Sweeney! – 1977 | 89 mins | Crime, Drama | Colour

Plot Synopsis

This sordid spin-off from the hard-hitting ’70s TV policeseries tells the ridiculous tale of oil sheiks, callgirls and corruption. DavidWickes’s feature debut still packs a punch and is shot with a contemptuousdisregard for focus and composition, but the chief flaw is Ranald Graham’s unconvincingscript and its numerous plot holes. John Thaw and Dennis Waterman solidlyrecreate the camaraderie of the two main characters, but Barry Foster’s waywardAmerican accent and Ian Bannen’s alcoholic minister fail to give the film addedgravitas. Michael Coles, as the smiling leader of an unlikely squad ofassassins, is the best of the supporting cast.

During an important international oil conference inLondon, MP Charles Baker (Ian Bannen) receives a phone call from his mistressthreatening suicide, and by the time Baker and his press agent Elliott McQueen(Barry Foster) reach her hotel room, the woman is lying dead on the bed.Meanwhile, one of Jack Reagan’s (John Thaw) snouts, Ronnie Brent, who was also herlover, persuades him to have Flying Squad investigate the suspiciouscircumstances of the suicide.

Reagan discovers that the dead woman was a prostituteand dismisses any notion of foul play – that is until Brent turns up dead and thegruff Scotland Yard DI is kidnapped and forcibly administered alcohol thenreturned to his car.  

Reagan issubsequently suspended but decides to investigate the case off his own back; atrail that leads him to fellow prostitute Bianca Hamilton (Diane Keen) and aposse of well-armed henchmen after his blood. Reagan comes to suspect thatBaker and McQueen are involved in vice, blackmail and corruption, but securitysources in high places in government inform him that the matter is being dealtwith by Special Branch. But Reagan wants a collar.