Spenser: Small Vices

I remember watching the "Spenser: For Hire" tv series with Robert Urich and Avery Brooks. I loved Urich's refined approach to the character and Avery Brooks played the sidekick "Hawk" as one smooth, tough, powerful character (in fact, he played it so well that they made a spin-off tv show based on Hawk). The show was a success for the network and was popular as an action series. There was a suggestion of romance between Spenser and "D.A. Silverman", but after the first few episodes they were nothing more than friends and professional associates, and the focus shifted from developing their romance to giving us gunfights and car chases.

Joe Mantegna is a terrific actor, and in the role of Spenser he brings a darker, more sinister approach to the character which is interesting and certainly gives Spenser more depth. He does a good job showing us the tough side of Spenser, as well as the sensitive, romantic side (and I don't mean a la "James Bond"). Its the sort of duality that is so often missing in action characters.

Marcia Gay Harden as D.A. Silverman brings a more romantic and sensuous characterization to the role, which was missing in the tv series due to strict network censorship. Silverman is still intelligent and is still one tough attorney, but she also has a feminine side. There's one scene that's particularly steamy, but it really defines the relationship of the two characters and works well in the context of the story.

Like most hard-boiled detective stories, the detective finds himself surrounded by women who constantly throw themselves at him, and Mantegna does a good job playing these scenes for their somewhat comedic potential. If nothing else, the racy (and very successful) series "NYPD Blue" has opened the gates for tv networks to take more risks in showing non-sexual nudity, and "Small Vices" has benefitted from it tremendously, allowing the actors to have more intimate moments (including a brief nude scene where we see an actresses' posterior as she tries to seduce Spenser in his office). Knowing that Spenser has a strong relationship with Silverman, we can see why he would rebuff so many advances by other beautiful women. We know who owns his heart, and unlike the tv show version, we know why.

Comparing the film to the tv show, I prefer Brooks' portrayal of the Hawk character. It was just such a powerful role that he stole just about every scene he was in. I can still remember the way he said "Spens-SUH!" Urich played a good action character, but Mantegna shows us much more depth and has a bit more edginess. And Marcia Gay Harden is a dead ringer for the actress (her name escapes me) that played D.A. Silverman, but the tv version of Silverman never "nursed Spenser back to health" (if you know what I mean) after he was gravely wounded by a hitman's attack. Kudos to A&E (Arts And Entertainment) for bringing us a new "Spenser" mystery.

My dad and I are both huge fans of the Spenser novels, TV show, telepics, et al. Because we both agree, Robert Urich's cast a long shadow over the role of everyone's favorite Boston P.I., he (dad) didn't buy Joe Mantegna as Spenser at all - too ethnic, he said. "Small Vices" was the first of three TV movies with Mantegna. My dad couldn't get past it. I, though, think Mantegna nailed Spenser's dry wit and sense of humor. "Small Vices" certainly was the best of the A&E trilogy - just try watching Eric Roberts as Police Chief DeSpain in one of the others without cringing. But in a world where Warner Bros. has left "Spenser: For Hire" to languish on its AOL site, and all we have on DVD are the Lifetime TV movies, my investment in a region-free player has paid off again - "Small Vices" was released in Australia on home video and I picked up a copy from Amazon.

I agree, casting the Role of Spenser is a tough one, but if you have seen the poster/soverbox for the movie, "The Substitute", or if you saw "Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead", you can't argue with the fact that Treat Williams would have to make the all-time best Spenser. He's a boxer, He's Irish, He has the smirk, and he's a very good actor, he IS Spenser. And don't just get the first black guy that looks like Avery Brooks to play Hawk, put some thought into that as well. Ving Rhames would do well, since he can slide in and out of the educated accent and the street jive, and he's also one of the better actors out there. If not Ving, another good choice would be Dennis Haysbert, Pedro Serrano from "Major League". Susan Silverman is a tough one. Mr. Parker has almost made her shoes impossible to fill, but if I had to pick an actress who has her charm, looks, smarts, and is also Jewish (why not, Susan is?), I'd have to go with Rena Sofer. The other characters could be played by most any other character actors, Luis Guzman was spot-on as Cholo, the guy who played Little John In "Robin Hood: Men In Tights" is a great Teddy Blue, and Dan Hedaya is who I always see as Vinnie.

Those are just my opinions, everyone sees these characters in a different way. But Joe Mantegna is NOT spenser, sorry.....

Mantegna and Harden are very good as Spenser and Susan, the by-play is good. Mahmud-Bey makes a good Hawk, though he does not seem to have the sharp edge that Hawk in the books does. The story is followed as closely as time permits for a 90 minute production. An enjoyable two hours.

I saw Dr. Parker at one of the local Barnes and Nobles here in Connecticut.

He said that "Robert Urich god rest his soul may have looked the part of Spenser but that Dr Parker thought Urich didn't get what the character of Spenser really was.

He said that Joe Mantegna understood the Spenser character." I think people are so used to seeing Robert Urich as Spenser it is hard to change. I know for one when I read the novels "Urichs voice is the one that I use for reading the book.

In some of the earlier Spenser books it was written that Susan Silverman was the most beautiful woman that Spenser ever saw. How can you truly cast someone in the part or watch someone in that role when each persons view of beautiful is different.

I did however enjoy Small Vices. Just not a big Joe Mantegna fan sorry