The term film noir has been much misused in recent times, with any brooding thriller seemingly eligible for the tag, but this is the real thing. Director Robert Aldrich gives this seedy story the same sense of corruption, depravity and urban alienation that made his 1955 masterpiece Kiss Me Deadly so memorable. Aldrich is reunited with his Mean Machine star Burt Reynolds, whose world-weary detective can barely rouse himself to mumble the sour asides contained in Steve Shagan's uncompromising script. Catherine Deneuve is less sure-footed, but Ben Johnson, Eddie Albert and Ernest Borgnine provide suitably sinister support.

The body of teenager Gloria Hollinger is found dead on a Los Angeles beach, and Lt. Phil Gaines is in charge of the investigation. Gaines learns that the girl, a stripper and prostitute, committed suicide, but he ignores the connection between her and a powerful mob lawyer, Leo Sellers. Hollinger's father, however, is not satisfied with Gaines's results, and attempts to investigate the case on his own.