The Way of the Dragon's Bruce Lee vs Chuck Norris battle brought the latter to the attention of action fans, and Norris became part of a wave of martial artists who came to dominate the genre during the 1970s and 1980s, alongside the likes of Jean-Claude Van Damme. While the Missing in Action trilogy and Walker, Texas Ranger are his most famous projects, 1985's Code of Silence is arguably Chuck's best movie.

This thriller was helmed by The Fugitive's Andrew Davis and cast Norris as a Chicago cop fighting a drug lord whilst being shunned by his department for rightfully accusing another cop of corruption. There are only five Norris films with "Fresh" Chuck Norris action movie, and even tackles some weighty themes; it's also a project Norris inherited from a certain Mr Clint Eastwood.

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I Don't Care If It Only Has 57% On Rotten Tomatoes, Chuck Norris' 1983 Western Movie Is An Underrated Classic

Critics may not have liked this cult 1983 Chuck Norris Western, but I think it's one of his most underrated movies and the one that made him a star.

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Clint Eastwood ed On Chuck Norris' Best Movies Lone Wolf McQuade & Code Of Silence

Clint's loss was Chuck's gain

In fact, Code of Silence and Norris' 1983 action adventure Lone Wolf McQuade both have Eastwood ties. These two projects were brought to Clint first, with Eastwood ing on the latter when it was simply called Lone Wolf. It's easy to picture Clint in the lead role of the taciturn Texas Ranger McQuade - to the point where the character even wields a .44 Magnum like Dirty Harry. When he ed, Norris was considered the ideal replacement and the script was tailored to his strengths, including adding more fight sequences.

It's not a controversial take to suggest Clint is a far superior actor to Chuck, whose relentless stoicism undermines the more dramatic moments of Code of Silence.

Norris was probably a better fit for the kind of film Lone Wolf McQuade became, but Eastwood starring in Code of Silence would have made the movie even better. It's not a controversial take to suggest Clint is a far superior actor to Chuck, whose relentless stoicism undermines the more dramatic moments of the film. Director Davis wisely surrounds his leading man with ing players like Dennis Farina, Henry Silva and Molly Hagan to do the heavy lifting in the acting department.

Critics tend to dismiss Chuck Norris' filmography, but Lone Wolf McQuade and Code of Silence are often highlighted as his best efforts from this period. There is fun to be had with the dumb but fun blockbusters like Delta Force, but Code of Silence and Lone Wolf McQuade balance solid setpieces with likable characters and chewy dialogue.

Code of Silence co-star Molly Hagan later played the mother of the title character in The CW's remake of Chuck Norris series, Walker, Texas Ranger.

Code Of Silence Was Almost Dirty Harry 4

Dirty Harry felt a Sudden Impact instead

Clint Eastwood poiting a gun in Sudden Impact

Code of Silence was penned by Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack, with the specific intention of it becoming a Dirty Harry movie. The duo had previously written The Gauntlet for Eastwood and would go on to pen his 1985 Western comeback, Pale Rider. Butler and Shryack wrote Dirty Harry IV: Code of Silence in 1978 for Warner Bros, though Eastwood ed on the project. It bounced around as a solo project in later years, with everyone from Kurt Russell to Charles Bronson being approached.

It's unknown how much changed once Norris signed on, but outside of the character's name and switching out San Francisco for Chicago, it could still function as a Dirty Harry story. Sudden Impact became the fourth Dirty Harry instead, where Harry chases after a victim of assault who guns down her attackers one by one. The sequel is a curious blend of a traditional Dirty Harry sequel with a female take on Death Wish and is the darkest of the series.

... Sudden Impact is also famous for Harry's "Make My Day" catchphrase, which is sometimes misattributed to the original.

That said, Sudden Impact is also famous for Harry's "Make My Day" catchphrase, which is sometimes misattributed to the original. Sudden Impact was a huge box office hit when it arrived too, grossing over $67 million worldwide in 1983 (via The Numbers).

Lone Wolf McQuade & Code Of Silence Made Chuck Norris A Legit Movie Star

Chuck Norris leveled up with the success of his Clint castoffs

Chuck Norris in Code of Silence, The Delta Force and Missing In Action
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon

Lone Wolf McQuade was quietly a hugely important film for Norris; it marked the first time he donned his trademark beard, and the fact it was more of a traditional action film than a martial arts flick gave it a wider reach. Still, it wasn't until Code of Silence that Norris received both good reviews and healthy box office, which is why it's sometimes regarded as a career apex. Certainly, if he had found more scripts of Code of Silence's caliber, he might have evolved into more character-driven projects.

Every "Fresh" Chuck Norris Movie

Rotten Tomatoes Score

The Way of the Dragon (1972)

87%

Silent Rage (1982)

67%

Code of Silence (1985)

68%

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

72%

The Expendables 2 (2012)

68%

Instead, he spent much of the decade fronting B-movies for production company Cannon, where he wasn't required to do much more than kick or shoot people, and say the occasional quip. While making the move from martial arts star to mainstream actor, Chuck Norris modeled himself on actors like Charles Bronson and Clint, as they often played variations of the same kind of role. Thus, it makes sense he would do his best work with scripts Clint Eastwood ed on - it's only a shame he didn't receive more of them.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes, The Numbers

  • Code Of Silence (1985) - Poster - Chuck Norris

    Your Rating

    Code Of Silence
    Release Date
    May 3, 1985
    Runtime
    101 minutes
    Director
    Andrew Davis

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Streaming

    Police officer Eddie Cusack's reputation is dashed when a drug bust involving two feuding gangs spirals out of control, resulting in the death of a young bystander. Isolated by his co-workers and targeted by both cops and criminals, he must rely on his cunning and a newly assigned robotic police unit to fight back and bring peace to his community.

  • Lone Wolf McQuade (1983) - Poster - Chuck Norris

    Your Rating

    Lone Wolf McQuade
    Release Date
    April 15, 1983
    Runtime
    107 minutes
    Director
    Steve Carver

    WHERE TO WATCH

    J.J. McQuade is a reclusive Texas Ranger known for his rough and unconventional methods and penchant for working alone. His world is turned upside down when his daughter is kidnapped by a notorious arms dealer. Forced to collaborate with a by-the-book FBI agent, McQuade heads off on a warpath of revenge to save his daughter.

  • Headshot Of Chuck Norris
    Chuck Norris

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  • Headshot Of Clint Eastwood In The AFI Fest 2011
    Clint Eastwood

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