Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Pittsburgh Villain: Eddie Eiler

There are many great blog posts about the Pittsburgh Police Force and its valiant heroes:  Noble men and women who put their lives on the line each and every day defending the innocent, protecting our streets and bringing justice to lawbreakers. 

Unfortunately this post is not about one of those.

Below we will look at the complicated character that is Eddie Eiler.  (Wow! What a great piece of original Striking Distance art graciously provided by Mario Zucca, who's work can be found at www.mariozucca.com)

Detective Eddie Eiler served the Pittsburgh Police Department for many years eventually rising to the rank of homicide detective.  While his early years are shrouded in mystery, it is generally believed that his wife was unfaithful with his one-time partner.  His animosity toward one Tom Hardy has lead some to infer that animosity between Eiler and Hardy stems back to an affair between Mrs. Eiler and Mr. Hardy.  This is all conjecture and highly refuted by some Striking Distance scholars.  Regardless, their antagonistic relationship would only intensify over the years. 

The cuckolded Eddie Eiler allowed his bitterness to cloud his judgment regarding Tom Hardy’s actions as an officer years later when Hardy turned in fellow officer Jimmy Detillo.  Hardy, bound by the family creed of “loyalty above all else… except honor” felt he had no choice but to testify against his cousin and partner for harshly interrogating a suspect.  Indeed, the honorable Judge Helen Kramer would have sentenced Jimmy for conduct unbecoming an officer had he not thrown himself from the Sewickly Bridge. 

Eddie Eiler so enraged by the apparent betrayal of a Pittsburgh police officer, took every opportunity to express his displeasure with good Mr. Hardy.  His outbursts were frequent, and came in the form of verbal beratings and cheap shot punches at policemen galas.  Apparently Eiler valued loyalty above even honor, when it came to the police force.

His final redeeming moment came at the end of the film.  He offered himself up as a lamb ready to be sacrificed.  But, alas, Tom Hardy is not the forgiving type.


"Nah, it wouldn't do any good.  On the other hand..." 
!!!!KAPOW!!!!
~Tom Hardy


By Lord Johnson


1 comment:

Lady said...

I am confused about a few things:

1. Who would marry Eddie Eiler?

2. Would Tom Hardy have gone for a woman with such poor judgment?

3. Shouldn't Mrs. Eiler have been killed if she had gone to Argentina with Tom Hardy?