A straight police detective is unnerved when ordered to go undercover with a gay police clerk, as a couple, to solve a series of murders in the gay community.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Ryan O'Neal | ... | Sgt. Benson | |
| John Hurt | ... | Kerwin | |
| Kenneth McMillan | ... | Chief Wilkins | |
| Robyn Douglass | ... | Jill | |
| Jay Robinson | ... | Halderstam | |
| Denise Galik | ... | Clara | |
| Joseph R. Sicari | ... | Walter | |
| Michael McGuire | ... | Monroe | |
| Rick Jason | ... | Douglas | |
| James Remar | ... | Edward K. Petersen | |
 |
Jennifer Ashley | ... | Secretary |
| Darrell Larson | ... | Al | |
|
|
Tony March | ... | Aide #2 |
|
|
Seamon Glass | ... | Gillis |
|
|
Steven Reisch | ... | Counter Boy |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Storyline
Sergeant Benson (Ryan O'Neal) is a Police detective. After a series of murders in the gay community he is ordered to go undercover with a gay Police clerk named Kerwin (Sir John Hurt) as his partner. In order to be noticed, they have to be flamboyant enough to attract attention, which Benson finds rather disturbing. Can an uptight heterosexual and a mousey homosexual form a meaningful relationship? Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
Plot Keywords:
1980s | man dances with a man | man undresses | man wrapped in a towel | gay |Taglines:
Benson is a cop who wants to clean up the streets...His partner just wants to redecorate. See more »Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
30 April 1982 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Algo más que colegas See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$6,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$2,318,801, 2 May 1982Gross USA:
$6,062,898Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$6,062,898Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Benson: Why?
Kerwin: So you look sexy! Well, I mean, you're all we've got!
See more »
Written by Sylvia Robinson and Bert Keyes (as S. Robinson & B. Keyes)
Performed by Stacy Lattisaw
Courtesy of Cotillion Records
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
This movie was often criticized for being the comedic flipside of William Freidkin's Cruising (1980). James Remar appeared in both. See more »Goofs
During quick close-up of newspaper when female photographer reads story headlined MALE MODEL SLAIN, the article has nothing to do with murder and is just a jumble of meaningless sentences. See more »Quotes
Kerwin: Have you got anything you can change into?Benson: Why?
Kerwin: So you look sexy! Well, I mean, you're all we've got!
See more »
Connections
Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Classics from the Vault: Changing Attitudes Toward Homosexuality (2011) See more »Soundtracks
Love On A Two Way StreetWritten by Sylvia Robinson and Bert Keyes (as S. Robinson & B. Keyes)
Performed by Stacy Lattisaw
Courtesy of Cotillion Records
See more »
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Eccentric misfire comedy about a macho cop teamed with a meek desk-bound police officer and sent undercover as a gay couple to find the murderer of gay male models. O'Neal's subsequent appearance in full leathers while Hurt's character fusses around the apartment in pink T-shirt and cargo pants provides endless mirth.
Fans of O'Neal's manly physique will not be disappointed, but the coy jokes built on his character's awkwardness at being thrust into the gay scene are weak, puerile, and are not very funny. The murder mystery aspect of the plot is the best thing about the film but it is constantly undermined by the film's habit of switching back into comedy mode whenever the suspense starts the build. And then as if that isn't bad enough, they slot in some cute and thoughtful scenes just to show us that O'Neal's character really is a caring guy after all. Then, despite the fact we have already met his girlfriend, he is straight to bed with whatever woman happens to cross his path.
The general story is also quite sloppy. Characters are introduced to the audience, and then they disappear having fulfilled no greater function than to be the butt of some unfunny joke. Characters such as the effeminate motel owner, Benson's original girlfriend, and the caftan-wearing landlord are given big introductions and then disappear.
What is amazing is that this "snigger at the gays" comedy was produced in 1982! (Australian TV soap operas like 'Number 96', 'The Box', 'Prisoner' had been filled with positive gay and lesbian characters in the *preceding* decade.) It seems more like something from the sixties. Not even interesting as a historical artifact. Avoid.