The Mighty Quinn

"The chief of police and the chief suspect know each other too well to let a little thing like murder get in their way."

1989 1h 38m EN

😐

6.0

MID

🍅

89%

FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

IMDB

★6.0TMDB · 145🍅89%Rotten Tomatoes●71Metacritic★6IMDB · 7,249

ActionCrimeDramaMysteryThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Police chief Xavier Quinn investigates the gruesome murder of Donald Pater, one of the wealthiest residents on a Caribbean island. He was found decapitated in his Jacuzzi. Although the local political establishment, especially crooked Governor Chalk, insists that small-time thief Maubee is responsible, Xavier has his doubts. This view is complicated by the police chief's personal history with Maubee: The men have been friends since childhood.

“The chief of police and the chief suspect know each other too well to let a little thing like murder get in their way.”

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Cast

Denzel Washington
Xavier Quinn
James Fox
Thomas Elgin
Mimi Rogers
Hadley Elgin
M. Emmet Walsh
Fred Miller
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Lola Quinn
Art Evans
Jump Jones
Esther Rolle
Ubu Pearl
Norman Beaton
Governor Chalk

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Carl Schenkel
Writers: Hampton Fancher
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Carl Schenkel, shot by Jacques Steyn. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Anne Dudley. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John Jympson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Denzel Washington and James Fox and Mimi Rogers carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The chief of police and the chief suspect know each other too well to let a little thing like murder get in their way.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0097880 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Carl Schenkel directs. Jacques Steyn behind the camera. Anne Dudley scores. John Jympson cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

137 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Carl Schenkel, shot by Jacques Steyn. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Anne Dudley. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor John Jympson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Denzel Washington and James Fox and Mimi Rogers carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "The chief of police and the chief suspect know each other too well to let a little thing like murder get in their way.".
7IMDB entry: tt0097880 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 10 themes, including "whodunit", "snake bite", "childhood friends", "decapitated head".
9Released under 17 different titles around the world.