Director Jim McBride conjured the sultry atmosphere of New Orleans with a dose of Cajun seasoning.
Assisted by a taut script from Daniel Petrie Jr., McBride spinned a taut thriller about police corruption in which the real heat comes from the tense, smoldering relationship between a state D.A. and a local cop caught up in her investigation.
The lead roles were played with off-the-charts chemistry by Ellen Barkin and Dennis Quaid.
Big Easy is a 1986 American neo-noir[3] romantic thriller film directed by Jim McBride and The film stars Dennis Quaid, Ellen Barkin,
The film, which benefits from strong supporting cast (John Goodman, Ned Beatty) was both set and shot on location in New Orleans, Louisiana
Narrative Premise:
New Orleans police lieutenant Remy McSwain (Quaid) investigates the murder of a local mobster, leading police to suspect a war between two crime families.
Anne Osborne (Barkin), a state district attorney, arrives to investigate alleged police corruption.
After seeing firsthand some unorthodox practices by Remy, Anne accuses him of being on the take. He argues that she lacks understanding of how the system works in New Orleans for police.
Despite positive reviews, The Big Easy was only moderately popular at the box office.
Recycling:
The film was later adapted for a TV series for two seasons on the USA Network (1996–1997).
