops up as the old codger's mistress. I love this movie every time I watch it. It one of those rare buddy cop movie's where, the cops are so out of line, it's not funny. Sometimes they are like kids, causing an ambulance to topple over at it's end, or chasing each other through a playground while on surveillance of that joker. Don't miss this opportunity view.

This is the biggest WTF ever. The way I would describe it is a movie you don't want to see, that you are dragged into, and realize that is exactly who the film was made for. It starts as one thing and then it feels like they gave up and just made it up as they went. Like imagine The Naked Gun but as a serious movie.

With San Francisco locales and Laslo Kovacs lensing this all becomes an outright surreal fever dream. I am also reminded of Richard Lester films, how he thinks in comic vignettes but isn't necessarily a comic director. Like, when violence happens it's brutal, suddenly it's like Dick Tracy. The characters yell at each other start to finish but they don't hate each other, it's just how they communicate. The director is doing a madcap comedy, Kovacs is filming for an oscar, the writers are doing like a Neil Simon Dragnet, and the actors think they're making the French Connection.

People should study this movie if they get into filmmaking or screenwriting, it will change how you see movies, because every element is disparate, they're all making a different movie in their heads, but it works. You imagine them writing it off, saying they just made a flop, pointing fingers, but then it came out perfectly. It isn't doing those Pauline Kael big zeitgeist things, it is almost sending them up which is endearing. Its modest ambition may take points off compared to its class, but who cares, it is certainly a classic to me. I only take a half point off because you have two choices, give it an F or give it an A minus.

The Daddy of 'em all. The original & still the best. Arkin & Caan are on top form as (you saw it here first) mis-matched, loose-cannon cops, who leave a trail of destruction (oh, beautiful destruction!) in their wake. With it being the 70's, the language is somewhat 'colourful', which just adds to Caan's character. Foul-mouthed 70's cops, don't you just love 'em? The stunts are top-notch and spectacular, not to mention highly original and almost comic book (The car pile-up scene & 'that' scene where they crash the car)

Rush's direction is excellent as well. He only made this because he couldn't get 'The Stunt Man' off the ground! (which is another corker) Altogether an very, VERY enjoyable romp (COP-romp, that is) The film was virtually remade as Lethal weapon 4 (not to mention 1, 2 & 3!)

My favourite scene is the ludicrous fight in the restaurant kitchen, where Rush must've just said 'try to destroy everything you can in this scene, boys'. Which they did. Brilliant.

A mainstay on cable in the 70's, Freebie and the Bean is by no means "great" but it certainly is thoroughly entertaining to anyone who doesn't let political correctness stand in their way.

This is no doubt a film that can offend; the two cops (especially Caan) use muscle whenever they can; a crossdresser is treated horribly and insulted; there's some racial humor. But hey, this was made in 1974 when people simply weren't as uptight as they are now.

It's a goofy movie, it has goofy music, goofy comedy and a goofy script. The goofiness, violence and non-political correctness of this flick make for an odd mix, but it's an entertaining mix. Cann and Arkin are great in their roles, and show geniune affection and friendship for each other as they try to keep a criminal alive to break a case.

Car chase fans especially like this movie, and there are some classic chases here! The highlight chase shows the duo chasing after a blue car with some truly amazing stuntwork.

All in all if you aren't the easily offended type, and like some goofy comedy mixed with action, it's worth a spin, if only to see how movies were made when not under a watchdog's microscope.