Themes: Fighting the System, Rogue Cops, Going Undercover
Main Cast: Burt Reynolds, Jack Weston, Tom Skerritt, Yul Brynner, Raquel Welch
Release Year: 1972
Country: US
Run Time: 92 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Fuzz treads the line between raucous comedy and gut-churning melodrama. Based on an "87th Precinct" novel by Ed McBain (aka Evan Hunter), the film stars Burt Reynolds and Jack Weston as, respectively, detectives Steve Carella and Meyer Meyer. Their current assignment is to bring in Deaf Man (Yul Brynner), a mad bomber who has been targeting politicians. A subplot concerning a couple of punks who get their kicks by setting fire to sleeping winos is dramatically justified by the main storyline, but it was this element that caused a lot of trouble for the producers of Fuzz when a pair of real-life teenagers decided to imitate the film. On a lighter note, Raquel Welch co-stars as Detective Eileen McHenry, who is obliged to go undercover -- and under covers -- with fellow officer Bert Kling (Tom Skerritt). And as a bonus, viewers are treated to Burt Reynolds' first "drag" scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
James McEachin - Detective Arthur Brown; Neile Adams - Teddy Carella; Roy Applegate - Patrolman Cramer; Martine Bartlett - Sadie; Larry Barton - Bald Man; Cal Bellini - Ahmad; Mia Bendixsen - Little Girl; Peter Brocco - Man with Garbage; Norman Burton - Police Commissioner; Dominic Chianese - Panhandler; Gino Conforti - Painter; Cay Forester - Mrs. Scanlon; Dan Frazer - Lt. Byrnes; David Fresco - John Vicenzo; Russ Grieve - Deputy Mayor; Gerald Hiken - Painter; Steve Ihnat - Detective Andy Parker; Tom Lawrence - Patrolman Crosby; Britt Leach - Detective; Athena Lorde - Mrs. Jefferson; William Martel - Mayor's Bodyguard; Gary Morgan - Jimmy; Stewart Moss - Detective Hal Willis; Harold Oblong - Detective; Jack Perkins - Parks Commissioner; Albert Popwell - Lewis; Bert Remsen - Sgt. Murchison; George Reynolds - Tiny; Richard Stahl - Vagrant; Bunny Summers - Mrs. Cooper; Felipe Turich - Puerto Rican Prisoner; Charles Tyner - Pete Schroeder; James Victor - Patrolman Gomez; Peter Bonerz - Buck; Brian Doyle-Murray - Detective; Don Gordon - Anthony La Bresca; Robert Jaffe - Alan Parry; Charles Martin Smith - Baby; Roy Morton - Rapist; Vince Howard - Patrolman Marshall; J.S. Johnson - Telephone Technician; Neile McQueen - Teddy Carella; Vincent VanLynn - Henry Jefferson; Charlie Picerni - Chauffeur; Tamara - Rochelle
Credit
Hilyard M. Brown - Art Director, Charles H. Maguire - Associate Producer, Dorothy Jeakins - Costume Designer, Arthur Levinson - First Assistant Director, Richard A. Colla - Director, Don Henderson - Second Unit Director, Robert L. Kimble - Editor, Dave Grusin - Composer (Music Score), Jacques Marquette - Cinematographer, Ed Feldman - Producer, George Edwards - Producer, Jack Farren - Producer, Phillip Abramson - Set Designer, Barry Thomas - Sound/Sound Designer, Evan Hunter - Screenwriter, Evan Hunter - Book Author
