In the Line of Duty: The F.B.I. Murders

Most people tend to look down their noses at made-for-network TV movies. In fact, a rap against some theatrical films is that it plays "like a made-for-TV film". IN THE LINE OF DUTY: THE FBI MURDERS should take a backseat to no movie: network, cable or theatrical. Based on an actual FBI case, FBI MURDERS chronicles the attempts of the Bureau to capture two men who were going on a spree of murder and robbery across Florida in 1986. Eight agents shot it out with the two men. By the time the smoke cleared, two agents were dead and six were wounded before the robbers were taken down. The action in this film can stand side-by-side with such shoot 'em ups as HEAT (which was a remake of a made-for-network movie: LA TAKEDOWN), BONNIE AND CLYDE and TAXI DRIVER. What may come as a surprise is the actor playing one of the robbers. While David Soul has portrayed men on both sides of the law, it is the shock of seeing Michael Gross, best known for playing the ultraliberal Stephen Keaton on FAMILY TIES as the most vicious of the two crooks. I had the opportunity to go back and look at new articles about this case, one of the news photos is used as a shot in the film. The makers of this really did their homework. It was a shame that FBI MURDERS did not receive any Emmy nominations. Maybe someone will do a theatrical remake of it and cop some Oscars. If it can happen with HEAT, it can happen to this movie.

I first saw this TV movies years ago, and was as intrigued as everybody else by the casting of David Soul and Michael Gross.

Although I haven't seen it for some years, and didn't know the name, I felt compelled to hunt it down on IMDB to make a comment. As well as being outstanding in the action sequences, particularly the ultimate shootout, it was particularly notable for portraying the wrongdoers as unsentimental killers. These murders live with one years after having seen the movie. The makers achieve this not by lingering over the badness of the villains, but by showing them dispatching their victims lightly, unhesitatingly.

Good, skillful movie.

The In The Line of Duty series stands out as excellent - I was fortunate enough to watch a police training tape that re-enacted the infamous shootout upon which this movie is based. The movie itself is well acted and directed. The shootout at the end is pretty amazing - in fact, it shows a real double-standard on the part of network television - they'll cut a theatrical film to death, but if it's made for TV, they'll spice it up as much as they want. You won't believe your eyes as Michael Gross (Family Ties) and half of Starsky and Hutch (David Soul), play vicious robbers, who are finally caught up with by FBI agents, and engage them in a bloody shootout. Gross and Soul take hit after hit before going down, and taking two agents with them. (This isn't theatrics, by the way. Those two men were adrenalized, and determined to get away. They really did take a lot of hits) The tactical mistakes made by the agents that day have reshaped police training forever.

The first in a series of made for television movies, this is perhaps THE BEST. David Soul and Michael Gross play two "respectable" Floridians who set about murdering others and robbing banks. Their exploits come to the attention of the FBI who pursue them in true J Edgar Hoover type fashion. The climatic gun battle is not to be missed. Though toned down considerably for TV, it would rival the shoot out in the movie HEAT. Strongly recommended.

Probably David Soul's best work ever... Michael Grosse is topnotch also... This film was developed shortly after the true-life tale of these two robbers ended in a mass of gunfire and death. The best thing about this film is that it remains faithful to that true-life tale. Everything, down to the meticulously choreographed final shootout, is done accurately (I have also seen the FBI training film based on this event and the final sequence here follows that training film to a "Tee").

The truth of the matter is, when you have true-to-life villains as ruthless as Soul and Grosse's characters, there is no need to embellish. This film is understated and cool. The FBI-side of the story is told through Ronnie Cox and Ben Sheehan analytically, without theatrics and flash. You still get the sense that the FBI wanted these killers off the streets ASAP and there is great tension as the violence continues while the FBI gets closer and closer.

If you get a chance, don't miss seeing this fine film!