Now that I have covered Police Squad! in part one, it’s time to explore the movies. From Frank Drebin’s first big screen outing, to his son taking the spotlight in the new film. Oh, I’ll also be looking at a few Frank Drebin appearances outside of the movies as a little bonus.

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

After stopping a terrorist plot from some of the world’s most evil leaders while on vacation in Beirut, Frank Drebin returns the U.S. Nordberg (working undercover) tries to stop a heroin shipment being organised by local businessman, Vincent Ludwig. Only, being Nordberg, he messes things up and is shot by Vincent’s henchmen before falling into the sea. Frank visits Nordberg in hospital and manages to (eventually) get clues about the heroin shipment. But there are rumours that Nordberg is a dirty cop.

Meanwhile, Police Squad have been put in charge of security for a visit from Queen Elizabeth II. Frank’s boss, Ed Hocken gives Frank 24 hours to clear Nordberg’s name before news of his possible criminal activity interferes with the Queen’s visit. Frank quizzes Vincent, who then asks his assistant, Jane Spencer to get close to Frank to learn what he knows about the heroin shipment. However, Jane falls for Frank and they become a couple. On top of all of this, Vincent is planning on assassinating the Queen. Frank uses his rather unique police investigation skills to stop the assassination attempt, bring Vincent to justice and clear the name of his friend, Nordberg.

Favourite joke.
It is so much harder to pick one joke from a longer movie than a short TV show. I guess the obvious one would be the “Nice beaver” gag, but it is overused. I think I’ll have to go for the bit with Frank using the toilet after the press conference about the Queen’s visit. With Frank leaving his microphone on, so we can hear him taking piss… a really long one. We, and the audience in the press conference, can hear everything. I particularly like Frank’s “Le holy-hooooo!” singing. Then there’s a brief call-back to this joke when Frank and Ed go to investigate where Nordberg was shot and where he fell into the water.

Ed: You want to take a dinghy?
Frank: No, I took care of that at the press conference.

It’s a good bit of toilet humour, and you get a towfer with the call-back. Plus, there was a long period of several years where I would do the “Le holy-hooooo!” thing while using the toilet myself. Still, this flick is crammed with great jokes and even ones that were already used in the TV show are still funny (if not funnier) here. This first big screen outing is great, it’s almost as funny as Airplane! and that’s quite the feat.

Well, I guess that I had better bring up the recasting with the film(s) over the TV show. As much as I hate to admit it, because he was a wife beating, double-murdering cunt. I really liked O. J. Simpson as Nordberg (slight spelling change from Norberg from the show). He’s not in this film much, due to his character being in hospital, but I did prefer O.J. over Peter Lupus who played the character on Police Squad! However, I much preferred Alan North playing Ed Hocken in the show over George Kennedy playing him in the film(s). There was something about Alan playing Ed that made the character more “genuine” and the chemistry between he and Leslie was great too.

The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear

During a diner at the White House, President George H. W. Bush announces that he plans on making changes to the country’s energy policy and will introduce renewable energy, under the advice of  Dr Albert Meinheimer. This news really pisses off the oil, coal and nuclear power industries. Jane (now separated from Frank) is working at Dr Meinheimer’s research institute and sees a suspicious man flee from the building. Moments later, a bomb goes off. Police Squad are called in to investigate and Frank sees Jane for the first time since splitting up. Jane is now with Quentin Hapsburg, the owner of Hexagon Oil.

Quentin holds a top-secret meeting with the heads of the various energy companies and reveals his plan to use a Dr Meinheimer doppelgänger to deliver a new speech that will champion fossil fuels, and put the breaks on the President’s idea to switch to renewable energy. Meanwhile, the real Dr Meinheimer is kidnapped and held hostage by Quentin’s goons. When the man that left the bomb at Dr Meinheimer’s research institute tries to kill Jane, Frank saves her and the two rekindle their relationship. It is then up to Frank to stop the Dr Meinheimer doppelgänger, save the real Dr Meinheimer so that he can give his speech, and reveal that the much respected Quentin Hapsburg is actually the man behind the plan to ruin the President’s renewable energy policy.

Favourite joke.
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear has some great gags all throughout. But, if you really pushed me to pick just one, then I’d have to go with the bit where Frank and Ed are questioning Jane about the man that she saw fleeing Dr Meinheimer’s research institute before the bomb went off.

Frank: “Now, Jane, what can you tell us about the man you saw last night?”
Jane: “He’s Caucasian.”
Ed: “Caucasian?”
Jane: “Yeah, you know, a white guy. A moustache. About six-foot-three.”
Frank: “Awfully big moustache.”

It’s the seriousness of how Leslie delivers that last line that sells it, something that he was the master of. To be honest, I think this sequel has better jokes than the first film and picking just one is tough. I could most probably do a top ten best jokes, and still have enough left over to fill a top 50 list.

Now, while I think that the jokes are funnier in this sequel, I still feel that the first film is better overall. We do get more Nordberg here and as I said before, he’s a really funny character (just played by a despicable human). I guess it is worth mentioning that Quentin Hapsburg is played by Robert Goulet, who appeared in Police Squad! as one of the guest stars killed in the opening. He’s the only actor to hold that distinction too. The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear is a good sequel that gets close to beating the first film, and a sequel with some bloody funny gags. Which can not be truthfully said about the next film.

Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult

Now happily married to Jane and retired from Police Squad, Frank is taking it easy and adjusting to his new home life while Jane is the bread winner. However, Frank misses his old life and the thrill of working at Police Squad. Ed Hocken and Nordberg turn up at Frank’s house asking for help with an investigation. A notorious bomber called Rocco Dillon is locked up in prison, but it is believed that he has been hired by a terrorist to carry out a bomb attack on U.S. soil. Frank is persuaded to help Ed and Nordberg out, especially as he remembers Rocco’s girlfriend, Tanya Peters, from several years ago.

After investigating Tanya’s workplace… which just so happens to be a sperm bank, Jane suspects that Frank is back working for the police again. He lies to her and says that he’s having an affair. Jane walks out and with nothing left to lose, Frank decides to get back to his old life and agrees to back working for Police Squad, go undercover in prison as a known criminal (Nick “The Slasher” McGurk) to befriend Rocco and try to learn more about the planned bombing. Frank and Rocco escape prison and Frank has to keep up the pretence of being a criminal. All while Jane is having a Thema & Louise style road trip with a friend. Jane eventually turns up at Rocco’s place and Frank (pretending to be a criminal) suggests that they take her hostage and the two soon have to try to stop Rocco from blowing up the Academy Awards ceremony.

Favourite joke.
When, during a full-on prison riot, Frank (pretending to be Nick “The Slasher” McGurk) is talking to Rocco about an escape plan and helps hide the plan from the prison guards.

Rocco: “I’ve been watching you McGurk. You handle yourself really good.”
Frank: “Really well.”

I just love the pettiness of correcting the grammar… and during a prison riot, because that’s the kind of thing I would do. Yeah, it really annoys me when people use “less” instead of “fewer”, as an example. Definitely my kind of joke and once more, it is Leslie’s deadpan delivery that makes it work do damn well.

I adore the first film, the second is a damn good sequel. This one though… not so much. I’ve just never really gotten on well with Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult. It’s not a bad film and it is far and away from being a terrible one, but it’s just not very funny. The amazing opening that parodies the famous train station scene from The Untouchables is brilliant, and then it all goes downhill. The jokes just aren’t as funny, or as frequent. Whereas I could reel off numerous great gags in the first two films, I’d struggle to name ten in this, outside of the brilliant opening. I even get the impression that Leslie Nielsen was getting a little bit bored of it all by now. Yeah, if I’m in the mood for a Naked Gun rewatch, I’ll happily skip this one.

Well, I guess it can’t be put off any longer. It is time to take a look at the fourth film in the franchise. After 31 years, Frank Drebin is back… well his son is.

The Naked Gun

The old Police Squad is gone, but an all-new and more modern one has taken its place. However, there is one man who is struggling to move with the times, Frank Drebin Jr., son of Frank Drebin from the original films (in case the name hadn’t clued you in). Very much an old school cop who plays out like every dinosaur cop that you could ever think of with all the clichés to boot. Due to Frank’s archaic policing methods, Police Squad is under threat of being shut down for good. To try to keep him out of trouble Frank is taken off any major cases and put on simple traffic duty, mainly car crash investigations. Frank investigates when a driver is killed via a seemingly possible suicide, thanks to a new smart car. Frank meets Beth Davenport, the sister of the man killed in the crash and he soon suspects something more sinister is afoot.

Richard Cane is the billionaire, tech wizard who is trying the change the world (think Jeff Bezos mixed with Elon Musk) and his new electric smart cars seem to be the link between him and the “suicide”. It turns out that Richard has a much bigger plan than cars that kill but when Frank takes things too far, he is suspended from Police Squad. Now working outside of the law, Frank has to prove that the billionaire tech wizard is not the good guy he makes himself out to be and put an end to his evil plan.

Favourite joke.
I have to admit to being a little hesitant about picking a favourite joke here. I have only seen this film once and to get the most of of these films, you really do need to watch and re-watch several times. There’s so many gags going on and stuff in the background that you never do get everything from just one viewing. I’m willing to bet big money that I have missed a lot and my favourite joke will most probably change with my next viewing. However, of those that I can remember, this is the one that stood out. It’s from when Frank and Beth are getting to know each other better at his place that overlooks the L.A. skyline.

Beth: “That’s quite a view you have. I’ve always been drawn to the Hills since moving here after college.”
Frank: “UCLA?”
Beath: “I see it all the time, I live here.”

I do adore a good wordplay joke and this one had me laughing. There’s also a running gag involving coffee that made me laugh several times. I went into this sequel with an open mind and low expectations. I came out of it with a stupid smile on my face and fully entertained. Liam Neeson does a fantastic job as as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. and his more serious acting is a good replacement for Leslie Nielsen’s. Not as great or iconic… yet, but still a worthy performance. I love the way that Frank Jr. still has some that that bumbling Drebin DNA, but he’s a bit of a bad-ass too. It’s like Liam is making fun of his past action film roles and having a lot of fun with it. Pamela Anderson plays Beth Davenport, the sister of the killed driver and the love interest. For me, she stole the whole movie and she has some of the best jokes (see above). I do think that they ruined one of the best gags with the trailer, the O.J. Simpson one. Should’ve left that for audiences to see for the first time in the film.

As I mentioned before, I’ve only seen this once and I’m sure I’ve missed a load of gags, but the ones I did get were mostly great. There are some fun throwbacks to the original films (“Nice beaver”), but without forcing nostalgia down your throat (unlike Happy Gilmore 2 with its constant flashbacks to the first film every few minutes). There are a couple of credit scenes that play homage to Police Squad! and the original films too. The Naked Gun is stupid, as it should be. The irrelevant humour is here and updating it for a modern audience has not ruined or sullied what went before. I definitely need to see this a few more times to get the most out of it, but I am very pleased with how this has turned out. I hope we get sequels. Is the spoof comedy genre making a comeback? Hard to say at this stage but this is the best of this kind of film for a couple of decades, at least.

More Frank Drebin…

I guess it is time to bring this lengthy retrospective to an end. But before I do, I just want to highlight some appearances of Frank Drebin (and his son) outside of the TV show and films.

One of the more bizarre appearances of the character was from 1994. Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult was the latest film in the franchise and as part of a bit of cross promotion, Frank and Ed from the films were called in to try to find The Undertaker from when the WWE was still known as the WWF. Now, I’m not into wrestling, so I know very little about all of this but from what I gather, it was a story about the real Undertaker going missing and being replaced by a doppelgänger (or something. Don’t know, don’t really care). Anyway, Police Squad were called in to investigate and to find the real Undertaker.

Yes, this really happened. Also, there’s an appearance of Frank’s son too, Frank Drebin Jr. seen before the new film. There are some pretty decent gags in this as Frank and Ed make multiple appearances as the story played out. They even got in the ring, live at one point. It’s all a bit of stupid nonsense, wrestling I mean, but it fits in with the humour of Naked Gun perfectly.

Here in the U.K. in the 90s, we had a series of ads for Red Rock Cider (it’s not read and there’s no rocks in it). These ads were more based on Police Squad! than Naked Gun, if that makes any sense. You’ll see what I mean when you watch them as they have a similar set up and style…

I think there may have been some kind of legal rights issue because the character names are different and the police work for Fraud Squad! and not Police Squad! So it seems that these ads were not okayed by Paramount, who owns the rights. The ads were directed by John Lloyd, a writer/producer/director behind some the best comedy shows in the U.K. such as Blackadder, Spitting Image, Not the Nine O’Clock News and QI, to name a few. Anyway, despite not being legally sanctioned, Paramount must’ve like the Red Rock Cider ads because they offered John the director job on Naked Gun 3 while it was in early development. However, John turned it down. Rather bizarrely, there is another John Lloyd who worked on the first two Naked Gun films as an art director and production designer.

Finally, did you know that there was a Naked Gun videogame? Originally planned to be a direct sequel to Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult. The game was written by Robert LoCash, who was also a writer on Naked Gun 3. This was going to star Leslie Nielsen reprising his role as Frank Drebin however, while the game was being developed, Leslie passed away in 2010. So there was a slight re-write and the main character was changed from Frank Drebin to Frank Drebin Jr. Yes, more of Frank’s son before the new film. The game, called The Naked Gun: ICUP, was a point ‘n click adventure game that was only released on mobile devices in 2012.

I’ve never played the game but from my research, it didn’t seem too bad. I did manage to find this review of the game. Even more interesting, there were plans to make two Naked Gun games in the late ’90s. They never did see the light of day, but this article from Time Extension got to talk to one of the programmers. The two games were briefly mentioned in Mean Machines Sega magazine too.

Well that’s it. All of the Police Squad!/Naked Gun/Frank Drebin goodies that I could find. I was thinking about doing a part three of this retrospective, one that looks at the issues making the fourth film and how it began as a project for Leslie Nielsen before he passed away…