Deadly Hero

Deadly Hero

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	1975
Founder	Ivan Nagy (director), George Wislocki and Don Petersen (screenplay)
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Products	Neo-noir thriller film
Parent	AVCO Embassy Pictures (distributor)

Deadly Hero is a 1975 American neo noir thriller film featuring performances by Don Murray, Diahn Williams, James Earl Jones, Lilia Skala, and introducing Treat Williams in his first cinematic role. Directed by Ivan Nagy, the screenplay was crafted by George Wislocki and Don Petersen. Released in select theaters in 1975, the film carried an R rating assigned by the Motion Picture Association of America. Distributed through AVCO Embassy Pictures, it garnered predominantly unfavorable critiques and did not succeed commercially.

Plot

Ed Lacy, a seasoned officer with 18 years in the New York City Police Department, is reassigned from detective duties back to patrol because of his aggressive behavior, racial bias, and use of excessive force. Seeking to restore his standing, Lacy partners with Kevin Reilly, a political figure campaigning for mayor.

During a response to a call on Manhattan's West Side, Lacy encounters Sally, a young musician held captive by an unstable stalker named Rabbit Shazam. In the course of the arrest, Lacy shoots Rabbit dead, asserting self-defense due to Rabbit allegedly wielding a knife. Initially, Sally supports this account, elevating Lacy to hero status and making him instrumental in Reilly's mayoral campaign.

Subsequently, Sally remembers that Rabbit was unarmed and attempting to surrender when shot. As she refuses to alter her testimony, Lacy faces public condemnation, suspension without pay, and loss of support from Reilly. His mental state deteriorates; he threatens Sally and orchestrates an intimidation attempt that tragically results in two civilian fatalities. Following this, he kills a former officer involved and abducts Sally from her school, taking her to a pet cemetery outside the city limits. After a violent confrontation where Sally injures Lacy with her cello stand, he chases her into a forested area. The film concludes ambiguously with Lacy either dying or dead but still aiming his firearm at Sally.

Cast

• Don Murray ... Ed Lacy
• Diahn Williams ... Sally
• James Earl Jones ... Rabbit Shazam
• Lilia Skala ... Mrs. Broderick
• Conchata Ferrell ... Slugger Ann
• George S. Irving ... Kevin Reilly
• Ron Weyand ... Captain Stark
• Treat Williams ... Billings
• Hank Garrett ... Buckley
• Dick Anthony Williams ... District Attorney Winston

Additional cast members include Josh Mostel as Victor, Rutanya Alda as Apple Mary, Charles Siebert as Baker, alongside appearances by Beverly Johnson, Chu Chu Malave, Danny DeVito portraying an usher, and uncredited cameos from Deborah Harry and Chris Stein of the punk/new wave group Blondie. Deadly Hero represents Treat Williams' debut on the big screen.

Production info

Under the direction of Ivan Nagy, Deadly Hero features a script penned by George Wislocki and Don Petersen. The production was overseen by Thomas J. McGrath with distribution managed by AVCO Embassy Pictures. Cinematography was handled by Andrzej Bartkowiak, editing by Susan Steinberg, while the musical score was composed by Brad Fiedel and Tommy Mandel. Alan Herman served as art director. The entire 102-minute feature was shot on location throughout New York City and received an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America.

Critical response

Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune referred to the film as "a modest achievement," acknowledging that his praise was influenced by initially low expectations. The Cineman Syndicate emphasized certain "suspenseful sequences" that helped compensate for the "slim storyline and atmospheric cinematography." A.H. Weiler from The New York Times characterized it as a "somewhat unoriginal Manhattan melodrama," pointing out that the supporting cast was not fully utilized. Linda Gross of the Los Angeles Times described the movie as "raw" and "captivating," though she ultimately deemed it "predictable and bleak." Contemporary assessments, including those from VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever, award it three out of four bones, labeling it "engrossing" and "unsettling."

Audience reception

From a commercial standpoint, the film failed to gain traction; George Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette remarked that it "quickly flopped at the box office."

Home media

During the 1980s, Deadly Hero became available on VHS through releases by Magnetic Video followed by Embassy Home Entertainment. Its first appearance on DVD occurred on August 7, 2007, distributed by Trinity Home Entertainment. Subsequently, on December 22, 2015, Code Red Entertainment issued a Blu-ray edition via Screen Archives Entertainment Exclusive.