Oscar winnerDenzel Washingtonhas carved out an extraordinary career full of roles as historical figures likeMalcolm Xand street-avenging heroes inMan on FireandThe Equalizerfranchise. On rare occasions, however, he took chances on some offbeat movies that expanded his range beyond his elegant leading-man persona. Early in his career,Washington carried the lead in what is the most eclectic picture of his career:The Mighty Quinn.
The 1989 comedy thriller was released the same year as Washington’sAcademy Award-winning performance inGloryand is most remembered for its reggae-flavored soundtrack featuringAbbott Elementary’sSheryl Lee Ralph, who appears in the film as Washington’s love interest. The story is based onAlbert Z. Carr’s novelFinding Maubee,with Washington sporting a badge and a Jamaican accent as he investigates a murder on the tropical island. Though it did not light up the box office,The Mighty Quinnhelped to establish Washington with aSidney Poitier-style screen presence before he became a cinematic draw in the next decade.
What Is ‘The Mighty Quinn’ About?
On paper,The Mighty Quinnreads like a darkfilm noir: Washington’s Jamaican police chief, Xavier Quinn, investigates the murder of a rich white hotel owner with evidence pointing to his mischievous childhood friend Maubee (Robert Townsend). Though his colleagues and the townspeople are convinced of Maubee’s guilt due to his criminal history, Quinn suspects a setup took place. His investigation gets woven into politics between the governor’s fixer, Elgin (James Fox), and an American businessman named Fred Miller (M. Emmet Walsh) who represents the dead owner’s company. As Quinn pursues Maubee around the island,he uncovers a much larger conspiracyover his friend’s discovery of a rare $10,000 bill.
As a Jamaica-set thriller,Quinncan be dismissed easily as ablaxploitationrevenge film similar toThe Harder They Come. Yet, the film takes on a lighthearted, colorful tone, fitting the Jamaica setting and the warmth of the people. While playing as a serious mystery during the investigation scenes,the subplots add a humanized element often missing in the noir genre.Quinn has to balance his job with his efforts to reconcile with his wife Lola (Ralph), who raises their child alone while avoiding potential infidelity with attractive hotel maid Isola (Tyra Ferrell). At the time of release,Roger Ebertpraised the way Quinn danced around multiple genresas “a spy thriller, a buddy movie, a musical, a comedy and a picture that is wise about human nature. And yet with all of those qualities, it never seems to strain”.
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King Kong ain’t got nothing on this career.
Even while showcasing the beauty of Jamaica’s vibrant culture,Quinntakes a fascinating look at class divisions within the island paradise. The theme is very apparent in the chief’s loyalties being torn between his community and the local politicians heavily influenced by wealthy people like Walsh’s suspicious American. The closest part of the story, where the theme faces a complicated social entanglement, involves Elgin’s wife Hadley (Mimi Rogers),who shares an attraction to the chief.His rejection of her advances is not so much about being faithful to Lola as it is about crossing a boundary that compromises his standing with his working-class people.
Denzel Washington Displays Rare Warmth In ‘The Mighty Quinn’
Fresh off both his Oscar nomination forCry Freedomand his six-year stint on NBC’sSt. Elsewhere, Washington’s performance rises above what could have been a one-dimensional protagonist. Though his performance echoes the charismatic breakthrough debut ofSean Connery’sJames Bondin the Jamaica-setDr. No,the actor provides a full showcase of his range from dramatic actor to action star to romantic lead all in one picture. He handles the action with ease early on by stopping a knife-wielding criminal using lightning-fast martial arts moves. But then there’s the warmth in Washington’s depiction of Quinn, specifically in the brotherly interplay with the equally talented Townsend. They can have a heated argument after a near-fatal car accident, then turn around with quick smiles and share a beer.
Washington has made few attempts to do comedy in such films asHeart ConditionandThe Preacher’s Wife. ButThe Mighty Quinnallows the iconic actor to let loose in ways he’s never done before or since. In a rare showing in Washington, an intoxicated Quinn gets aRay Charles-like musical number while performing piano in front of a bar crowd. It’s the kind of offbeat moment for a usually reserved gentleman like Washington to engage in and just another reason why his talent remains so legendary.
The Mighty Quinn
