Good Guys Wear Black (1978) Reviews

• Can't Get Enough

  nickmarino72@mail.com2004-02-04

  I don't know what it is about this film, but I can never seem to tire of it. The acting is nothing special, the camera work is dated, and the plot is confusing at times. But this doesn't effect the enjoyment I receive every time I put this DVD on and watch it again. In fact, the story grows more intriguing with every viewing. If you are a Chuck Norris fan, this is an especially fantastic find, since he is at rare form from start to finish. The plot has Norris race around the western US trying to stop an assassin gunning for members of his former CIA Vietnam unit. This may be one of the first films to feature truly "extreme" stunts, including snowmobiling, jumping thru a windshield of a moving car, along with other motorcycle, race car, and skiing related action. Luckily, now you can find the DVD in discount stores easily, and I believe it's worth picking up.

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• There's only one way to deal with people like you... Expediently!

  sol-kay2006-01-17

  **There are Spoilers** One of Chuck Norris' earlier works that has him play Maj. John T. Booker the leader of the secret CIA assassin/guerrilla unit named "The Black Tigers" who were used by this unscrupulous and power-hungry US diplomat Canrad Morgan, James Franciscus, as a bargaining chip in the 1973 Paris Peace Talks to end the Vietnam War. Trying to smooth or grease both sides, the US and North Vietnamese, US diplomat Conrad Morgan made a deal with his Communist counterpart Quang Yang to have the Black Tigers sent into Communist-held South Vietnam on a suicide mission with them, the Black Tigers, thinking that their being sent to rescue a bunch of American POW's or MIA's. The Black Tigers led by Booker get pinned down by VC small arms fire and realizing that their mission is about to end, with all of them dead or captured, they make their way back to the designated spot in the jungle where their supposed to be pick up by US Army helicopters; only to find out they've been abandoned by their own higher up, like Conrad Morgan. It's now five years later and Booker now a collage History Professor ,and part-time test car driver, meet's in his class Margaret, Anne Archer, who seems to know lot about his activities in Vietnam and the men that he commanded there The Black Tigers. Margaret also seems to know that "The Tigers" are being killed off to keep what they were doing in "Nam", being part of the covert Operation Phoenix, from getting out to the Amerian public. A bit too long and somewhat lame action movie with Chuck Norris doing his best in trying to act seriously but not being that convincing. Booker teams up with Margaret in finding the remaining Black Tiger members before they end up getting killed off by a secret CIA hit-team lead, or controlled, by Conrad Morgan. It turns out that Booker can't prevent the killing of his fellow Black Tigers and even Margaret ends up getting blown out of the sky by a bomb placed in her passenger plane taking off from Squaw Valley. Booker getting to the bottom of what's behind the killings which turns out to be that Morgan is about to be confirmed Secretary of State. Morgan in order to get confirmed want's all his dirty little secrets kept under wraps. Like the selling out the American MIA's, and their failed rescuers the Black Tigers, to the Communist in order to get them to sign a peace treaty in Paris back in January 1973. Covering all the bases Morgan has the retired top US diplomat at the 1973 Paris Peace talks Edger Harolds, Dana Andrews,locked away in the Bethesda Navel Hospital psychiatric ward to discredit him. Horolds had written a letter to Booker and his friend and contact at the CIA Murray Saunders,Llyod Haynes, confirming Morgan's betrayal. With everything cleared for his conformation as the third most powerful man in the United States government Morgan looks like he'll be rewarded and get away with the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of American soldiers but Booker has other ideas. In the end Morgan doesn't make it to Washingtn D.C to get sworn in as secretary of state. He's given a long ride off a short pier out at Chesapeake Bay where he's never to be seen or heard from again; courtesy of his new and unexpected limo driver John T. Booker.

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• Chuck Norris is John T. Booker and Booker is fighting back.

  HarryLags2016-10-18

  I'm not sure when I first watched this one, but it must have been sometime in the mid 80's or so.Back then anything starring Mr. Norris was a sure thing in my book, I don't think that i was ever disappointed with any of his movies.I mean, how could you be? It is Chuck Norris! Good Guys Wear Black opens in Paris, France in 1973 where U.S. Senator Conrad Morgan is negotiating terms on a deal with a delegate from North Vietnam, to release American P.O.W.'s, still imprisoned in Vietnam. Major John T. Booker and his elite army unit, the Black Tigers, are chosen to be the sacrificial lambs, so to speak. The 12 men are sent into the jungle under orders that they are to free American prisoners held in a camp, but when things go horribly wrong, Booker starts to suspect that they have been set up. The plot in Good Guys Wear Black is quite good and I won't go further into it here. You'll have to watch the movie to find out more! It's a well- written one, directed by Ted Post, who's also done Hang 'Em High and Magnum Force. The cast is actually not that bad. Anne Archer, James Franciscus are all good actors and Chuck Norris is Chuck Norris, so it all evens out in the end. No, all kidding aside, even Mr Norris is good here.. If there's one gripe I have with this movie, it's the fact that as far as it being an action flick… it's a bit "talky", you know? I would have liked a little more action…I really wanted to like the movie more, and all it had to do was have Chuck fight more people, and have more scenes like the action set piece in the middle. That's ALL it had to do to win us over, but it's just a little too much talking… So if you have the patience and you like 70's type action movies then you should like this. Overall worth watching.. 7 out of 10

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• Enjoyable Chuck Norris vehicle

  Woodyanders2009-12-04

  Rugged commando John T. Booker (the almighty Chuck Norris in solid rough'n'tumble form) and his elite squad the Black Tigers are left behind enemy lines by their backstabbing superiors during a mission in Vietnam. Five years later someone starts picking off the surviving members of the squad. It's up to Booker to find out who's behind the killings and take the person down. Director Ted Post, working from a complex and cynical script by Bruce Cohn and Mark Medoff, relates the complicated and chillingly plausible plot at a steady pace, maintains a tough and paranoid no-nonsense tone throughout, astutely nails the bleak and shadowy zeitgeist of post-Watergate 70's America, and stages the rousing action scenes with aplomb. Moreover, the story makes a grim, yet relevant and provocative central point about government expediency and corruption. The fine cast helps matters a whole lot: the charming and fetching Anne Archer delivers an appealingly spunky portrayal of snoopy investigative lawyer Margaret, James Franciscus makes for a suitably slimy villain as ruthless and treacherous politico Conrad Morgan, Lloyd Haynes does well as Booker's shrewd buddy Murray Saunders, Dana Andrews likewise excels as the bitter and washed-up Edgar Harolds, and Jim Backus has a funny bit as a cheery doorman. Norris cuts loose with his patented lethal karate moves on several exciting occasions; the definite show-stopping highlight occurs when the Chucker does a fierce flying kick through a car windshield. Robert Steadman's slick cinematography gives the picture a nice glossy look and boasts a few breathtaking aerial shots. Craig Safan's funky, jazzy, pulsating score hits the get-down groovy spot. A worthy item.

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• Good Guys Wear Black

  Scarecrow-882009-11-16

  Ted Post(Hang 'Em High)directed this early Chuck Norris vehicle regarding a contract out to kill members of a covert group sent into Vietnam on a bogus mission to secure POW's said to have been imprisoned in a camp. Norris stars as John T Booker, leader of the Black Tigers, leading five of the men out of Vietnam. He goes on to become a professor and part-time race car test driver, soon learning from an old pal in the CIA(Lloyd Haynes)that he and his men have a hit out on them. Booker will join forces with a mysterious reporter, Margaret(Anne Archer, simply lovely)who knows more than she's willing to divulge, in an attempt to find the remainder of his men(..those still alive) across the country, running into constant trouble along the way. James Franciscus has a memorable role as a handsome, ambitious, ruthless political negotiator, Conrad Morgan, eyeing the Secretary of State position, whose goal is to silence all who had a part in the "Phoenix Operation" and Booker will do everything in his power to see this bastard fail. Dana Andrews also has a small, but pivotal role as Morgan's right-hand man, Edgar Harolds, who was once in a higher position of political power, now an alcoholic, lonely man with only one ace under his sleeve to keep the wolves at bay. Soon-Tek Oh, as Major Mhin Van Thieu, was part of the Black Tigers, actually part of Morgan's camp, a hired assassin whose putting bullets into Booker's men. Good Guys Wear Black, as any Norris fan can tell you, features one of Chuck's most memorable iconic sequences where he goes through the windshield of a moving car to kick an enemy attempting to flee. Norris also gets a chance to subdue those who attempt to thwart his mission of justice, by dropping his foes with martial arts kicks and other maneuvers..this is a great period for us Norris fans as he was a bit thinner, more agile and athletic, and could really move fast, giving his adversaries little chance to counter his arsenal of blows. Post, working from a rather convoluted espionage script, keeps the story going, with Norris in fine form. While he never was known for his acting prowess, Norris' other skills, such as screen presence, charisma, and fighting style, bolster GGWB rather well. I think this film features one of the better stories of Norris' career(..and Archer is certainly one of his better leading ladies), while not allowing him to kick and punch people throughout.

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