The Mighty Quinn is a 1989 American mystery comedy thriller film directed by Carl Schenkel and starring Denzel Washington in the title role, alongside Robert Townsend, James Fox, Mimi Rogers, M. Emmet Walsh, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. The screenplay by Hampton Fancher is based on A. H. Z. Carr's 1971 novel "Finding Maubee". The film is set in the Caribbean and was shot in Jamaica.
The film is a deft hybrid of laughs, espionage, and music, and offers an early example of Denzel Washington's onscreen magnetism. The film has received mixed reviews, with some praising its entertainment value and others criticizing its plot and pacing. The film grossed $4.0M in the US box office.
Plot
The plot of The Mighty Quinn revolves around Xavier Quinn, a police chief who tries to help his childhood friend Maubee after he becomes a murder suspect. When a wealthy developer is found murdered, Maubee becomes associated with the murder and a briefcase full of ten-thousand-dollar bills. Quinn must clear his friend's name or try to catch him, which could be even trickier.
The murder is likely to discourage tourism, and perhaps there are more sinister reasons for sweeping the crime under the carpet and blaming Maubee. Quinn is the only one who wants to press an investigation, and it takes him into the decadent lives of the local establishment. As his investigation goes through this moral quicksand, Quinn also weathers trouble at home.
His wife, Lola, is rehearsing with a reggae trio and is just a shade too emasculating to make a man truly comfortable around her. A local beauty wants to steal Quinn away from her. An old crone who is the island's resident which makes prophecies of dire outcomes.
Cast
- Denzel Washington as Xavier Quinn
- Robert Townsend as Maubee
- James Fox as Thomas Elgin
- Mimi Rogers as Hadley Elgin
- M. Emmet Walsh as Fred Miller
- Sheryl Lee Ralph as Lola Quinn
- Esther Rolle as Ubu Pearl
- Norman Beaton as Joseph
- Alex Colon as Gonzales
- Robert Christian as Captain Morgan
- Tyra Ferrell as Isola
- Quinn's Reggae Band as Themselves
Director: Carl Schenkel
Writer: Hampton Fancher
Box Office Gross: $4,557,214
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Genre: Comedy, Mystery & Thriller
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 17, 1989
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008