Brannigan (1975)

Overview

Brannigan is a fascinating cultural artifact—an attempt to repackage the quintessential American cowboy hero, John Wayne, into the mould of a modern urban cop thriller set in 1970s London. Directed by Douglas Hickox and produced in the wake of Dirty Harry and The French Connection, the film represents both a genre experiment and a late-career pivot for its iconic star.

Set against the backdrop of a grimy, chaotic London, the film follows Chicago cop Jim Brannigan as he navigates British law enforcement and international crime to extradite a mobster. While the plot is serviceable and the action moments are energetic, the film largely rests on the novelty of seeing John Wayne in unfamiliar territory, both geographically and stylistically.

Plot Summary

Lieutenant Jim Brannigan (John Wayne) is a tough, no-nonsense detective from Chicago dispatched to London to extradite American mob boss Ben Larkin (John Vernon). But when Larkin is kidnapped before he can be handed over, Brannigan teams up with Scotland Yard Commander Sir Charles Swann (Richard Attenborough) to find him.

As Brannigan adjusts to British procedures (and frustrating bureaucracy), he also deals with culture clashes, assassination attempts, and a hired hitman sent to eliminate him. Amid brawls, car chases, and pub banter, Brannigan bulldozes his way through London, bringing American swagger to British restraint.

The film climaxes in a fiery showdown as Brannigan hunts down the gang responsible for the kidnapping, all while delivering rough justice with fists and firepower.

Themes and Interpretation

1. American vs. British Policing

At its core, Brannigan is a transatlantic buddy cop film—though Brannigan has no "buddy" in the conventional sense. Instead, the narrative explores the cultural clash between American brute force and British decorum. Brannigan is loud, physical, and quick to draw his gun; Swann is methodical, polite, and deeply sceptical of Brannigan’s methods.

This provides both comedic tension and thematic substance. The film plays with stereotypes—the gruff American vs. the refined Brit—but also subtly critiques both systems. British law’s slow deliberation and American policing’s impulsiveness each come under scrutiny.

2. The Aging Action Hero

John Wayne was 67 at the time of filming, and Brannigan was part of a conscious effort to place him in modern settings. It follows McQ (1974), another crime thriller meant to revitalize Wayne’s appeal amid changing audience tastes.

Wayne’s physical limitations are apparent—his fight scenes are stiff, his run laboured—but his charisma and authority remain intact. The film becomes, in part, a meditation on relevance and aging: can an old-school lawman still function in a modern, morally ambiguous world?

Direction and Cinematic Style

Director Douglas Hickox (best known for Theatre of Blood) brings a workmanlike but effective style to the film. He captures 1970s London with grit and colour—the streets are congested, the architecture is looming, and the pubs feel lived-in.

The film’s strongest sequences include:

A pub brawl that blends slapstick and real violence.

A car chase through central London (including Tower Bridge), echoing American genre trends.

A climactic warehouse showdown with gunfire and explosions.

The action choreography is functional but not ground breaking. It’s the setting and Wayne’s fish-out-of-water presence that give the film texture.

Script and Dialogue

The script is a mix of clichés and amusing culture-clash banter. Brannigan’s lines are pure John Wayne—gruff, laconic, and peppered with moral certainty:

"I don't give a damn how you do things in England, but in Chicago we don't let crooks run the goddamn show!"

The contrast with Swann’s deadpan British wit leads to memorable exchanges and injects levity into an otherwise formulaic narrative. However, the plot lacks real complexity; the kidnapping is predictable, and the villains are underdeveloped.

Music and Soundtrack

The score, composed by Dominic Frontiere, is a jazzy, brassy affair, fitting the film’s urban grit. It tries to emulate the vibe of Dirty Harry or Bullitt, but lacks the memorable themes of either. Still, the music underscores the action effectively and adds to the film’s pulpy feel.

Performances

John Wayne (Jim Brannigan): Wayne brings his trademark screen presence and unwavering moral compass to the role. While he’s clearly not built for modern action by 1975 standards, his charisma still carries weight. There's an old-fashioned honesty to his performance, and he gamely embraces the role’s fish-out-of-water demands.

Richard Attenborough (Commander Swann): A highlight of the film, Attenborough’s dry delivery and composed demeanour are the perfect foil to Wayne’s bluster. His subtlety adds intelligence and humour to the film.

Judy Geeson (Jennifer): Brannigan’s assigned liaison provides moments of warmth and a touch of romance, but her character is underused. Still, she holds her own alongside the heavyweights.

John Vernon (Ben Larkin): Vernon does fine as the villain, but he’s not given much to do. His screen time is limited and lacks the menace needed for a compelling antagonist.

Mel Ferrer as a corrupt businessman adds a subplot, but the film doesn’t dig deeply into intrigue.

Criticisms

Pacing and Formula: The narrative sags in the middle, with long stretches of procedural filler. The plot is too straightforward to sustain 111 minutes.

Stiff Action: While competently directed, the action sequences lack the kinetic energy of the best 1970s crime films.

Wayne’s Age: Though charming, Wayne is clearly miscast in a physically demanding role, and it undercuts some of the tension.

Thin Villainy: The bad guys feel generic, with little backstory or gravitas. There’s no real psychological cat-and-mouse at play.

Legacy and Cultural Context

Brannigan is not among John Wayne’s best or most iconic films, but it holds a unique place in his filmography. It’s one of only two times he played a modern-day cop (the other being McQ), and it reflects the changing tides of American cinema in the 1970s.

As gritty realism and anti-heroes became the norm, Wayne’s style felt increasingly anachronistic. Yet, Brannigan is a charming curio—a sort of transitional fossil—where the old West meets the new world.

For British cinema, the film is a fun anomaly—a Hollywood production using real London locations and pairing American action tropes with local talent.

Conclusion

Brannigan is an entertaining if uneven cross-Atlantic thriller that’s best enjoyed as a time capsule. It never achieves the taut intensity of The French Connection or the style of Bullitt, but it compensates with charisma, cultural contrasts, and the sheer novelty of seeing John Wayne brawling in a London pub.

It’s not essential viewing for casual audiences, but for fans of John Wayne, British crime films, or 1970s genre cinema, it’s an enjoyable oddity with flashes of charm and style.

A fun, flawed blend of American grit and British wit, held together by Wayne’s larger-than-life presence.