"There's more to police work than flashing a badge around."
The Detective (1968) makes a surprising vehicle for Frank Sinatra. This crude, violent crime flick downplays police heroics, with Old Blue Eyes playing well against-type. But the movie's relentless cynicism ultimately grinds viewers down.New York City cop Joe Leland (Frank Sinatra) investigates the murder of a well-connected gay man. Pressured for a quick arrest, Joe apprehends a suspect (Tony Musante) who's convicted even though Joe isn't entirely convinced of his guilt. This case dovetails with the death of Colin McIver (William Window), a businessman whose apparent suicide leads Leland to uncover a crooked organization called "Rainbow." Leland grows disillusioned by bureaucratic roadblocks and his crumbling marriage to unfaithful Karen (Lee Remick).
Based on Roderick Thorp's novel, The Detective fits snugly among dour '60s procedurals like Madigan and The Boston Strangler. Gordon Douglas's efficient but artless direction emphasizes the seamy side of police work: castrated victims, pervasive profanity, casual brutality, sexual dysfunction. Writer Abby Mann skillfully evokes coarse cop banter but struggles to craft a compelling story, with confusing flashbacks and subplots muddying the narrative.
The Detective shows a depressingly retrograde view of homosexuality, even by '60s standards. Gay characters are swishy queens or twitchy neurotics, like Tony Musante's babbling suspect. Leland berates fellow cops for beating gays but calls them fags and queers. The climatic vignette shows the murderer denying he's bisexual, labeling them "homosexuals without conviction." The Production Code's demise allowed films to depict LGBT characters, but not sympathize with them.
Joe's characterization mostly redeems the slack story. With crime dramas sliding towards super cops like Bullitt and Dirty Harry, Joe remains a working stiff with a conscience. He starts off blaming Johnson's Great Society for crime but wises up to official corruption; he's disgusted by colleagues who take bribes, administer beatings and cover up shootings. Having devoted his life to police work, Joe's shamed by his collusion but unwilling to shame the NYPD. Sadly, his moral awakening comes too late to make much difference.
Frank Sinatra's steely, committed performance makes Joe a compelling antihero. Lacking his cheery charisma, Sinatra conveys a bone-tired weariness that carries the drama. Lee Remick offers solid support, making her nymphomaniac wife uncommonly sympathetic. Jack Klugman plays Leland's closest cop friend, Ralph Meeker his corrupt rival, Robert Duvall a bigoted sergeant. Jacqueline Bissett, playing McIver's wife, has a nothing role serving up exposition.
Despite its grit and sharp characterizations, The Detective falls short. Thorp's later novel, Nothing Lasts Forever, inspired the classic action flick Die Hard. The Detective's more effective as a warty time capsule than an engaging drama.
