Stakeout

****SPOILERS**** NYPD Det. Alan Keller, Michael Tolan. screwed up big time when he froze and allowed his partner veteran NYPD Detective Ben Rogan get blown away during a stakeout at a West Greenwich Village loft loaded with expensive furs slated to go on sale for the Christmas holidays. Trying to shift the blame of Det. Rogan's death on Rogan himself in order to save his own neck, in a police departmental trial, has his fellow policemen feel that not only did Det. Keller have something to do by chickening out under fire with Det. Rogan being iced but now, in him besmirching his long carer in the NYPD, having him look like a coward as well.

Knowing that he's full of it in his explanation in Det. Rogan's death Det. Keller's boss Let. Dan Muldoon, John McIntire, puts his life on the line by organizing another police stakeout at the very same loft where Det. Rogan was gunned down with Det. Keller being assigned to it.Not only that It's Let. Muldoon who's to be there , as bait, with Det. Keller when the place gets hit! Sticking his neck out to give Det. Keller a chance to redeem himself and get his guts back has Let. Muldoon take a big chance with his own life. But as Let. Muldoon figures it's the only way to get him to make up for past mistakes, the death of his partner Det. Ben Rogan, and he's willing to even put his life on it.

***SPOILERS*** The stakeout drew the same persons who were involved in Det. Rogan's murder and as before Det. Keller freaked out when his partner Let. Muldoon was targeted by them. Det. Keller was too frozen in his tracks to draw his revolver to prevent Let. Muldoon from getting shot but he did open his mouth and scream to alert Lt. Muldoon of the impending danger that he was facing which was just as good. That action on Det. Keller's part did save Let. Muldoon's life by him gunning down the thugs who were about to blast him but after that Det. Keller realized he wasn't cut out to be a policeman and decided to call it, his career as a member of the NYPD, quits.

The opening scene is absolutely stunning but the following is totally different, more drama than a pure brutal crime story, as we could expect after this terrific opening. But it remains a good and solid story, directed by Stuart Rosenberg, the future director of COOL HAND LUKE. The good cop accused to being a coward is pretty interesting though, as this plot had its place in this pure urban drama series, TV show, that may involve crime and less crime topics. This is not a gangster, hoodlums plot, despite the opening sequence, don't be too deceived. But good performances will compensate this lack of crime elements, don't worry.

Stirling Silliphant has fashioned a potent story of cowardice, with Michael Tolan starring as a cop who freezes up at a crucial crime scene, resulting in the death of his older partner, and then lies about what happened to protect himself on the force (and tarnish the dead cop's reputation.

A gang of thieves operating at night in the West Village, replete with a dangerous BAR weapon, are now targeted by McIntire, who requests the assignment and gets hooked up with Tolan in order to find out what really happened and clear the name of the dead cop, who was his friend. Their game of cat and mouse together is gripping, leading to a strong finish. Horace McMahon is introduced in this episode and two talented blonde character actresses appear: Irene Kane (aka Chris Chase) as Tolan's wife and Jan Miner as the cop's widow.

In the '80s, I interviewed Tolan when he was running the American Place Theater (on the same block where I worked at Variety) and I also knew Chris Chase, by then a journalist after her acting career ended. It was interesting watching them, together, so many decades later, and I was struck now (in 2023) how much the young Tolan resembled the current star Adam Driver. Stirling Silliphant has fashioned a potent story of cowardice, with Michael Tolan starring as a cop who freezes up at a crucial crime scene, resulting in the death of his older partner, and then lies about what happened to protect himself on the force (and tarnish the dead cop's reputation.

A gang of thieves operating at night in the West Village, replete with a dangerous BAR weapon, are now targeted by McIntire, who requests the assignment and gets hooked up with Tolan in order to find out what really happened and clear the name of the dead cop, who was his friend. Their game of cat and mouse together is gripping, leading to a strong finish. Horace McMahon is introduced in this episode and two talented blonde character actresses appear: Irene Kane (aka Chris Chase) as Tolan's wife and Jan Miner as the cop's widow.

In the '80s, I interviewed Tolan when he was running the American Place Theater (on the same block where I worked at Variety) and I also knew Chris Chase, by then a journalist after her acting career ended. It was interesting watching them, together, so many decades later, and I was struck now (in 2023) how much the young Tolan resembled the current star Adam Driver.