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By Geoff Filipiak on April 24, 2012
Filed in Entertainment

I consider myself in jeopardy with you man, you understand, in jeopardy…This ain’t no farewell party, and he ain’t reutrning, understand, he’s a prisoner and were taking him to the jailhouse, and you have a tendency to forget that, you’re a menace man…you ain’t no honcho, and I don’t wanna hear no more of this horseshit psychology jive, no more turning that boy’s head around to prove what a f**kin big man you are, you’re a lifer like me, the Navy’s the best thing that ever happened to me, and I don’t want you to f**k me up, you understand? – Otis Young (actor who played Mule)

That quote sums up what you walk away with after watching director Hal Ashby’s 1973 film The Last Detail starring a young Jack Nicholson. The quote from the film above is fromOtis Young who plays “Mule” telling Nicholson, who plays “Budusky”, how he feels about transporting a young Navy prisoner to jail for petty theft.

Randy Quaid is outstanding in the role of the prisoner, one of his earliest films. His character steals $40 from a polio donation box and gets eight years in Navy prison, and the movie deals with themes of justice and an utter feeling of powerlessness for the two characters charged with delivering Quaid to prison.

In a way, the film shows all the characters to be prisoners of the systems and institutions they work for, in this case the Navy. The film has great comedy between the three main characters, and Nicholson’s performance is obviously the best of his entire career.

The trio take a trip through the northeast corridor, passing through D.C., Philadelphia, and Boston on the way to the jail. The whole time Nicholson’s character tries to show Quaid’s character a good time, at the objection of Young’s character, who realizes early that getting involved personally with the prisoner will ultimately lead them to object to his punishment.

The film is infamous for the amount of profanity and an early version of the script mentioned f**k 342 times before the movie studio argued for a reduction.

One memorable scene includes Nicholson ripping into a bartender for not serving underaged Quaid’s character, and a fight with Marines in a bathroom. The film is filmed mostly in the winter and adds to the drama’s dark, foreboding feel despite all the good old fashioned hi-jinx.

I found the film as a teenager in a box in the attic and it has always been a favorite. I hope they re-release and digitally remaster the film. The film only cost $2 million and was a box office success. The picture itself is grainy and could use a touch up.

They don’t make movies like they used to, and this is one of ‘em. Highly recommended from Geoff Filipiak. Must see.