I love this movie every time I see it. Just watching it the other day, gave me cause to watch it again. You breeze through this 93 minute movie, where I really didn't want it to end. Partners, I get the distinct impression, was a very overlooked comedy. Yes it's funny, very much situation wise, but too it has a good backdrop of story, involving a couple of gay murders, which sets off a few new ones too. The plot here was what really impressed me. Homophobic cop, Benson (Ryan O Neal (barely adequate) and gay desk cop, Kerwin (Hurt, fantastic as always) are forced to go undercover as a gay couple, moving into Homoville, where they start to rock some people's boats, and jangle their chains in order to flush out and bait the killer, much the same way Cruisin' was done, where that was just a solo job. One criticism, I did find with the story, well two criticisms. I'll get Hurt's character's one out the way, first. Kerwin has been trying the hide the fact that he is gay, O'Neal's chief (Macmillan) is surprised he's caught on to this fact. It's patent as a black eye. The other criticism is to do with Hurt and O Neal's undercover snooping antics, like having in depth conversations about the murders with gay suburbia folk, and having them not catch on, or not be suspicious of their tones, or q and a methods, was a worry. But put that aside, you guaranteed a laugh night's in. The casting of Hurt and O'Neal, is somewhat bloody fascinating, when you think about, and they bounce well off each other, having to put up with each other's annoying habits, although O Neal doesn't complain about Hurt's cooking. Near the finale, Hurt trying to keep a grip on his tinker toy, while covering O Neal, who's set upon by the killer, is the film's memorably comic high. Jill's a knockout beauty too. Jennifer Ashley is tasty too, as a sexy secretary, down at police headquarters.
Review of Partners
