Rating: 
Summary: Good cop adventure with the Duke in London
Review: Brannigan is a good, but not great, cop movie that is worthwhile to see John Wayne in one of his last movies. Tough Chicago cop, Lt. Jim Brannigan, is chasing crime boss and general low-life, Ben Larkin, who has jumped bail before he can testify in front of a grand jury. When Larkin leaves the country and goes to London, Brannigan follows to England with extradition papers to bring him back. Soon after arriving, Brannigan finds out that Larkin has been kidnapped by two hoods, which causes the Chicago cop more trouble than he ever figured on. This is by no means one of John Wayne's best movies, but it is still entertaining. Once again, Wayne basically plays himself, but what's wrong with that? The movie has a good mix of action, drama, and comedy throughout. Recommended viewing for one of the Duke's last movies.
John Wayne plays Lt. James Brannigan, the tough Chicago cop sent to London to bring a crook back to the states. After passing on Dirty Harry, Wayne made two movies about cops who live by their own rules, McQ and Brannigan(which was much better). Richard Attenborough is very good as Commander Charles Swan, a Scotland Yard officer helping Brannigan find his man. Judy Geeson plays Sgt. Jennifer Thatcher, the officer assigned to help Brannigan find his way around the city. Mel Ferrer stars as Mel Fields, Larkin's attorney who may know more than he lets on. John Vernon plays mobster, Ben Larkin. The movie also stars Daniel Pilon, Ralph Meeker, John Stride, and James Booth. The DVD offers widescreen presentation and a theatrical trailer. Not Wayne's best movie by any means, but still worth a watch. For an exciting cop adventure with the Duke running around London with Richard Attneborough, check out Brannigan!
Rating: 
Summary: Likeable but minor
Review: "Brannigan" is better than average latter-day Wayne in that the film doesn't moralize and offers us the Duke in an offbeat locale (London)...on the other hand, the plot is dull and stretched out, and the barroom brawl is terrible (Wayne's up to it, but the British stuntmen's attempts to approximate an American setpiece fall ridiculously flat). But the film is no embarrasment, and any Wayne fan might find this a pleasant surprise.
Rating:
Summary: "Over-paid , over-sexed and over here."
Review:
Director: Douglas Hickox
Format: Color
Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios
Video Release Date: May 16, 1990
Cast: John Wayne ... Lt. Jim Brannigan, Chicago PD
Richard Attenborough ... Commander Sir Charles Swann, Scotland Yard
Judy Geeson ... Det. Sgt. Jennifer Thatcher
Mel Ferrer ... Mel Fields, Larkin's Attorney
John Vernon ... Ben Larkin
Daniel Pilon ... John Gorman, Hitman
Ralph Meeker ... Capt. Moretti
John Stride ... Det. Insp. Traven, Scotland Yard
James Booth ... Charlie the Handle
Arthur Batanides ... Angell, Chicago Counterfeiter
Barry Dennen ... Julian
Lesley-Anne Down ... Luana
Del Henney ... Drexel
Brian Glover ... Jimmy the Bet
Stewart Bevan ... Alex
Janette Legge
Pauline Delaney ... Mrs. Cooper
Anthony Booth ... Freddy
Don Henderson ... Geef
Kathryn Leigh Scott ... Miss Allen, Airline Agent
Enid Jaynes
Alf Joint ... Man in Bar
Steve Kelly ... Gates, Larkin's Bodyguard
Tom Laughlin ... Geef
Tim Barlow ... Customs Inspector
Charles Pemberton ... Arthurs, Club Waiter
Peter Porteous ... Masseur
Tony Robinson ... Motorcycle courier
Jack Watson ... Carter
Mike Crane ... Boyle Lt. Brannigan (John Wayne), a Chicago cop, is sent to London to pick up Ben Larkin (John Vernon) a Chicago hood who is being exrtadited. Also, there is a contract out on Brannigan by a Chicago hit-man, John Gorman (Daniel Pilon). A Scotland Yard officer, Det. Sgt. Jennifer Thatcher (Judy Geeson) is assigned to Brannigan as a driver. Her superior, Commander Sir Charles Swann (Richard Attenborough) informs Brannigan that Larkin has been kidnapped. The story proceeds from that point. Brannigan is carrying a Colt Diamondback revolver which, he is informed by Swann, is illegal in England. Brannigan informs him that it is obligatory for a Chicago cop. Swann obviously thinks Brannigan is an American "cowboy," and that British police methods are far superior, but as Brannigan point out, it is the Brits who have dropped the ball in this case. The conclusion of the story is fast-paced and action-packed. A good cops and robbers story. Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating: 
Summary: Overlooked period piece.
Review: A brief, mildly exciting car chase, and a few cheap laughs are not enough to recommend this movie. The Duke is Jim Brannigan, a crusty Chicago cop sent to England to extradite a prisoner (John Vernon). Things get complicated when the prisoner is kidnapped and held for ransom by persons unknown. The muddled plot, then centers on efforts to recover the criminal. But how much do we really care?
The cast does what they can with a script that tries hard, but fails to be clever. Richard Attenborough as a British top cop is serviceable, but dull. Judy Geeson is a police officer who does little more than chauffeur the Duke, and act as a sounding board. In addition, a "professional" killer, hired to eliminate Brannigan, attempts to do so using some rather elaborate, but ultimately ineffective methods. This loser can't shoot straight, or drive well, and the only one he succeeds in killing is himself. Probably the film's most memorable moment is the brief car chase sequence, which concludes with Brannigan jumping across a London drawbridge, and crashing on the opposite side. Like Brannigan's car, this vehicle for an aging screen legend is a bit of a wreck. If you want to see John Wayne as a cop, check out "McQ", which is a much better film, though it is not yet available on DVD. The DVD transfer is average, and the colors look a little washed out at times. The only extra is a theatrical trailer, which contains almost all of the film's best scenes and one liners.
Rating:
Summary: Rather dull, actually...
Review: A brief, mildly exciting car chase, and a few cheap laughs are not enough to recommend this movie. The Duke is Jim Brannigan, a crusty Chicago cop sent to England to extradite a prisoner (John Vernon). Things get complicated when the prisoner is kidnapped and held for ransom by persons unknown. The muddled plot, then centers on efforts to recover the criminal. But how much do we really care? The cast does what they can with a script that tries hard, but fails to be clever. Richard Attenborough as a British top cop is serviceable, but dull. Judy Geeson is a police officer who does little more than chauffeur the Duke, and act as a sounding board. In addition, a "professional" killer, hired to eliminate Brannigan, attempts to do so using some rather elaborate, but ultimately ineffective methods. This loser can't shoot straight, or drive well, and the only one he succeeds in killing is himself. Probably the film's most memorable moment is the brief car chase sequence, which concludes with Brannigan jumping across a London drawbridge, and crashing on the opposite side. Like Brannigan's car, this vehicle for an aging screen legend is a bit of a wreck. If you want to see John Wayne as a cop, check out "McQ", which is a much better film, though it is not yet available on DVD. The DVD transfer is average, and the colors look a little washed out at times. The only extra is a theatrical trailer, which contains almost all of the film's best scenes and one liners.
Rating:
Summary: A very underrated and funny car chase movie
Review: An excellent over all action picture, but the beginning of the car chase in it is worth the price of admission all by itself.
Rating: 
Summary: Brannigan doesn't deliver as one of Duke's finest
Review: Believe it or not, John Wayne once turned down the role of 'Dirty Harry Callahan' (go ahead, make my day, pilgrim). Now, he tries to make up for that [mistake?] in the movie Brannigan. Brannigan is surprisingly a reworking of the 60's Clint Eastwood movie Coogan's Bluff (how's that for coincidence). Wayne is the title character: a brash, but effective, Chicago cop whose arch enemy (John Vernon)has escaped the states to London. Wayne(and his reliable Colt.45 sixshooter)are sent after him. The Duke tries hard to shed that cowboy image, but it resurrects itself in several scenes. It helps that Wayne is surrounded by a capable supporting cast in Sir Richard Attenborough, Mel Ferrer, and John Vernon. It also serves the film well that most of it is shot in and around London, England. Alas, Brannigan is too long and too predictable to be considered among The Duke's finest films.
Rating:
Summary: Wayne is game as a cop on the case in London
Review: Good movie overall. There something to be said about these gritty '70's cop films, with the grainy look, dated scores, and often hard to follow dialogue and story lines. John Wayne jumped into this "dirty harry" genre with this and McQ, with marginal success. Wayne is nearing 70 by this time, and in many ways looks it. He brings charm and style to any role he graces, but looks surpirsingly tired and worn out here. Perhaps his declining health had something to do with it, promting questions as to why he kept on working when so many others of his era had retired. He should have retired with True Grit, although his brave performance in The Shootist was a fitting swan song to the career of the finest actor America ever produced. There will never be another John Wayne.
Rating:
Summary: Wayne is game as a cop on the case in London
Review: Good movie overall. There something to be said about these gritty '70's cop films, with the grainy look, dated scores, and often hard to follow dialogue and story lines. John Wayne jumped into this "dirty harry" genre with this and McQ, with marginal success. Wayne is nearing 70 by this time, and in many ways looks it. He brings charm and style to any role he graces, but looks surpirsingly tired and worn out here. Perhaps his declining health had something to do with it, promting questions as to why he kept on working when so many others of his era had retired. He should have retired with True Grit, although his brave performance in The Shootist was a fitting swan song to the career of the finest actor America ever produced. There will never be another John Wayne.
Rating:
Summary: A very underrated and funny car chase movie
Review: John Wayne makes a rare appearance as a city police detective. This little known entry into cop dramas of the era stands right up there with the Dirty Harry series. Fans should catch this show.
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