The Big Easy (film)

The Big Easy is a 1987 American crime drama directed by Jim McBride and written by Daniel Petrie Jr. The film stars Dennis Quaid, Ellen Barkin, John Goodman, and Ned Beatty. The film was both set and shot on location in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The film was later adapted for a television series for two seasons on the USA Network (1996–1997).

Plot

Remy McSwain is a New Orleans police lieutenant who investigates the murder of a local mobster. His investigation leads him to suspect that fellow members of the police force may be involved.

Anne Osborne, a state district attorney, is sent to investigate alleged police corruption. After seeing firsthand some unorthodox practices by Remy, Anne accuses him of being on the take. He argues that she does not have an understanding of how the system works in New Orleans for police.

Despite Osborne's suspicious and apprehensive feelings towards him, they form a relationship. McSwain is caught accepting payoffs in an Internal Affairs sting, and Osborne has the burden of prosecuting him. With the assistance of fellow officers within the police force, the evidence is suppressed. McSwain is cleared of the charges, at which point Anne, becoming aware of such, is faced with the conflict of her personal feelings for Remy and her duty to uphold the law. It is later revealed that Jack Kellom (Ned Beatty), Remy's boss and the two detectives De Soto (John Goodman) and Dodge (Ebbe Roe Smith) are behind the murder and a stash of heroin is hidden at a boat yard. Kellom goes to the boat and is confronted by De Soto and Dodge. Kellom suggests getting rid of the drugs but De Soto shoots Kellom. Remy and Anne arrive and are confronted by De Soto and Dodge and a shootout starts resulting in De Soto being shot by a fatally wounded Kellom and Dodge being shot with a flare gun by Remy which starts a fire and Remy and Anne run just before the boat explodes.