The Mighty Quinn

I just discovered this movie a week or two ago. It is really fun! That's more than can be said for lots of movies these days. I am surprised that people have not commented on the three blind men following one another as they tap their way through one of the scenes. A real "nod" to James Bond's Dr. No. This is just one of the surprises in this very entertaining movie. Denzel Washington was excellent. The film is full of interesting, quirky characters and some great dialogue as well. It is also good to see location filming in a place that is not often seen in films any more. This is really an old fashioned type of film with a sense of life and warmth in it.

Released in 1989, The Mighty Quinn is currently rated as Denzel Washington's 46th best movie (on IMDB). I'm not saying it's bad but it's never going to become a classic and it is starting to show its age a little.

Denzel plays Xavier Quinn, the police chief on a Caribbean island where some stereotypical eccentricities are maybe rather over-emphasised. He's very dashing in his formal uniform and while out of favour with his wife, he's still not short of admirers. His not-so-smooth life is then even more disturbed by a murder at a smart local hotel. The powers that be seem rather too keen to close down the investigation fast and pin the blame on Maubee - a colourful ne'er-do-well who was also Quinn's childhood friend. A role that gives Robert Townsend plenty of scope to enjoy himself.

Denzel himself, though, is perhaps at his 46th best. What in his later roles becomes a cool stillness, here sometimes just looks a little stiff. His Jamaican accent also occasionally wanders and his singing is a departure.

Don't be totally put off though. Denzel is still easy to watch and it's a gently diverting classic murder mystery set in a colourful community and beautiful scenery. 6/10.

This is one of the most entertaining movies I've seen all year. It takes place in a town on a carribean island not unlike Jamaica, and tells the story of a drifter named Maubee accussed of murder, and his best friend who happens to be the town sherrif. I loved this movie, because of it's wonderful characters, and the things they deal with over the course of this movie. The film may not be action-packed, or even contain a gripping plot, but I assure any readers this movie will not dissapoint you. Denzel Washington is delightful as the sherrif trying to prove his friends innosennce, and Robert Townsend plays the down-and-out drifter Maubee, in an equaly pleasing role. While the films premise may not initialy draw you in, its wonderful characters and colorful island setting will. And everytime things start to slow down, the movie drops another dead body in. See this movie.

On an unnamed US Caribbean island, police chief Quinn - Denzel Washington - has to deal with a gruesome murder. A wealthy American hotel owner has been killed in his hot tub, his head decapitated. Also, a bag with a large sum of money is missing. Everyone wants to point the finger at Quinns childhood friend, Mauphee. He's an odd jobs man with a record. Nevertheless, Quinn sends the body for an autopsy. Unbelievably, the cause of death is a venomous snake bite, the man's head was cutoff post-mortem. As Quinn searches for Mauphee, he tangles with the local witch - Esther Rolle - and others, including his estranged wife and a CIA agent. Will he be able to clear his friend? This is a decent thriller in a beautiful setting. Washington is a great leading man with fine support. Naturally, most of the Americans are shady tricksters. Fans of mysteries will enjoy it.

This is an easy movie to like.

I love Maubee's mystery and his history with Xavier. I love Xavier's uniform and his relationship with all islanders.

Even when Maubee is tearing down the house, he has a smile on his face. Even when Xavier forgets to pick up his son and finds him hours later, alone and in the dark, it's not the end of the world, the child is entertaining himself and he forgives his father - easily.

These island inhabitants are comfortable to watch. What my grandmother would have called "easy in their skin."

"Don't you know this is a goin' down road?"

I love that line.

And I love a place that would designate a mountain road "a goin' down" road during certain parts of the day.

Also, this rendition of Bob Dylan "Mighty Quinn" is the easiest version to my ears.