Hickey & Boggs ***½ (1972, Bill Cosby, Robert Culp, Ta-Ronce Allen, Michael Moriarty, James Woods, Robert Mandan, Vincent Gardenia, Ed Lauter) – Classic Movie Review 4163

Bill Cosby and Robert Culp, the popular stars from the jokey I Spy TV series that ran from 1965 to 1968, link up again, this time for this neo noir-style, unsettling 1972 private eye thriller, directed by Culp himself.

Cosby and Culp play buddy private detectives Al Hickey and Frank Boggs, who are hired in the best hardboiled crime story tradition to find a girl, but who uncover a series of dead bodies instead.

Culp himself very competently helms this slightly wobbly but very clever and enjoyable modern film noir movie. It is written by future director Walter Hill in his first filmed screenplay, and it already bears his hallmarks in being more successful with the tense situations, violent action and comic relief than in providing a coherent story.

The dark tone adds a touch of distinction, and so do the characterful appearances of Michael Moriarty, James Woods, Robert Mandan as Mr Brill, Vincent Gardenia and Ed Lauter, among a slew of later well-respected names in small roles.

Also in the cast are Rosalind Cash, Louis Moreno, Sheila Sullivan, Lou Frizzell, Ta-Ronce Allen, Nancy Howard, Bernard Nedell, Isabel Sanford, Jason Culp, Ron Henriquez, Caryn Sanchez, Lester Fletcher, Dean Smith, Bernie Schwartz and Bill Hickman.

Hickey & Boggs is directed by Robert Culp, runs 111 minutes, is made by Film Guarantors, is released by United Artists, is written by Walter Hill, is shot by Wilmer Butler, is produced by Fouad Said and is scored by Ted Ashford.

Cosby became the first African American performer to win an Emmy, for I Spy.