Laughing Policeman, The (1973)

reviewed by
Brian Koller


The Laughing Policeman (1973)
Grade: 54

Before Walter Matthau was a grumpy old man, he was a grumpy middle-aged man. In "The Laughing Policeman", his character doesn't like to talk, and doesn't like to listen. He is a police detective, whose partner Evans has just been murdered in a city bus with a "grease gun", along with everyone else on board.

As the stiffs are carried off the bus, and the morgue learns more about them, the cops try to trace the victims back to the crime. One of the victims is a John Doe junkie.

Matthau's new partner is Bruce Dern, who tries throughout the movie to win Matthau's respect. Matthau and Dern believe the best way to investigate a massacre is to lean on all the stoolies and low lifes, which has the side effect of keeping somewhat interesting character actors on the screen. Dern insults the stoolies, and even gives one a swishy. A black cop works on the case, also hassling street vermin. He has a contest with a pimp to see who can use the most jive talk in their sentences.

Matthau interviews Evans' girlfriend, and learns that Evans was spending his free time investigating an unsolved murder of a prostitute. He also learns that Evans and his girlfriend took dirty pictures. This revelation has nothing to do with the central plot, and just rubs our noses in the sleaze. One could say that about much of the movie: the cops externally condemn their environment, but appear to secretly enjoy it, to the point of avoiding their families.

Informants give false trails, but eventually a tip leads to John Doe's identity as Gus Niles, a war buddy of Henry Camararo, who is the brother of the dead prostitute. Evans was on the bus trailing Niles. Camararo entered the bus to kill Niles and Evans to silence them. Camararo is also a wealthy businessman, so he leads an active life.

Because he is gay, this provides the excuse for Matthau and Dern to make scornful remarks and later follow him to a gay bar. Camararo scores, goes to a hotel room with his prize, and the cops use binoculars to see an eyeful. Some movies have gratuitous violence or sex, but this movie has gratuitous sleaze.

Camararo realizes he's being tailed, and this leads to a chase scene that is a pale imitation of the one in the then-recent "French Connection". Camararo, on a bus with Matthau, pulls out a handgun and is about to fire, but is distracted by shots from Dern from a speeding car, and Matthau tags him. Dern has won the respect of Matthau, just in time for the credits to roll.

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