THREE KINDS OF HEAT

US, 1987, 88 minutes, Colour.
Robert Ginty, Victoria Barret.
Directed by Leslie Stevens.

Three Kinds of Heat is a routine thriller from Cannon films - reminiscent of The Golden Harvest, Hong Kong based thrillers of the '70s. It starts with a massacre at Kennedy airport, introduces a State Department agent in contact with international authorities.

The film introduces two statuesque policewomen, one from the U.S., the other from Hong Kong. Their investigations for a Mr Big take them through New York, to England, back to America. Routine action melodrama.

1. The appeal of this kind of thriller? International police work? The Mr Big and crime?

2. American locations, English locations? Stunt work? Special effects? Score?

3. The title, the personal interactions, the fireworks and the explosions, the illegal arms?

4. Cromwell: at New York airport, his contacts, being appointed to the mission, his getting the two women as his assistants, investigations and leads, to England, the police co-operation, tracking down Mr Big, the international contacts, discovering the Englishman was betraying them, the flight back, the confrontation, the chases in New York City, the finding of Mr Big, the confrontation in the fireworks warehouse? His relationship with the two women, collaborating with them, the Hong Kong policewoman and her independence? The achievement of the job?

5. The policewomen: the American, her work at the Customs, the sudden trip to England, collaborating with Cromwell, the chance to look glamorous as well as being a policewoman, following the Hong Kong woman, the betrayal, the chases in New York, the dangers, final confrontation? The Hong Kong policewoman, her uniform, presuppositions and arrogance, working with Cromwell, in England, glamour, the betrayal? The Black Lion? The final heroics, her return home?

6. The criminals in New York, their being tracked down, the leads for Black Lion, the assassination attempt at the airport, the irony of Mr Big not being obvious, the dealers and their meetings, the revelation, the shoot-out?

7. The international police chiefs, their television and radio contact, commands? The British policeman and his betrayal?

8. Action-packed - but routine? Law and order?