McQ

You know, it was a bit startling to see John Wayne not in a Western. So much so I let out a shriek of horror at the very idea of that and the fact that I was actually watching McQ again.

In 1974's McQ, John Wayne played a no-nonsense cop named Lon McQ with a recently slain partner O'Boyle who had exalted to deity until reality reared its ugly head. Sadly this, the drug trade storyline and chases all pale in comparison as what's lying on top of Duke Wayne's noggin becomes an unwitting co-star, That Toupee. Throughout the movie, Duke and his rug vie for screen time, two old pros. As seen below with graphics...



One of the co-stars was a gun, a 9 mm Ingram with a silencer. That gun was a bad mamma jamma, so much so Duke Wayne took the prototype and a little carrying bag and he hit the streets. Singer James Ingram invented and designed the firearm. Also cool was the car McQ used, a 1973 Brewster Green Trans Am. It sadly got smashed into an accordion near the movie's end. Doggone it.



As for love interests, well, there's a few here, I guess, two women safely characterized as broads, Diana Muldaur and Colleen Dewhurst. Dewhurst had the "fun" role, she was a coke-head, waitress floozy with mental issues. The love scene thankfully didn't exist and after their night of frolic, Wayne was up and atom with his McQ jacket back on before the roosters crowed. McQ had better things to do that "hang out" with his ex-partner's good time gal. He had to get a bead on that junk that was hitting the streets, you know crack, crank, Crystal Meth, Execedrin PM. McQ also had to work with and without the law to get things done, while walking like John Wayne.


Part 2: This is a better than average movie that was a period piece by 1979. I don't think Wayne was too portly, stolid or old for the role, I'm saddened we weren't treated to a McQ 2.

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