Thoughts on Code of Silence

via IMDB

"Where's Cusack?"

"He's saving the world."

Code of Silence began life as a potential Dirty Harry installment. If I didn't know that, I would have assumed it was the adaptation of an unpublished novel. From a writing standpoint, this is a much better movie than I expected. I'll say that in some aspects, it's better than Witness.

Sgt. Eddie Cusack (Chuck Norris) is caught in a case involving gang warfare and officer misconduct. The Chicago P.D. attempted to bust members of the Comachos, who were attacked by members of the Lunas. Everyone thinks Tony Luna (Mike Genovese) was way out of line for orchestrating the hit. Luis Comacho (Henry Silva), who lost his brothers, targets everyone in Luna's circle. It doesn't take long for Luna's estranged daughter Diana (Molly Hagan) to be one of the few still standing.  

Cusack was part of a team including Dorato (Dennis Farina) and Cragie (Ralph Foody). While investigating the scene, Craigie shoots an unarmed African-American youth, then plants a gun on him. Craigie's young partner, Kopalas (Joe Guzaldo), knows the truth and Cusack has his suspicions. The bond between Cusack and Diana feels like it was included as part of a checklist and the Comachos vs. the Lunas isn't as interesting as it could be (SPOILER It doesn't help that Tony and Luis never share a scene together. END SPOILER). It's the law enforcement drama that gives Code its punch.

"Maybe 30 years is too long for anyone to look at the city's guts."

Andrew Davis directed Code, which was written by Michael Butler & Dennis Shryack (who also received story credit), plus Mike Gray and an uncredited John Mason. While the movie tells a strong story, it's also satisfying as an action film. I got a kick out of the finale, where Cusack uses the "Prowler" law enforcement robot to gain the upper hand on the Comachos. Even better is an earlier sequence, where Cusack and Angel (Alex Stevens), who briefly held Diana hostage, end up atop an "L" train before both plunging into the Chicago River. 

Unlike Girls Just Want to Have Fun, I believed Code of Silence was actually taking place throughout Chicago, or at least in a city with clearly defined neighborhoods and locations. Combine that with an appealing performance from Norris and the overall strong storytelling and we have a winner.

"I wouldn't try to bribe Eddie Cusack. They tell me you're incorruptible. Untarnished. I hear they call you 'stainless steel' on the streets. Me, I think you're a pain in the ass."

Recommended.

Thoughts:

-- "What do you do when you don't have someone?" "You find someone."

-- Box Office: Grossing more than $20.3 million on a $7 million budget, this opened at No. 1 and came in at No. 44 for 1985.

-- Critic's Corner: "A slick, energetic movie with good performances and a lot of genuine human interest," Roger Ebert wrote. Paul Attanasio and David Denby appreciated the atmosphere. Attanasio: "(It) has an unobtrusively daring editing style and use of sound, and a detailed sense of Windy City milieu." Denby: "... makes perhaps the best use yet of the dirty, steel-gray, low-rent side of Chicago."

-- Critic's Corner, Norris: Several critics recognized Code as his potential crossover movie. Janet Maslin: "He's still got a way to go, but (it) amounts to a good-sized leap." Attanasio: "Norris has all the charisma of a railroad tie ... there's something almost touching about the way Norris keeps butting against the limits of his talent." Ebert and Attanasio had differing opinions on the Eddie and Diana moments. Ebert: "There's a scene where he quietly, awkwardly tries to comfort the mobster's daughter, and it rings completely true." Attanasio: "His 'tender' moments ... are simply embarrassing." Denby: "Norris, who has no discernible personality, is exciting to watch."

-- Hey, It's ...!: John Mahoney as the man demonstrating the Prowler. Ebert again: "We can't really believe the armored robot tank that (Norris) brings into action, but what the hell, we accept it."

-- Hey, It's the Mid-Eighties!: While posing as sanitation workers, Eddie gives Dorato a Rubic's Cube. He doesn't want it. Later, Scalese talks glowingly about the computer his girl's using. "The modern age's answer to the crystal ball. Marvelous. If you know how to read it."

-- I didn't try to keep track of the casualties, but it feels like the Luna family got it sightly worse than the Comachos. Maybe it's because I'm still impressed by the Trojan horse-style killing, with assassins posing as produce deliverymen.

-- Next: Gotcha! On deck: Brewster's Millions.