Raw Deal *** (1986, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathryn Harrold, Sam Wanamaker, Paul Shenar, Robert Davi, Ed Lauter, Darren McGavin, Steven Hill) – Classic Movie Review 12,261

Director John Irvin’s 1986 thick-ear actioner film Raw Deal stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, alongside Kathryn Harrold, Sam Wanamaker, Paul Shenar, Robert Davi, Ed Lauter, Darren McGavin, Steven Hill and Joe Regalbuto.

Big Arnie’s all-action thriller may be predictable and gory but it is also polished and professional.

Kicked out of the FBI, small-town sheriff Mark Kaminski (Arnold Schwarzenegger) goes undercover to infiltrate the Chicago gangsters responsible for the death of his ex-boss’s son. Arnold manages to land a job as a bodyguard to the big boss of a Chicago mob and begins his task of tearing the organisation apart from the inside.

One of his lesser-known revenge thrillers, this is not the best of Arnie, but no raw deal either for action seekers. Good people in the cast (especially Wanamaker, Davi, Lauter, McGavin) and a slight twinkle in the tale definitely help.

It has no relation to the 1948 Dennis O’Keefe/ Claire Trevor/ Raymond Burr movie of the same title, Raw Deal.

Raw Deal was released in North America on June 6, 1986.

The screenplay by Gary M DeVore and Norman Wexler is based on a story of Sergio Leone’s screenwriters Luciano Vincenzoni and Sergio Donati.

The film grossed $16.2 million in the US against its $8–10 million budget.

Schwarzenegger was still under contract with Dino De Laurentiis for a number of Conan the Barbarian sequels, and Schwarzenegger agreed to star in Raw Deal in exchange for dissolving this multi-picture agreement. Schwarzenegger wanted to make Total Recall but De Laurentiis thought he was wrong for it and had cast Patrick Swayze. But De Laurentiis had to file for bankruptcy and sell the rights to Total Recall to Carolco Pictures, so Schwarzenegger got to do it after all.

It was shot on location in Chicago, Castle Hayne, North Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina, and at the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group Studios.

The cast are Arnold Schwarzenegger as Sheriff Mark Kaminski / Joseph P Brenner, Kathryn Harrold as Monique, Darren McGavin as FBI Agent Harry Shannon, Sam Wanamaker as Luigi “Lou” Patrovita, Paul Shenar as Paulo Rocca, Steven Hill as Martin “The Hammer” Lamanski, Ed Lauter as Detective Baker, Joe Regalbuto as Marvin Baxter, Robert Davi as Max Keller, Blanche Baker as Amy Kaminski, Louise Robey as Lamanski’s Girl, Mordecai Lawner as Marcellino, Victor Argo as Dangerous Man, George P. Wilbur as Killer #1, Denver Mattson as Killer #2, John Malloy as Trager, Steve Holt as FBI Agent Blair Shannon, Dick Durock as “Dingo”, Frank Ferrara as “Spike”, Thomas Rosales Jr as Jesus, Jack Hallett as Carson, Jay Butler as Rice, Tony DiBenedetto as Rudy, Tom Hull as Metzger, James Eric as Byron, Ralph Foody as Police Captain Sam Joyce, Sharon Rice as Jogger, and Sven-Ole Thorsen as Patrovita’s Bearded Bodyguard.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,261

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