Movie spotlight
What Price Honesty?
Police corruption is the theme of this brutal harbinger of the bleak "new wave" crime thriller. Pai Piao, Danny Lee, and "Venom" Sun Chien star as idealistic police school graduates who run afoul of such vicious, murderous depravity that the cop who is killed first could be considered the lucky one.
Insights
Plot Summary
A crusading district attorney is murdered, and his investigator must navigate a complex web of corruption and deceit to find the killer. The investigation uncovers a conspiracy reaching high into the city's elite.
Critical Reception
This made-for-television movie was generally met with mixed to positive reviews, praised for its taut thriller elements and solid performances, though some critics found the plot somewhat predictable.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its suspenseful atmosphere and engaging mystery.
Michael Nader's performance as the determined investigator was a highlight.
Some viewers found the resolution to be somewhat formulaic for the genre.
Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce for this television film, but those available tend to appreciate the suspense and the classic detective-story elements.
Fun Fact
The film was part of a wave of TV movies in the early 1980s attempting to replicate the gritty realism and complex plots of theatrical crime thrillers.
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