Corrupt Lieutenant
This is one of the most interesting movies on Harvey Keitel's early resume. Along with 'Fingers' and 'Blue Collar', it's one of his most underrated performances, and a movie that every Keitel fan should seek out. His character here - a corrupt NYC cop - is almost a practice run for his magnificent 'Bad Lieutenant'.
Keitel plays Fred O'Connor, a dysfunctional police officer who co-owns a secret luxury bachelor pad with his partner, bought with dirty money. The city is going through a series of cop killings, and paranoia is rampant, though O'Connor doesn't really seem all that concerned at first. He becomes a little jumpy when he finds himself being stalked by a mysterious weirdo (John Lydon, yes Johnny Rotten of Sex Pistols infamy), and positively freaks out when he turns up on his doorstep, claiming to be the cop killer. O'Connor doesn't believe him but is panicked all the same, as his whole secret life is at risk of being revealed, so he does the logical (?) thing - he keeps him prisoner.
But this is only the beginning in a film that keeps you guessing, as mind games, and 'battles of will', ensue; with some strange identity and relationship swapping, almost worthy of legendary 70s head-trip, 'Performance'.
Starring: Harvey Keitel, John Lydon, Nicole Garcia, Leonard Mann, Sylvia Sidney, Carla Romanelli, Nicola Cancellaro
