Q & A

US, 1990, 137 minutes, Colour.
Nick Nolte, Timothy Hutton, Armand Assante, Patrick O'Neal, Lee Richardson, Charles Dutton.
Directed by Sidney Lumet.

Q & A is a Sydney Lumet film about justice when law and order is in disarray. Ambition, corruption and violence prevail - especially in New York City. Lumet has adapted the screenplay himself from a novel by Judge Edwin Torres (who was a judge in New York City and Lumet's advisor for Prince of the City). It is in the vein of his 70s police films Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon as well as the 80s Prince of the City. It is very grim.

Nick Nolte is believable as the psychopathic and brutishly crooked cop. Timothy Hutton gives an excellent performance as the earnest, to-be-disillusioned lawyer. Armand Assante is also excellent as the local Hispanic hoodlum tycoon. In fact, the film is very well-made, small parts acted particularly well (for instance the Jewish lawyer, Hutton's advisor friend, Patrick O'Neal as the smooth political operator). The film takes us into a dark, selfish, exploitive, racist, crude, foul-mouthed world - and Torres and Lumet are pessimistic about the future.

1. The title, the processes of law, the role of the police, law and order?

2. The work of Sydney Lumet, his interest in justice, police, crime? A film of the 80s and 90s? Pessimism?

3. The authentic use of New York City locations: the police precincts, the various districts of New York, Times Square, nightclubs, the Hispanic sections? The use of Miami? Puerto Ricco? Musical Score? Song?

4. Mike Brennan and the opening, the killing, audience revulsion at the brutality? His setting up the witnesses? Pressurising them? Using his badge? Telling the various stories to the fellow police - and his crude tone? Al listening to him? His wanting to be pals with Al? Genial side? The Q & A process, the clarity of his answers, his lies? The bond with Quinn and Quinn's smiling? The enigma of the cover-up? Audience expectations for the conflict? Brennan in himself, personality, psychopathic? Motivation for being police? For jaw and order? The card dragged from the river and his pressure on Al? His plea with his friend Chapman - and the implicit racism in his relationship with the black officer? His threatening of Val at the video shop in front of his children? In Times Square and his brutality with the prostitutes, transvestites? The pursuit of Roger? Chapman tailing him? His link with the prostitutes, in the apartment, murdering the prostitute? His going to the Mafia bosses and wanting protection? Listening to the answering service, the information about Roberto Ricco, going by plane and following Al? The confrontation with Roger, the sexual invitation - leading to murder (but indicating Brennan's own sexuality and inhibitions)? Killing Roger, the explosion of the boat? The return to new York, confident? Going berserk in the office, shooting? His shooting his friend Chapman? The back ground of the Irish police, bigotry and racism, emphasis on (white)? The blue of the police? Belief in law and order? His relationship with Quinn, his being used for political purposes? Symbolic of corruption in the New York police force?

5. Quinn, his orders for AI, neat and tidy. sense of menace, ordering AI in his investigations? The link with Brennan? Expectations of procedures, being thwarted? Expressing disappoint with menace, inviting Al to dinner, the outline of his political campaign, emphasis on wealth, the Jews? His PR men? Threatening Al? Bobby Texador and his story about the young Quinn, his violence and brutality? The possibility of exposure? Bloomenfeld and the decision to let Quinn go (expecting him not to win office)? The portrait of office seekers in New York State?

6. Timothy Hutton as Al Reilly: waking up, being asked to take on the case, seeing the issues from his prospective, eager and innocent, going to Quinn, agreeable, listening and laughing at Brennan's stories, one of the boys? The Q & A process and its clarity, his self-satisfaction? His relationship with Chapman and Valentin? The banter, the process of inquiry? His friend ship with Bloomenfeld, idealist, giving him information? Learning from him? The hearings and the reaction of Preston Pearlstein? His winning out over the witnesses? The interrogation of the Mafia types, throwing the book at them? Attitudes towards Bobby Texador? Finding Nancy at the interrogations? Bobby and his threats? The effect? His own doubts? The memory of his father and his respect for him? Obeying Quinn? Learning from Chapman and Valentin? With Nancy and moving to a more serious approach? The story of his relationship with Nancy, his hurting her, her background and her-father? His discovery of his own racism? Seemingly irrevocable mistake? Brennan and his threats? Brennan's other threats and Al hiring them? Continuing to get advice from Bloomenfeld? Tracking down the witnesses, the information to go to Puerto Rico? Hearing Quinn's story from Bobby? The early hour sitting? The shootout in the office, his being hurt? The cover-up, Bloomenfeld's stance, his disillusionment? His own methods, going to Puerto Ricco, the confrontation with Nancy, wanting to be with her? The support of her mother and his interviews with her? A future?

7. Bloomenfeld, 30 yrs experience, attempts for justice, wise advice, finally playing things safe, helping Al not to be injured, his final-words - and the disillusionment?

8. Chapman, the black detective, friendship with Brennan, Brennan saving his life, blue being more important than black? His skills, friendship, his approach to the case? Following Brennan and knowing the truth? Giving the information to Al? Not wanting to hurt Brennan - and the irony of his being shot by him?

9. Valentin and the Hispanic style, manner, speech? Relationship with Bobby, the confrontations? Working undercover? Yet the family man? Going to Puerto Rico, his honesty to Al? The Hispanic police in New York City?

10. Bobby Texador and his background, success, the gangs, the story about Quin and the gangs, his relationship with the Italians, spurning them, using the homosexuals and the transvestites? At the nightclubs and the confrontation with the Mafia Love for Nancy, marrying her? His taking Roger to Puerto Rico? Money issues? The setup for his murder and his outwitting the Italians with his Cuban bodyguards? Roger's phone call at Brennan's behest, going to the boat, the explosion? The picture of the arrogant Hispanic gangster become tycoon?

11. The Italians, the tradition of the Mafia, their bigotry, anti-Hispanics? The witness questionnaire and Pearlstein and his clients? The Italians at the club and their despising of the Hispanics? The Mafia boss and his home, his hold over Brennan, drug deals and money? Sending the killer to Miami to set up Bobby Texador?

12. Nancy and her background, her Hispanic mother, black father? Love for Al? Her story about her disillusionment in seeing the look on his face? With Bobby, love, security? Silent at the interrogation? AI following her, the car ride and the discussion, the visit to her mother? Her stories about losing love? Supporting Bobby? At the end on the beach - the possibility of forgiving Al?

13. Nancy's mother, Al's visit, his going back to the mother, the discussions about the racism and Nancy's hurt, her supporting him?

14. Quinn's campaign, his PR men and strategists? The role of the police? The District Attorney's office and Bloomenfeld, protection for Al, the collection of information? The early morning sitting? Their decision not to prosecute? Wheels within wheels?

15. The glimpse of the New York City precincts, the police, the range of backgrounds, racial and religious tensions? Good humour? Brutality? Law and order?

16. A picture of New York at the end of the 80s, crime, drug-dealing, vice, violence, power? A pessimistic viewpoint?