Order of Death
Virgin Films 1983
review by George
X, May 1999 (First published F&F 9)
© 1999 Fodderstompf.com
/ F&F Publishing
Brief Synopsis
New
York.
A cop killer is praying on corrupt narcotics detectives, the police have no idea who it is.
The killer wears a police uniform and a ski-mask, and slashes his victims throats with a bread knife after dirty drugs deals, leaving no clues.
Police Lieutenant Fred O'Connor (Harvey Keitel), an obsessive control freak shares an expensive apartment over-looking Central Park with another cop, they are obviously corrupt, using aliases, keeping the apartment a secret.
Leo Smith (Lydon) a strange young Englishman begins to stalk O'Connor, asking for him at the secret apartment, he then turns up confessing to the cop killings, O'Connor doesn't take him seriously, but worried by Smith's knowledge of him he beats him and keeps him prisoner in the bathroom.
O'Connor's partner Bob argues to let Smith go, O'Connor accidentally kills him, then tells Smith to cut his throat, in return O'Connor claims he'll let Smith go free, Smith reluctantly does, and then escapes after a failed attempt by O'Connor to kill him.
Smith returns to the apartment
and begins to take control of the situation and also of O'Connor.
O'Connor visits Bob's widow Lenore, which upsets Smith, he orders
O'Connor to kill her fearing O'Connor will tell all, O'Connor
can't go through with it and leaves a gun with her, he tells her
of the apartment.
Lenore suspects O'Connor
of being the cop killer and goes with the police to the apartment.
Smith has convinced O'Connor into being the cop killer, racked with
guilt he commits suicide by slashing his throat with the bread knife,
but not before Smith confesses to O'Connor again that he really is
the cop killer.
The film ends with Smith staring
out the apartment window over the city night.
Review
First off, lets get things nice and sparkling clear, this isn't the
best film ever made, far from it, but at the same token, neither is it
the worst... It's quite a complex film, and very claustrophobic.
The use of the dual identities and aliases adds to the paranoiac secrecy
(Fred O'Connor uses the alias Frank at the apartment, and Leo Smith
uses Fred Smith at the beginning of the film). The dual identities are
very interesting, they are both hiding their true identities, in able
to live out fantasies. We don't really know who the cop killer is,
even at the end.
There are also a strong hints of homosexuality, firstly between Keitel
and his partner, and then between Lydon and Keitel. Lenore (Sylvia Garcia)
, the only woman character is strongly disliked by Smith, who sneers about
O'Connor having "a nice time with pretty Lenore". Harvey
Keitel is as good as he always is, strolling through this film, O'Connor's
sense of order and angst coming easy to him. The big surprise is Lydon,
he's really rather good. Ok, the odd line is a bit iffy but when
he's good, he's great, I mean it... The scenes where Keitel
slaps him around in the bathroom are really convincing (unlike Lydon's
running!), but all together it's a very good performance.
Guilt plays
a strong role in the film. Smith having previously confessed to crimes
he did not commit , confesses to being the cop killer but is never taken
seriously. Smith is riddled by guilt because he inherited a large amount
of money after his parents accidental death, and believes the money to
be cursed, he feels he needs to be punished, he even seems to enjoy it.
Fred begins to feel guilty about his initial treatment of Smith, he then
punishes himself for killing his partner, almost confesses to it, and
then eventually kills himself for release. Is there something profound
in the fact that Lydon confesses to the crimes, isn't believed, then
denies being able to commit them, but did them all along? He was right
all along when he was lying, wasn't he?
The film is also very voyeuristic. Smith watches O'Connor
from a distance, Smith's bedroom is surrounded by video cameras monitoring
his every movement, and when held prisoner in the bathroom, O'Connor
watches Smith through a spy hole. The voyeuristic slant adds to Lydon's
well documented natural paranoia, and could maybe even be an ironic joke
about being scrutinised by the media.
The film probably seems standard indie fare, but it's a little gem, almost a cult-classic. The fact that it's rarely seen, is Lydon's only real film role, and has three different titles, which cause all sorts of confusion (UK: Order of Death, Europe: Cop Killer, USA: Corrupt), adds to it's cult status. Check it out! Though one last last thing, PIL should have done the soundtrack.
Lydon's Worst Moments
The waking up scene, and the
fake yawn!
"Mad, Mad, Mad!"
His 'running'!
"I'm as American as you are"
Dressing up like Smith's grandfather
Lydon's Best Moments
The apartment scenes, the bathroom
scenes.
Keitel to Lydon: "I bet you like rock music don't you"
The cigar, the park scene
"I think we should get a television"
The newspaper, "Me" and "You're special aren't
you O'Connor"
"Had a nice time with pretty Lenore"
Dancing while listening to his radio
The slaps, the dog bowl
The stare at the end, the whole final scene
Copkiller: Italian Lobby Cards
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