JOHN THAW & DENNIS WATERMAN IN 'THE SWEENEY: SUPERSNOUT'

John Thaw and Dennis Waterman in THE SWEENEY: SUPERSNOUT Year: 1975 Rates: ***

Whenever THE SWEENEY writers want to get under John Thaw's independent-minded Chief Inspector Regan's skin, they either add a new partner... making a third alongside Dennis Waterman as Carter...  or in this case (and the second theatrical film SWEENEY 2) they'll add a new superintendent, who in this case is so quirky his name's actually Quirk...

Played by bald character-actor Bill Maynard, he even shakes hands funny, and, as a mediocre, unfit leader he wants to prove himself by busting a mail-thief operation that's already weeks old, inevitably pushing his neurotic personality to the sideline as SUPERSNOUT refers to an even more neurotic John Tordoff as Stickler, an inside information man for Regan, and their dialogue-driven expository scenes are more interesting than the confusing big con that, as usual, takes until the very last minute to comprehend.

John Thaw and John Tordoff in THE SWEENEY

John Thaw in THE SWEENEY

Bill Maynard in THE SWEENEY with John Thaw & Dennis Waterman

Dennis Waterman and John Tordoff in THE SWEENEY

Bill Maynard in THE SWEENEY

John Thaw and John Tordoff in THE SWEENEY

John Thaw and Dennis Waterman in THE SWEENEY

John Thaw and Dennis Waterman in THE SWEENEY

John Thaw and Dennis Waterman in THE SWEENEY

John Thaw and John Tordoff in THE SWEENEY