Murphy's Law (1986)

J. Lee Thompson and Charles Bronson had a long running partnership on screen. The duo ended up making nine pictures together over the years with this being their sixth collaboration. The only other director to work with Bronson this many times was Michael Winner with whom he made seven pictures. MURPHY'S LAW was one of the last major theatrical films Bronson released and thank goodness it's a not a bad movie.Bronson stars as LAPD detective Jack Murphy, one of those tough cops who takes no guff and who gets the job done better than most. Unfortunately he's going through a rough spell, separated from his wife and drinking more than he should. It's even more uncomfortable for him knowing she works in a strip club now.Things go from bad to worse when a psychopath Murphy helped put away is released from prison with revenge on her mind. Joan Freeman (Carrie Snodgrass) has it in her mind to take out everyone involved in the case that put her in prison ten years earlier. Her method of getting back at Murphy is to kill his wife and frame him for the murder.Murphy is arrested and when taken to the station handcuffed to the foul mouthed girl who stole his car that he arrested earlier in the film, Arabella McGee (Kathleen Wilhoite). Knowing that the odds are against him he escapes taking McGee with him and set out to clear his name and find out who the real killer is. This sets in motion a back and forth patter between the two as they begin to respect one another the longer they're together.As the body count rises while Freeman continues down her path of revenge against everyone involved, the clues eventually lead Murphy to realize who's behind it all. But no longer on the force he has to confront her on his own terms now as well as provide the evidence to clear his name.The use of opposites chained to one another has been a plot device used before, most notably in THE DEFIANT ONES, and it works well here. Both do a great job of fleshing out their characters though Wilhoite seems to do more of that than Bronson who's playing the type of role he'd become accustomed to at the time. Their back and forth adds a touch of humor as well as humanity to both characters.The action is enough to keep fans of Bronson satisfied and has enough story to make it a workable film. No doubt this is not award winning material but it does show why Bronson was once the top money making film star alive at one point. It gives fans exactly what they want from one of his movies and provides enough escapism to keep everyone interested from start to finish.Twilight Time is offering this film like they do all that they release with the best looking presentation there is or has been. Extras include an isolated score track, a commentary track featuring Wilhoite and film historian Nick Redman and the original theatrical trailer. As with all Twilight Time releases they are only making 3,000 copies so pick one up before they're gone if you're a Bronson fan.

Charles Bronson is Jack Murphy a hard drinking and an over the hill veteran detective who is mysteriously framed for the murder of his stripper ex-wife. Although taken into custody, in a desperate bid to prove his innocence Bronson escapes from custody whilst handcuffed to foul-mouthed car thief Catherine Wilhoite.(Whose wise cracks are a delight) Murphy must find the real killer who incidentally has a massive chip on her shoulder. The film has shades of 'Blade Runner' as it climaxes in an excellently staged shoot out at the famed 'Bradbury' building. 'Murphy's Law' is one of the Better films produced and released from Golan-Globus' 'Cannon Pictures'

Life has been pretty tough on Jack Murphy(Charles Bronson), a cop whose ex-wife left him for the owner of a strip club(she dances there!)and has become a victim of a female psychopath(Carrie Snodgress), recently paroled after being put away by him for ten years after shooting her boyfriend. When we first are introduced to Murphy, his car is being stolen by a thief, Arabella(Kathleen Wilhoite), a disrespectful young woman with an abusive mouth and bad manners. Then we recognize that he's a boozer after his wife left him. Murphy has to kill a pimp when this nutcase goes berserk shooting people at an airport..this pimp had murdered one of his prostitutes and is the brother of a mafioso named Frank Vincenzo(Richard Romanus)who vows to get revenge on Murphy. When Murphy is set up for the murder of his ex-wife and her lover by Freeman he must go on the lam, escaping lock up with Arabella in tow(they are handcuffed and he was responsible for finally finding and arresting her). When Freeman kills Murphy's former partner, Jack is again considered the one responsible. Then Freeman kills a judge and prosecutor and when Murphy finds out through his partner, Art(Robert F Lyons), that she is the one he helped send to prison, all the murders become perfectly clear..Freeman is taking out everyone who put her in prison. With Bill Henderson, on crutches(because of his being shot in the back by a 16 year old teenager), as Ben Wilcover, Murphy's partner, and Angel Tompkins as Jan, Jack's ex-wife who has a strip tease at one point in the movie. Lawrence Tierney has a cameo as a private investigator who gets Freeman the names and addresses of those associated with her imprisonment suffering a rather unpleasant fate when he insists on payment for extra expenses. One of several collaborations between Bronson and director J Lee Thompson. Meanspirited and violent, MURPHY'S LAW gets its laughs come from the unlikely partnership of Murphy and Arabella who become friendly as they attempt to evade law enforcement, while trying to clear Jack's name. The ending has Snodgress, as you've never seen her before, equipped with a crossbow(having kidnapped Arabella right from under Murphy's nose), and Vincenzo, with his gangster thugs, both aiming to kill Murphy in the old Bradbury building. Many might get a kick out of Wilhoite's smart aleck mouth as she spouts foul gibberish such as "Eat boogers", "Watch out snot-rag", and "penis envy" towards those who get on her bad side. This movie certainly stacks the deck against poor Murphy who has his share of difficulties thanks to Snodgress.

while he was still making movies for cannon films which is no longer in existence, bronson took the lead in this cop thriller from the early eighties. he stars as jack murphy a worn and beaten down cop who has been framed for the murder of his wife who left him to become a stripper in a sleazy bar. while on the run from the mob as well, and trying to clear his name, he is handcuffed to a mouthy petty thief named arabella mcgee. considering it is kathleen whilhoite's first starring role in a feature (she plays arabella) she turned in a great and funny performance. she has a mouth like a trucker but has some very creative and imaginative ways of telling people off who displease her ie. snot-licking donkey fart among other things. while she is more than half of bronson's age the writers were trying to build some kind of weird sexual tension between the two and it clearly wasn't working. it came off more creepy and awkward than anything else. while bronson's later movies won't win any awards it will keep you entertained.