‘Silence’ speaks loudly decades later as blueprint on defying corruption

Going back 39 years, Code of Silence stars six-time world karate champion Chuck Norris as Eddie Cusack, who fights gangs and department corruption to stop the drug war. A bearded champion of Nancy Reagan’s ‘Just Say No’ era, Silence speaks louder than words through non stop action.

Norris is the best there is in his department in most of his roles. The roadblock of him being truly recognized as the best is his character’s tendency to bend the rules, opting for his moral code instead. On top of that most of Norris’ characters are seen as unemotional, hard to work with, and slightly unreasonable. This stereotype continues with Code of Silence, as through the entirety of the movie Cusack shows hardly any emotion. 

Cusack is the sergeant at the department and leads a stake out to take down the Comacho gang drug exchange. Unfortunately for Cusack, it all blows up as the mafia gang kingpin, Tony Luna (Mike Genovese, The Invisible Kid) and his crew, disguised as painters, shoot the place up and take off with the cash and cocaine. This now puts the Mafia gang in control of Chicago’s drug exchange. 

Shootout survivor Victor Comacho (Ron Henriquez, The Main Event) and his older brother Luis (Henry Silva, Above the Law) go after Luna’s family. Luna runs away to a cabin/safe house while the Comacho’s go after his family and the only survivor is his daughter, Diana; it’s up to Cusack to save her. Besides saving her for his moral code, Diana serves as Cusack's love interest and he’s the only person she really has left to turn to now that her entire family has been murdered.

As for department corruption, there is a code that all Chicago officers follow, the code of silence. They are not to incriminate each other and instead just stick to pleading the Fifth. Though it’s good to have such a strong code of morale within the department, this is to new lengths, lengths that will in turn hurt the public. Detective Cragie (Ralph Foody, Angels With Dirty Faces) shoots an unarmed teenager and to save his own skin, he plants a gun on the kid, making it appear as though Cragie fired in self defense. Cragie’s partner, detective Nick Kopalas (Joe Guzaldo, Blackout Effect) witnesses this and must make the choice to stick to the code or rat his partner out as Sargent Cusack is quickly approaching the scene. Kopalas, still scatterbrained, says nothing and only nods along. 

Viewers learn that this isn’t the first time an incident like this has happened for Cragie, and Cusack believes this should be the end. His point is only further proven when Kopalas confessed to Cusack that Cragie planted the gun on the kid. Cusack claims if Kopalas testifies, he’ll back him up. With the fear of facing the wrath of the department for going against the code, Kopalas defends Cragie’s case leaving Cusack disappointed and on his own. As a society knowing this is a very real fear families could have, that such a thing could happen in such a similar context, makes this scene and idea that much more real and truly scary. Following his morals Cusack states how unfit Cragie is to be in the field causing him to be iced out by the entire department. The only person that sticks with Cusack is his partner Detective Dorato (Dennis Farina, Crime Story), who was injured in the shoot out.

Cusack doesn’t let the trial affect him as he continues on with taking down the Comacho gang; he tracks out to a gang bar, on the way requesting back-up though everyone comes up with an excuse of why they can’t join, leaving him as a one man crew. Seven men end up teaming up on him, holding every limb down. Dorato finds a beat up Cusack in the alley and lets it slip that Diana has been taken captive, setting Cusack on a rampage. Cusack doesn’t let any of the events get to him as he keeps moving forward, so much so that he gives off the impression he hasn’t fully comprehended the abandonment, even though he knew the consequences of speaking the truth.

Knowing the department will be no use, Cusack takes the new advancement: the police robot, the “Prowler” as his partner. Such a fitting concept for Chuck Norris that the only partner needed is a bullet firing robot. Cusack controls the Prowler from a distance, using it to take down the Comacho gang. With the Prowler firing from one side and Cusack the other, he quickly narrows down to the final boss, the gang leader himself, Luis Comacho.

Now that Cusack is down to his final face off with Luis, viewers get a flash over to Nick, Cragie, and other officers. Nick is overwhelmed by the fact that no one is going to help Cusack take down the Comacho gang and that they’re putting his honest testimony over their duty as lawmen. Nick’s utter shock and panic leads him to finally let loose and spill the secret. Cragie did in fact shoot an unarmed teenager. The fact that everyone’s reaction is to turn against Nick shows the point of corruption that has been reached, that there isn’t a justice system for those that wear a badge. Nick had to expose the gun Cragie keeps hidden in a holster at his ankle, one that’s identical to the one the teenager had supposedly had. Though it’s good the people in their department had a bond, the fact that Nick had to crumble and expose the truth just for them to think it possible is a corruption too far gone to save.

After the exposure, they leave Cragie to wallow in pity as they race off to help Cusack, only to watch Cusack do the job on his own, walking out with Diana in his arms. The entire complex of the department corruption was an amazing way to relate to very real problems. The resolution could’ve gone a little further, but was still finished and impactful.

Overall Code of Silence has an important topic that is adapted in a professional and realistic way. It speaks to injustices, and restores faith in the public that there are officers like Cusack out there that will fight for their rights. The concept that Cusack was abandoned by his team, causing him to learn how to adapt and welcome the new technology exemplifies his qualities and morals. Cusack is known for being against technology and the significance of him learning how to use the Prowler shows how he knows how to accomplish things on his own while setting a higher standard for the officers of today.

A- 

Thirty plus years later, Code of Silence holds issues of society and Cusack fighting for his moral beliefs, leaving viewers with faith in officers like him.

by Ashley Schumann

Pubished May 20 2024

Oshkosh West Index volume 120 issue VIII