Shakedown movie synopsis. A drug dealer shoots a corrupt police officer. Though the drug dealer admits his guilt, he pleads self-defense. His lawyer, Roland Dalton, and renegade loner NYPD narcotics agent Richie Marks, pursue evidence in his favor. They encounter difficulties from other corrupt police officers, drug dealers, and various street scum. Dalton’s life is further complicated by the fact that the prosecuting attorney is a former lover.
Shakedown (also known in international markets as Blue Jean Cop) is a 1988 crime drama/action movie starring Peter Weller, Sam Elliott, Richard Brooks, Blanche Baker, Daryl Edwards, Jude Ciccolella, George Loros, Patricia Charbonneau, Shirley Stoler and Walter Flanagan. The movie is about an idealistic lawyer teaming with a veteran cop to find out the truth in a possible police corruption scandal.
About the Story
Roland Dalton (Peter Weller) is a burned-out, mild-mannered Manhattan public defender, and his last case before leaving legal aid is crack dealer Michael Jones (Richard Brooks), accused of shooting to death police officer Patrick O’Leary in Central Park. According to Jones, the shooting was in self-defense and that officer O’Leary was a ‘Blue Jean Cop’ (an opportunistic police officer who robs drug dealers).
Being a ‘creature of habit’, Dalton seeks the truth to his mysterious case and looks to Richie Marks (Sam Elliott), a renegade loner NYPD narcotics agent. Dalton realizes the prosecutor in his last case is a former love interest, the smart and sexy Susan Cantrell (Patricia Charbonneau). Throughout the trial Roland rekindles this former affair with Susan unbeknown to his fiancée Gail (Blanche Baker).
Roland and Marks eventually learn that O’Leary was working with a large number of dirty cops who purchased blue jeans and an expensive car. The dirty cops were working with drug lord Nicky ‘N.C.’ Carr (Antonio Fargas). Roland at one point breaks into the police station’s evidence locker to locate the cassette tape that Jones had in a boom box radio at the time of his shooting. The tape recorded the entire incident and when Roland attempts to get the tape he is taken hostage by the team of dirty cops. Just before Roland is going to be killed, Marks bursts into the room and shoots the cops, saving Roland.
Although Roland makes it to court, with the assistance of an insane cab driver (Tom Mardirosian) the judge refuses to allow the tape into evidence. After making an impassioned closing statement, the jury acquits Jones of the shooting. Marks then shows up in a Porsche purchased by O’Leary and they go to the airport to hunt down Carr and the last of the dirty cops. Richie jumps onto the planes landing gear and after shooting out an engine and tossing a hand grenade into the landing gear compartment, he jumps to safety just as the plane explodes.
Shakedown (1988)
Directed by: James Glickenhaus
Starring: Peter Weller, Sam Elliott, Richard Brooks, Blanche Baker, Daryl Edwards, Jude Ciccolella, George Loros, Patricia Charbonneau, Shirley Stoler, Walter Flanagan
Screenplay by: James Glickenhaus
Production Design by: Charles C. Bennett
Cinematography by: John Lindley
Film Editing by: Paul Fried
Costume Design by: Peggy Farrell
Set Decoration by: Guido DeCurtis
Music by: Jonathan Elias
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: May 6, 1988
Visits: 102
