The Detective (1968)

Directed by Gordon Douglas. Starring Frank Sinatra, Lee Remick, Ralph Meeker, William Windom, Jacqueline Bisset, Jack Klugman, Horace McMahon, Robert Duvall, Al Freeman Jr., Tony Musante, Lloyd Bochner, Pat Henry.

Frank Sinatra is…John McClane?? Okay, not really, but the heroes of this film and Die Hard were both inspired by the same character from different Roderick Thorp stories. Here, he’s NYC detective Joe Leland (as he’s called in the books), investigating a grotesque murder with the most likely suspect being the victim’s housemate, but Leland is unconvinced, even after the man is tried and sent to the electric chair. An awful lot of time is devoted to the dissolution of Leland’s marriage to Remick, but these “breathers” help cleanse the palette when the painfully-outdated film dredges up ugly gay stereotypes and wanton cruelty in speech and behavior for the sake of lurid thrills. With the Rat Pack days on the decline, Sinatra gives a surprisingly committed, controlled dramatic performance, and most of the supporting cast does solid work, notably Freeman and Duvall as less-than-noble officers Leland has to deal with. Screenplay adaptation by Abby Mann.

65/100