IIRC there was an episode of Police Story where an officer intentionally lets himself get killed in the line of duty right before his retirement so his family gets a death benefit on top of his pension. I think he knew he had inoperable cancer or something like that. The show was back in the 70’s so my memory is fuzzy on it.
The Dabney Coleman movie Short Time turns that into a comedy. Due to a lab mixup he thinks he is about to die. Line of duty deaths pay out more than if he died after his impending retirement. He finds himself surviving increasingly heroic acts
Now on my “to watch” list
Easily one of the top car chase scenes in movie history.
There is a scene where the bad guy says something like “You’re crazy! I LIKE IT!!!”
The vikings had a concept called “fey”. A warrior was destined to die. He knew he was destined to die. He was cool with it. He would charge into battle with all his might, determined to take as many enemies with him as possible.
It was extremely dangerous to be the enemy of a fey man.
It was also somewhat dangerous to be the ally of a fey man.
…and I’m just now realizing that this must be the unnamed movie the main character watches in David Lodge’s novel Paradise News.
In Joseph Wambaugh’s book The Blue Knight, many things happen on the veteran street cop’s last day(s) on the beat. Most of them aren’t good.
So as the OP asks (me) when did this trope become a laughable cliche? I have a hard time believing that Friedkin in 1985 would have employed a cliche so prominently in a serious film.
He literally said he was talking about the movie “Falling Down.”
That is such a great film. There could be a whole thread on it. Turturro has some great lines:
Eric ‘Rick’ Masters : How you making it?
Carl Cody : Like every other swinging dick in this place makes it. Day by motherfucking day.
For me the flaw is Mel Gibson himself. I used to love those movies and I try not to let artists personal stuff color my viewing pleasure, but he’s pushed me there - in his antisemitism, racism and generally shitty movie choices after LW.
When I retired from my first LEO career I did almost nothing in the field during my last month. I spent the time making sure all my cases were closed. If something had come up that might have ended up in court at a later date it would have been handled by someone else.
The last week was amazingly dull and my last day was eearily quiet. They had a small party for me and that was it. Myself and most retired cops I know have our careers end in a fizzle.
I’m on my second career and will probably retire in 2027. I expect it to end pretty much the same.
Hah!
I had a trip to Israel planned in Dec, 2017, and I was leaving a couple of days after winter break started. Last day at work before break, I was assigned to the toddler room. I told the other two women to please, do me a favor, and spare me diaper changes that one day-- next time I was in, I’d do every single one, but I did not want to catch something right before a 21 hour trip, counting air time + stopovers (and most of it was air time).
They were really nice about it, and even told me I didn’t have to touch the kids at all-- just do clean-up, snacks and lunch. No-- I still wiped my share of noses, but almost washed my hands raw.
Born in 1946, so yep.
He was pretty bigoted and homophobic.
I had to be the overnight supervisor for my last year and a half. We are required to have a supervisor working the desk at all times. For the last 6 months I didn’t have a partner so I worked the desk exclusively. I didn’t go on a call the entire time. My last day I came in for dayshift and turned my equipment in. They took me out to lunch, I got my plaque and retired badge and I went home.
How often during that time did you get to say “I’m too old for this shit”?
Many many times. I was a little older than most when I started so I felt really old by the end.
I was 47 when I retired the first time. The agency had a “25 and out” plan and I had started when I was 22.
I’ll be 63 next month. They increased my backdrop if I stayed after 62. I’ll probably leave in '27. I don’t say I’m too old for this. I say the new guys they’re hiring are too young!
My gawd. These kids think the world began on the day they were born. They know absolutely nothing about anything that happened in the past.
My last employed day is tomorrow, Tue. Retirement starts Wed. I’ve already had my last workday and avoided trope-ish mishap. Although the thought sure occurred. I have no plans for a follow-on job, much less a second career.
I’m in a totally different industry than you folks, but this really rings / rang true for me:
I was 50. They had a optional early retire for 20 and 50.
I still work as a consultant in the same field.
I worked for the Feds for 30 years and they started offering me early retirement. When I started telling myself “I’m getting too old for this shit” I decided to take them up on it. I was 54.
Now at 71 I find myself saying the same thing when I get home from grocery shopping.