After the release of Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" in 1971 (a role offered to Wayne, but he did not want to play the anti-hero) John Wayne tried his hand at a couple films as a modern day detective. 1975's BRANNIGAN was the follow up to 74's McQ.
Lt Brannigan is on the trail of a mobster that killed his rookie partner back in Chicago. That path leads to London, where Commander Swann (Richard Attenborough) has agreed to hand the mobster over to Brannigan when he arrives.
It's a fun, seventies fish-out-of-water tale with Wayne barreling through the scenery and the locals with brash, full throttle force.
Wayne is having a good time here, bursting through locked doors with gun drawn and drawling "Knock, Knock!" to the bad guys.
It's all pretty tame by today's standards and the brawl in the English Pub seems like it arrived from the set of "McClintock", but somehow Wayne and company make it work.
His flirting with a young English detective Jennifer (Judy Geeson) seems awful creepy and uncomfortable (Wayne was 68 when this was filmed, playing mid-50's) but I guess no one can resist The Duke!
John Vernon (Animal House) chews a lot of scenery as Larkin the mobster and a very young Lesley-Anne Down has a small role as Luana, the prostitute visited by the hitman after Brannigan.
Throw in some seventies style car chases over the London Bridge, plenty of plaid sports jackets and some enjoyable Scotland Yard versus Chicago cop banter and you have a harmless, standard John Wayne flick that reeks of early seventies cops films.
Knock, Knock! We'll give Wayne a respectful B-.
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