Movie

Murphy’s Law (1986)

Charles Bronson movies are typical gusto hero stuff, but this offering adds an excellent psycho villainess to ramp up the enjoyment factor. Tough cop Jack Murphy prefers to shoot bad guys instead of reasoning with them, but meets his match when a recently paroled killer sets him up for murder. There are many lesser goons to deal with, ranging from a mafia boss to a rural gang operation. These mini-battles usually end messily with gunfire, dead bodies, and explosions. Fortunately, Snodgress’ kill scenes are so excellent that the distractions don’t dilute her contribution.

Kathleen Wilhoite makes her feature debut as Arabella McGee, a punk with a loud mouth and a creative vocabulary. Every other word she utters is an insult, which adds humour amidst the violence. Arabella makes the mistake of stealing Murphy’s car during the title credits, but he soon catches up to her after some wild driving and a spectacular crash. The female thief is much better at kneeing a guy in the balls and escaping. Murphy is better prepared for a later encounter in a women’s restroom, leading to a tirade of expletives as he restrains her.

What else is happening in Los Angeles? A mob boss’ brother becomes a murder suspect after physical evidence is found at the crime scene, but refuses to go quietly. Confronted at an airport, the bad guy takes a hostage and kills her once she becomes a burden. Enough justification for Murphy to shoot him dead. With the mafia boss out for blood and a separated wife filing for divorce, it’s no wonder Murphy is a depressed alcoholic.

Things are about to get even worse when Joan Freeman arrives in town. The paroled murderess meets with a private investigator to get information on her targets: various men in the police force and legal system who put her away. Joan shows how psychotic she is when the PI negotiates for more money. Perhaps he shouldn’t have followed her from the public park to a secluded underpass. The villainess points a gun at the man, demands he open his mouth wide, and blows his brains out. Face covered in blood, Joan is a terrifying killer about to screw with Jack Murphy’s life.

Villainess

Joan Freeman (Carrie Snodgress)

Murphy’s spouse is a strip club dancer, an excuse for gratuitous nudity before Murphy tries to smooth things over. The cop follows the wife to watch her romance another guy, but Joan is also watching and plotting her next move. Late one night, she knocks out Murphy in his car and uses his weapon to blow away the couple while the hero sleeps it off. The framed cop is puzzled about how he got home, but finds out soon enough when his colleagues show up to arrest him.

Murphy curses his luck when he’s locked in a cell with Arabella, but doesn’t endure her insults for long. He stages a fight and makes a run for it… with the handcuffed loudmouth in tow. Murphy reaches the police station roof and makes a dramatic helicopter escape. Unfortunately, the chopper is low on fuel, forcing him to crash into a drug farm. Just a few more punks to deal with, then.

Murphy is injured during the gun battle but makes it to a remote cabin where a crippled ex-cop offers to help. Arabella is in way over her head and not happy about it, and the old man offers the hero some friendly advice. They seem to like each other, but any savvy viewer knows that spells certain doom, especially since Joan has the friend in her personal scrapbook of targets. After Murphy leaves with Arabella, the leather-clad Joan pays the cripple a visit. She takes one of his many shotguns, knocks him to the ground, and says nothing as she pulls the trigger.

Joan’s next target is a prominent judge, so the villainess puts on a redhead wig, dolls herself up, and acts the seductress in a restaurant. After the other customers leave, the judge flirts with Joan, despite feeling her face looks familiar. He should have trusted his instincts because the insane woman reveals her evil side and drowns the man in a bathtub. Easy to make it appear like an accident when there’s a lamp on a balcony above to drop into the water.

Murphy suspects the mob boss is behind the murders, so he and Arabella trick their way into a private suite. The hero confronts the man – a scared wreck without his henchmen – and demands he confess at gunpoint. Eventually, the hero realises the boss is innocent (of these killings, at least) and asks a police contact to research other leads. That’s when Murphy learns who his true enemy is.

Joan’s next victim is her psychiatrist, who’s too inquisitive for her own good. The psycho strangles her with a power cable after pumping weights. Murphy and Arabella arrive too late, but find Joan’s scrapbook, which leads them to a remote property. Too bad the occupant is already dead, suffocated with a plastic bag. The murderess surprises Arabella and sedates her with chloroform, then leaves a message in lipstick to set up the denouement.

That showdown takes place in the Bradbury Building, which makes a great location with its winding dark staircase and antique elevator. Joan gags and restrains Arabella, and has a loaded crossbow with many bolts to fire in Murphy’s direction. The mafia interrupts proceedings, and the psycho is happy to hide and eliminate the gangsters while Murphy has a shootout with them. After taking out the boss’ henchmen through a combination of heroism and luck, the rogue cop confronts and finishes the boss with a one-liner.

It’s Murphy against Joan, with the hero dodging bolts as the murderess proves an expert markswoman. Disarmed by the villainess’ sharpshooting, Murphy races downstairs to save Arabella from being crushed under the descending elevator. Joan shoots the woman (non-fatally) to lure Murphy back upstairs. Out of bolts, the lunatic grabs a fire axe and attacks, slicing Murphy’s chest.

With the villainess off balance, Murphy takes advantage and knocks her over a railing. She clings in desperation to the axe (trapped in the rails) and pleas for her life. Murphy isn’t a man for noble actions, so he watches Joan lose her grip and retorts to her “Go to hell” comment with the catchy “Ladies first”.