What cops in their right minds would arrest a big-time racketeer on an indecent exposure charge because he zipped up his fly? The answer is none. The answer’s also Freebie Waters and Benito “Bean” Vasquez, who are assuredly not in their right minds. James Caan and Academy Award-winner* Alan Arkin are Freebie and Bean, mismatched San Francisco cops who bird-dog a notorious mobster like they’re auditioning for a demolition derby, cutting loose with bullets and wisecracks all the way. Directed by Richard Rush (The Stunt Man), this rough-and-ready early buddy-cop caper follows in the skid marks of Bullitt and The French Connection — but it’s a burning-rubber classic itself, with four major chase scenes and more than 100 car crashes. Fully loaded with humor and firepower, Freebie and the Bean is one beloved smash hit.
