It’s pure Culp Fiction when a girl who might hold more than key information from the Federal Reserve robbery goes missing, and the private detective team of Hickey & Boggs are hired by a somewhat nefarious character to locate her. Robert Culp (Frank Boggs) and Bill Cosby (Al Hickey) reprise their I Spy chemistry in Culp’s one-off-directorial effort, as a trail of bodies turns sunny Los Angeles into a dark and gritty, bullet riddled, 70’s noir gem. Often imitated screenwriter Walter Hill debuts his mastery for action sequences and proficiency for dialogue, anchored in a plot that has the pavement sinking beneath the private dicks feet. Culp mailed us a 1972 post card of Los Angeles that isn’t sold on Hollywood Blvd, but is a must see for crime drama aficionados.
Kim Morgan discusses Hickey & Boggs on the New Beverly blog.
