Badge 373 **½ (1973, Robert Duvall, Verna Bloom, Henry Darrow) – Classic Movie Review 12,092)

Badge 373 (1973): Paramount Pictures and Robert Duvall were hoping for another French Connection, but they had an unexpected box-office flop.

Director Howard W Koch’s 1973 American neo noir crime thriller film Badge 373 is a solid action film with a post-The Godfather starring role for Robert Duvall as real-life New York cop Eddie Egan, here called Eddie Ryan, battling a crime ring alone.

The screenplay by journalist Pete Hamill is written from the exploits of Eddie Egan, who supports in a brief role as Duvall’s police lieutenant boss, Lieutenant Scanlon.

Badge 373 is violent, foul-mouthed and glum, but the action and Duvall’s performance as the tough, abrasive and racist Irish NYPD cop, keep up the interest.

It was an unexpected box-office flop for Paramount Pictures studios, who were hoping for another hit like The French Connection, also inspired by the life and career of Eddie Egan. It is ambitious and punchy enough, but it was always a bit of a B-movie, though that is not necessarily a bad thing.

It co-stars Verna Bloom, Henry Darrow, Felipe Luciano, and Tina Cristiani.

Pete Hamill has a bit part as a reporter named Pete, in the sequence of Gigi’s wake.

It was shot on location on the streets of New York City. Eddie Ryan tries to chase suspects in their car by hijacking a city bus, the 14th Street crosstown, in a bid to access the famous car chase in The French Connection.

Puerto Ricans picketed the film, saying it was discriminatory. Paramount Pictures rejected a demand by the Puerto Rican Action Coalition to withdraw the film for what they called its racism.

Badge 373 was Eddie Egan’s number as NYPD detective.

The cast are Robert Duvall as Eddie Ryan, Verna Bloom as Maureen, Henry Darrow as Sweet William, Eddie Egan as Lieutenant Scanlon, Felipe Luciano as Ruben, Tina Cristiani as Mrs. Caputo, Marina Durell as Rita Garcia, Chico Martinez as Frankie Diaz, Jose Duval as Ferrer, Louis Cosentino as Gigi Caputo, Luis Avalos as Chico, Nubia Olivero as Mrs Diaz, Sam Schacht as Assistant DA, and Edward F Carey as The Commissioner.

Badge 373 is directed by Howard Koch, runs 116 minutes, is made and released by Paramount Pictures, is written by Pete Hamill, is shot by Arthur J Ornitz, is produced by Howard Koch, and is scored by J J Johnson.

American journalist Pete Hamill (June 24, 1935 – August 5, 2020).

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,092

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