646f9e108c Freebie and Bean, two San Francisco police detectives, have one goal in life: to bring down Red Meyers, a local hijacking boss. After many fruitless months they finally collect an important piece of evidence. However, before they can get an arrest warrant, they hear the news of the hitman being hired to kill Meyers. Freebie and Bean are somewhat bumbling odd couple partnered SFPD detectives with the Intelligence Squad. Despite their different natures, they have each other's back, especially when it comes to their so far fourteen month investigation against racketeer Red Meyers, who is well-connected in all the right places. They finally have the first shred of physical evidence against Meyers to corroborate the insider account of a lowlife named Harry Motley, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. Despite the flimsy evidence and no Motley, they believe they have no choice but to bring in Meyers on any charge when they learn there is a contract hit out on Meyers, the hit man named Michigan Phil. Based on this information and recent knowledge that Motley is returning to town on Monday, the D.A., concerned primarily with maintaining his high successful prosecution rate and getting the highers-up off his back, recommends they release Meyers, but make sure he stays alive until Monday when they can bring both Meyers and Motley in. Their inconspicuous shadowing of Meyers in protecting him against Michigan Phil and any other potential attempts on his life is made all the more difficult as it is Super Bowl weekend, the game being held in San Francisco, and as especially Bean's thoughts steer toward the growing evidence that Bean's Latina wife is having an affair. This is a pretty funny movie from the 70's starring James Caan and Alan Arkin as two screwed up police detectives in San Francisco trying to bust a local numbers guy so they can get promotions. By today's standards it's very un-pc - lots of ethnic jokes - but it's still a good laugh.<br/><br/>James Caan and Alan Arkin are very good together. Caan ("Freebie") is the guy who's always trying to get something for nothing, and Arkin ("The Bean") is the straight man and butt of his jokes. It's a good combination as they play off each other very well.<br/><br/>Not much to say about the story. There are several chase scenes that are pretty humorous and lots of mayhem. Valerie Harper plays Arkin's cheating wife and she's pretty good. The rest of the cast is mostly unknowns.<br/><br/>Look for Peter Fonda (uncredited) in the barber shop scene after Freebie and the Bean get in a fight with the Cadillac salesman from Michigan. Richard Rush, who directed this film, also did several of Fonda's biker films from the 60's. It was my first starring role in a major motion picture. Richard Rush, the director, was a doll and held my hand every step of the way knowing I was a newbie. He is responsible for really molding my performance, which is what made this 'buddy' movie stand out. Alan Arkin is a genius. He can speak backwards. James Caan was an arrogant asshole. I myself hung out with Alan's son, Matthew, who was about 12 at the time. He was a 30-year-old man inside a twelve-year-old. And I was a ten-year-old inside a 21-year-old body so it worked. Matthew was so bright and so funny and never asked me stupid questions. We had a great time together. What a pair we must have made!
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