Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1970s
    Movies - 1970s Movies - S 3 Mins Read

    Sweeney! (1977)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    Detective Inspector Jack Regan (John Thaw) and Detective Sergeant George Carter (Dennis Waterman) of the Flying Squad don’t mind breaking a few rules – and a few noses – to nick any villains foolish enough to be plying their trade on their London manor.

    Set in a London of the not too distant future when Britain has become a member of OPEC, the film starts with Jack and George waking up late for work after a drunken bender with an air hostess. Sorting her out a police escort to Heathrow, they get to Scotland Yard just in time to catch a gang of blaggers in the act.

    “Kick him George!” advises Jack as he tries to subdue Big Tiny, a massive gypsy. George obliges and Jack gets the cuffs on: “You’re nicked, Tinkerbell!”

    But a pre-credits sequence sets up the main plotline which concerns the nefarious activities of slimy yank Elliott McQueen (Barry Van der Valk Foster), the blackmailing ginger-permed personal secretary to weak-willed government Minister for Energy Charles Baker (Ian Bannen).

    McQueen is into extortion, prostitution and murder, contracting the latter task out to ruthless hitman Johnson (Michael Coles) and his team.

    Charles Baker has a fondness for ‘brasses’, and as part of McQueen’s blackmail scheme we see one of Baker’s regulars, Janice Wyatt (Oxo lady Lynda Bellingham) stripped naked and murdered in a hotel room.

    All of this political conspiracy stuff (which is to do with manipulating oil prices) is way above Jack Regan’s pay grade but he gets involved when his favourite “grass” (informer), car dealer Ronnie Brent (Joe Melia), asks him to look into Janice’s death.

    Poor old Ronnie shouldn’t have stuck his nose in because in the next scene some of Johnson’s murderous mates turn up at his scrapyard dressed as coppers and machine gun everyone in sight to death in broad daylight.

    Investigating his friend’s death then puts Jack in the sights of devious McQueen and his hit team, but rather than top a high ranking copper they decide to discredit him instead.

    Masquerading as cops they pull him over, beat him up, pour whiskey down his throat and stick him back behind the wheel of his car. Though probably only slightly more intoxicated than usual, Jack makes a right mess of a pie stall when he careers off the road.

    Suspended from the force for drunk driving, he enlists George’s help to clear his name and bring the real culprits to justice.

    Sweeney! Is set in a late 1970s London beset by IRA bomb threats and widespread trade union strikes, with Margaret Thatcher just about to take office. It’s a drab place of dingy back streets, ghastly office blocks and hideous pubs populated by people who drink and smoke to excess.

    A further spin-off feature film – Sweeney 2 – was released in 1978.

    DI Jack Regan
    John Thaw
    DS George Carter
    Dennis Waterman
    Elliott McQueen
    Barry Foster
    Charles Baker
    Ian Bannen
    Frank Chadwick
    Colin Welland
    Bianca Hamilton
    Diane Keen
    Johnson
    Michael Coles
    Ronnie Brent
    Joe Melia
    Mac
    Brian Glover
    Janice Wyatt
    Lynda Bellingham
    Flying Squad Cdr. Maynon
    Morris Perry
    DS Burtonshaw
    Nick Brimble
    DS Tom Daniels
    John Alkin
    Matthews
    Bernard Kay
    Johnson’s Henchman
    Antony Scott
    Murder Inquiry Supt
    Antony Brown
    Chadwick’s Deputy Editor
    John Oxley
    Carter’s Neighbour
    Peggy Aitchison
    Manservant
    Hal Jeayes
    Sally
    Sally Osborne

    Director
    David Wickes

    Related Posts

    • What's Up Nurse? (1977)
      What's Up Nurse? (1977)
      When bumbling young Dr Robert "Sweeney" Todd (Nicholas Field) arrives for his first day of work at a new hospital,…
    • Coffy (1973)
      Coffy (1973)
      The Baddest One-Chick Hit-Squad that ever hit town - She had body men would die for . . . and…
    • Brannigan (1975)
      Brannigan (1975)
      "Detective Lt. Brannigan is in London . . . God Save the Queen!" Tough Chicago cop Lieutenant Jim Brannigan (John…
    • Supergrass, The (1985)
      Supergrass, The (1985)
      In this so-so comedy spin-off from the Comic Strip Presents TV series set in the West Country, Dennis Carter (Ade…
    • Ghoul, The (1974)
      Ghoul, The (1974)
      Two bored couples at a party decide to have a car race to the coast, but one car runs out…
    • This, That and the Other! (1970)
      This, That and the Other! (1970)
      A trilogy of sexploitation comedy stories from producer Stanley Long, the king of British sexploitation films. "This" stars Vanda Hudson…
    • Man From Hong Kong, The (1975)
      Man From Hong Kong, The (1975)
      This joint Australian/Hong Kong production co-starred former one-time James Bond George Lazenby and top Hong Kong martial arts star Jimmy…
    • Big Sleep, The (1978)
      Big Sleep, The (1978)
      An ITC/ATV movie directed by Michael Winner and based on the Raymond Chandler novel - but with the action transferred…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleBattle of the Worlds (1960)
    Next Article Sweeney 2 (1978)

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Ups And Downs
      Brisbane band Ups and Downs played a brand of ethereal, […]
    • Serious Charge (1959)
      An unmarried vicar, the Reverend Howard Phillips (Anthony […]
    • Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976)
      In the mould of American Graffiti, Next Stop, Greenwich Village […]
    • Joe’s World
      1 9 7 9 – 1 9 8 0 (USA) 11 x 30 minute episodes This […]
    • Wild Racers, The (1968)
      Teen heartthrob Fabian plays former stock car driver Jo Jo […]
    • Conkers
      Conkers are the hard fruit of the Horse Chestnut tree. These are […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.