Plain Clothes (1988 film)

To clear his brother and find the real murderer, undercover officer Nick Dunbar enrolls in high school again, dealing with bullies, crushes, humiliations, popularity swings, and quirky teachers and staff.

Credits

Paramount Studios
Directed by: Martha Coolidge
Story: A. Scott Frank and Dan Vining
Writer: A. Scott Frank


Arliss Howard ... Nick Dunbar

Suzy Amis ... Robin Torrence

George Wendt ... Chet Butler

Diane Ladd ... Jane Melway

Seymour Cassel ... Ed Malmburg

Larry Pine ... Dave Hechtor
Jackie Gayle ... Coach Zeffer

Abe Vigoda ... Mr. Wiseman

Robert Stack ... Mr. Gardner
Alexandra Powers ... Dawn-Marie Zeffer

Peter Dobson ... Kyle Kerns

Harry Shearer ... Simon Feck

Loren Dean ... Matt Dunbar

Reginald VelJohnson ... Captain Graff

Max Perlich ... Carter
James D. Parker Jr. ... Deaf Jeff
Tee Dennard ... Sal Becker
Brenda Hayes ... Camille
Jennifer Krug ... Terez

Michael Watson ... Warden #2
Landon Wine ... Warden #3
Anthony D. Pancho ... Warden #4
Kimberley Pistone ... Punk Girl

Bernhard Pock ... Punk Guy
Kitty Murray ... Hechtor's Date
Mack Harrell ... Mr. Bradwood
Scott Martinez ... Student at Fair
Marya Delia Javier ... School Secretary

Jeff Young ... Kid #1
Joe Rockey ... Kid #2
Raven Hutchinson ... Jill
Jonathan Allen Haxby ... Car Enthusiast
Darren Lay ... Metaphor Guy
James Lopez ... Mark
Phoebe Augustine ... Girl at Fair #1
Dawn Johnson ... Girl at Fair #2
Juliet Hartford ... Girl at Fair #3
John Pendelton ... Cop
Shaunn Baker ... Friendly Boy
Mary Seto ... Friendly Girl
Letia Sue Lewis ... Weeping Girl
Megan Anne Wyatt ... Weeping Girl's Friend
David Hrolicka ... Ice Cream Kid
Tamao George Yasutake ... Ice Cream Kid
Rachna Eav ... Little Girl

Bridget Hoffman ... Student Announcer

Plot Summary

Undercover cop Nick Dunbar's (Arliss Howard) brother Matt (Loren Dean) is accused of killing his high school teacher, Mr. Bradwood (Mack Harrell). Nick loses his temper with Hechtor (Larry Pine), the detective in charge, and gets suspended. Nick's partner Ed (Seymour Cassel) pretends to be Nick's dad to enroll him as a student. Matt gives Nick pointers to get people to talk to him. Nick deals with bullies, girls with crushes on him, teachers & staff who range from quirky to bizarre, and a teacher, Robin Torrence (Suzy Amis), to whom he is attracted who thinks he's a teen.

Along the way, Nick and Ed narrow the probable motives down to jealousy (Bradwood was trading grades for sex with Dawn-Marie Zeffer (Alexandra Powers), the girlfriend of Kyle Kerns (Peter Dobson), one of the bullies) or self-preservation (Bradwood was blackmailing some staff about running a real estate scam on the other teachers).

Nick's identity is discovered by Jane Melway (Diane Ladd), one of the con artist's gang, and it all comes to a head at the May Fest. Nick and Ed find out that they are probably on the wrong track - Chet Butler (George Wendt), one of the gang's members is missing and an emotional confession from Melway points to Butler as the murderer - not to stop the blackmail, but because Bradwood was engaged to Melway, with whom Butler used to have an affair and whom he still loves. Bradwood also found the love letters in which Butler claims to have killed Melway's husband.

Butler appears and implicates himself with words and actions. A chase ensues, ending with Nick being cornered finding the evidence that cements Butler's guilt. Nick is saved twice in quick succession, once by a schoolmate's opportune distraction, and once by an excellent shot of Ed's at the perfect time.

Nick makes a date with Robin Torrence, who now knows he is an adult, and the real-estate scammers are arrested. Hector looks very foolish. Matt is released from jail and can't wait to get back to school.

Trivia

*e.e. cummings' poem 'She Being Brand New' appears in its entirety in the classroom metaphor scene.
*The high school is named for Adlai Stevenson and their mascots are the Pagans.
*As of 2008, only available on VHS.

External Links

*imdb title|id=0095875|title=Plain Clothes (1988)