Blu Ray Review: Murphy’s Law (1986)

Charles Bronson settled into quite a niche during the 1980s when the sexagenarian actor built on his Death Wish vigilante screen persona for a series of somewhat similar actioners. Kino Lorber has now released one of his most outrageously entertaining vehicles from this era, Murphy’s Law.

Some felt at the time that the star of films like Once Upon a Time in the West and The Dirty Dozen was shrugging off his ability on aggressive violence for bluntly visceral reactions. The same was said for his oft-times director J. Lee Thompson, who had once helmed the classics The Guns of Navarone and Cape Fear. But now that we’re nearly 40 years removed from the era, the action films of the 80s are fondly recalled as a subgenre of their own.

In Murphy’s Law, steely-eyed Bronson is a sullen bitter detective in Los Angeles whose wife is now a stripper and whose career is stalled by his drinking. Carrie Snodgress plays an ex-con whom he once jailed, who is now out of prison and killing his associates (including his ex-wife) and framing him for the crimes. He is arrested along with a foul-mouthed small-time crook (Kathleen Wilhoite), and they are handcuffed together. He makes an escape with her in tow, and seeks to clear his name while also running from the police.

While the narrative is thin, the action is relentless and the pace is kept fast, making it compelling. Screenwriter Gail Morgan Hickman had penned the screenplay for the Dirty Harry effort The Enforcer that also pits a rugged lawman with a woman, in this case a rookie cop he is reluctantly assigned to train. In Murphy's Law, Bronson’s reluctance is erased by necessity. His being handcuffed to the woman forces him to drag her through his investigation, and, naturally, their animosity gradually evolves into a grudging respect.

Bronson’s stoicism even through the movie’s bursts of violence is effective in grounding his lead character and allowing him to anchor every scene. Wilhoite spits and sputters her dialog, which is little more than a series of name calling epithets on the level of “you snot-sucking scum!” It is Wilhoite’s performance that makes this character work. She is caustically funny throughout, lightening the proceedings and making the movie more entertaining. Her boisterous smack-talk bounces off Bronson’s sturdy presence. Carrie Snodgress, best known for Diary of a Mad Housewife, for which she received an Oscar nomination; and for being Neil Young’s muse for several songs on the Harvest album, had, by this time, settled into character parts. Her performance is chilling as she uses everything from strangulation to tickling to subdue her victims.

Murphy’s Law received tepid reactions from period critics but moviegoers’ response was far more favorable. The film made nearly $10 million at the box office from an $8 million budget (much of that was to pay Bronson’s still-hefty salary).

Kino Lorber’s blu ray includes the great commentary track from the late Nick Redman and actress Kathleen Wilhoite. Wilhoite provides fun and fascinating memories of this being only her second movie, and the experience of working opposite Charles Bronson.

For 80s action fans, Murphy’s Law is a must. It can be ordered at this link: Murphy’s Law