One the worst things that can happen to a cop is to be forced to do a shooting in the line of duty. All the training in the word does not make living with action any easier, especially if it results in a fatality. It is among the most traumatic events that can occur for a police officer. No matter what, that officer is likely to second guess every decision that led to that point. Could they have found another way to resolve? Did they have to shoot? Could they have talked the person down? Did the person have to die? Those are just a few of the question that are likely to arise. What makes that situation even worse is if person is found to have been at fault. And herein lies the premise for Warning Shot. David Janssen of TV’s The Fugitive fame plays LAPD Sergeant Tom Valens in this crime drama where he finds himself in that exact situation. During a routine stakeout, Valens fatally shoots what he perceives to be an armed suspect. However, upon a comprehensive investigation, the purported weapon is nowhere to be found. This premise alone was enough to intrigue me, but while watching the film, I became more engrossed in the crime drama with every passing detail. Rounding out the cast are Ed Begley and Joan Collins, as well as the “First Lady of American Cinema,” herself, Lillian Gish.
As mentioned earlier, Valens is living every cop’s nightmare as additional details come out about his allege armed suspect. For one, his status as a prominent doctor and humanitarian. Adament about his account, but with no evidence to back up his claim, Valens finds himself charged with manslaughter, suspended from the police force, and demonized by the public, who call for the book to be thrown at him. With very few allies, the disgraced officer sets out to prove his account and regain his reputation. But a lingering question remains, “did the doctor really have a gun, or did he imagine the whole thing?
One of the things I felt the film did really well was flesh out the backstory of the Valens character. By giving Valens previous traumatic experience, it added to the speculation of whether or not his account of events were true or a delusion of his own making. This for me gave the character depth as well as personal struggle to battle as he conducted his own independent investigation. Another aspect I appreciated was Janssen’s reserved and stoic approach to the role. It kept me on his side and rooting for him. I think if the character was portrayed as a loose cannon and a hothead, it would have alienated me against the character.
It was an intricate journey the character was taken on, as he found resistance to his investigation at almost every turn. Even so, the dominoes eventually started to fall, and the reveal of how the situation played out was not an outcome that I could have ever predicted. I conjured all types of scenarios to explain what happen, and to determine Valens’ overall guilt or innocence. However, my theories ranged from being as simplistic as Occom’s Razor to as complex as dark conspiracy working against the police sergeant. In the end, the truth was unlike anything my imagination could have conjured. That said, I was not disappointed, and I was able to accept the outcome with relative ease. You can’t ask for more than that.
In summation, while I don’t imagine this a film that I am likely to repeat, given that the mystery is solved, I enjoyed and was grateful for the experience. When it comes to movies that predate my existence, the source material at times or the nuance of the era can go over my head. However, in this case, the subject matter translates across times, because as sad as it is to say, this is still a situation that occurs in today’s day and time. Even sadder is that I doubt that it ever will become a thing of the past. Regardless, Warning Shot is a enjoyable movie experience that I do recommend.
