The Enforcer

[Ralph]

Since I've got 5 Dirty Harry movies to watch I thought I might as well start a thread.

Dirty Harry (1971)

Plot:

"San Francisco is being terrorized by a sniper who calls himself Scorpio. Inspector Harry Callahan, known as Dirty Harry is a cop who refuses to play by the rules. Known for bringing bad luck to his partners, Harry reluctantly accepts new partner Chico Gonzalez on the orders of Lieutenant Al Bressler. Scorpio promises to kill a black person and a priest if the city doesn't give him $100,000. Nearly caught, Scorpio doubles the ransom, kidnaps and rapes a 14-year-old girl, and buries her alive, giving the police a limited time to cough up the money before she suffocates. Harry follows Scorpio's instructions for the delivery, which results in Chico getting wounded. He then tracks Scorpio to Kezar Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers. Scorpio is running across the football field, and Harry calmly takes aim and nails him in the leg at the 50-yard line and tortures Scorpio into revealing the girl's hiding place. She's found dead and Scorpio is released due to Dirty Harry's unorthodox procedure. Later, Scorpio takes over a school bus. Harry is the only one who can take Scorpio down."



What a fabulous movie this is - a full 10/10

Even now three decades later this movie is just as relevant as it was back then. Not until I first saw this film on TV at the end of the 70s was I aware of the conflicting issues of law enforcement while appeasing the rights of the perpetrators of crime. This movie has real issues to address about the upside down nature of the Justice system and it hits the message home with real style and total credibility.

It's also great entertainment with some fantastic throw away lines that you've can't help laugh at from Eastwood's marvellous dry delivery.

The scene where he has a shoot out with the guys raiding the bank is pure gold, leading up to possibly his most famous lines in a DH movie

When he gets his man, you really want him to kick the shit out the guy such is the convincing acting all round.

The direction from Don Siegel is spot on and there's never a dull moment to be had throughout the film. Oh and the score's great too!

Just fantastic!

[Wayne]

I've seen 4 of them over the years, & they're all quite good, although again these fall into my 'watchable/enjoyable/disposable' category, as they're not totally my bag. The first one the best IMO, & 'Magnum Force' would be fairly close second. I think Andrew Robinson makes a strong impression as the villian in the first one, & i remember the motorcycle cops (one of which was played by David Soul) in 'Magnum Force' being good as well.
'The Enforcer' is pretty average as i remember, & veering towards being pretty corny. 'Sudden Impact' is a bit better film with a harder edge, & the fifth film i can't recall what it is, or remember even if i've seen it.
I haven't seen 'Dirty Harry' for a few years, but i've seen it at least twice, & would rate it a realistic 7.5/10.

[Ralph]

Definitely a 10/10 for a landmark movie much imitated with it's star at the top of his career

[Wayne]

Not from me, punk.

[MacNimon]

Sorry, Wayne, but I've got to agree with Ralph here. The original Dirty Harry film is an all-time classic. Clint Eastwood is fantastic in this...it's been several years since I watched it, but the guy who played the sniper was excellent as well. He just looked the part, you could easily believe he was a crazy killer. But it's Eastwood's film, and quite rightly he steals the show.

10/10 from me as well....this is one of my favourite films!

[Wayne]

No need to apologize, Mac. We can't all agree on everything. It wouldn't be normal.

[Carol Baynes]

I love it! I've nothing more to say for now, but I do feel lucky.

[Pip Madeley]

I love it! I've nothing more to say for now, but I do feel lucky.

Make Wayne's day.

[Ralph]

After watching "Wrong Turn" about moutain men out of control I decided I needed to see some law enforcement back in action where the cops don't hang around waiting to get shot!

The Enforcer (1976)
This was the second sequel and my favourite scenes include all the bits where Harry bulldozes in and gets the job done in his unmistakable style.

I love that line where he declares "personnel's for assholes" Sorry to anyone in this line of work but generally I've found it to be true! He tells the Major to jerk off the Press and his boss gets told his "mouthwash ain't doin it"

This is the one where Tyne Daly (of Cagney & Lacy) plays his partner. I'd rate this one as 7/10. What I enjoy most about these movies is Eastwood's screen presence which is just so watchable They should have had him in that Mountain man movie but then it would be over too soon

[Wayne]

After watching "Wrong Turn" about moutain men out of control I decided I needed to see some law enforcement back in action where the cops don't hang around waiting to get shot!

I don't think it was quite like that, Ralph! Clearly the cop from 'Wrong Turn' didn't know that the bow & arrow culprit was there! He was a 'red shirt'.

Anyway IMO, the Dirty Harry franchise had started to get a bit avearge by the time they made 'The Enforcer'. I agree that Clint's on-screen presence is the major boost of this film, but i much prefer 'Dirty Harry' & 'Magnum Force'.
As far as Clint in general is concerned, I'm not as enamoured with the Harry Callahan character as you are. My favourite persona of Clint's is the man with no name in the spaghetti westerns. But i'd give this a 6/10. 5/10 for the film, with an extra point for Clint being fairly good fun.

What happened to 'Magnum Force' anyway? You've gone from 'Dirty Harry' in 1971 to 'The Enforcer' in 1976?

[Ralph]

What happened to 'Magnum Force' anyway? You've gone from 'Dirty Harry' in 1971 to 'The Enforcer' in 1976?

oops

I watched it not long after DH - I was convinced I put some comments on it -er well I get it sorted now guv!

Magnum Force (1973)

Excellent follow up to the original. This time David Soul heads a group of vigilante motor bike cops. Plenty of action and set pieces giving Eastwood the opportunity to shine. The opening sequence of him holding the Magnum during the credits is a nice touch. Good performance also in this one by Hal Holbrook who plays Eastwood's boss.

I'd give this one 8/10

I'd say Callaghan and Blondie/Manco/MWNN are pretty much matched at their best!

Oh and Wayne it's just dawned on me what you meant by "red shirt"

[Wayne]

Magnum Force (1973)
8/10

I think it's as good as 'Dirty Harry', if not a tad better. 7.5/10.

[Jeff]

A man's got to know his limitations...

& the fifth film i can't recall what it is, or remember even if i've seen it.

The Dead Pool. I don't think it was very good... don't remember much of it. I remember Guns N Roses being in the soundtrack. 1988 I think.. offhand.

[Ralph]

Sudden Impact (1983)

"Harry's in hot water with his superiors; when he induces a heart attack on a criminal they have spent a great deal of time building a case on, and some criminals are gunning for him. So, to make the streets a little safer, Harry's sent to seaside town, to get some info on a man who was shot in the groin. When he gets there, the police chief doesn't exactly give him a warm welcome. And not long after his arrival, some of the town's residents are getting killed in the same manner. When Harry tells the chief his theory that the killer has a connection here but the chief just wants him to leave"

The fourth Dirty Harry movie after a 7 year gap. I've only seen bits of this one so I wasn't really familiar with it at all. A good entry I thought, plenty of action and it maintains interest throughout. I'd give it 7/10

[Wayne]

I'm not over familiar with this one, myself. But i remember it as being pretty reasonable, albeit not brilliant or anything.

[Ralph]

Coming up soon on this Eastwood thread - I'm sure you're all excited to know

The Gauntlet (1977) - a cop movie but not Dirty Harry which I bought for a snip yesterday
Thunderbolt and Litefoot (1974) - a buddy film with Jeff Bridges
Bloodwork (2002) - a more recent one I picked up that my folks had.

Others I'd like to add when I get a copy:
Coogan's Bluff (pre Dirty Harry - a texan cop in the Big Apple)
Play Misty For me (a forerunner to "Fatal Attraction")
Hang Em High (Eastwood's first Western movie in Hollywood after the Spaghetti)

Not forgetting I've still got to do "Deadpool"

[Ralph]

The Gauntlet (1977)

Plot: "Phoenix cop Ben Shockley (Eastwood) is well on his way to becoming a derelict when he is assigned to transport a witness named Gus Mally (Sondra Locke) from Vegas. Mally turns out to be a belligerent prostitute with mob ties and incriminating information regarding a high-placed figure. Shockley's suspicions are aroused and the betting line against Mally testifying begins to climb when the transport vehicle is bombed and Mally's house is literally shot to pieces. The pair must face the truth about those they trust, as well as their own inner strengths, as they fight their way to Phoenix, finally using an armored bus to run a gauntlet of hundreds of police armed with high-powered weaponry"

Eastwood stars and directs in this one. Clearly from the number of bullets fired which demolish a building this one it's not to be taken too seriously I'm not really into just action movies but when Eastwood does one the dialogue and actions that goes with it simply makes it fun entertainment



Clearly riding on the back of the success of the Dirty Harry movies but this cop is different in that he's a down on his luck character who sharpens up to the challenge. I think you'd definitely have to be a fan of Eastwood to really appreciate it




I'd give this one 6.5/10 as it does what it says on the tin.

[Dirk Gently]

I would have given The Gauntlet 7/10 but it's got Sondra Locke in so that changes the score some what.







It now gets 5/10 because she really gets on my tits!

[Wayne]

Reading back, i was a bit harsh on 'Dirty Harry'. I'd up it to an 8.
'The Gauntlet' gets a 6.

[Ralph]

Tim - I don't mind her - she doesn't get on my tits at all - she's a grower The shoot out scenes are just so wonderfully over the top

[Ralph]

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)

"Clint Eastwood plays a bank robber par excellence with a flair for explosives who is being hunted by his former partners, who think he has their loot from their last job. Bridges is his eager apprentice and sidekick, who helps him escape; when Eastwood finally makes peace with his hunters, Bridges convinces them to try a daring robbery--but things inevitably go awry."

In this one Eastwood teams up with Jeff Bridges who won an Oscar for best supporting actor. Good back up also from George Kennedy - probably best known in most recent years as Leslie Neilsen's sidekick in the Naked Gun movies. However his character here is a nasty piece of work. I guess it could be labelled a road/buddie movie. The characters are nicely fleshed out sao that it makes you feel engaged with the interaction and the movie plays like a series of sketches. I'd give it 6/10

[Wayne]

'The Dead Pool' is just starting on C4.
I don't recall this one, so i'm giving it a whirl.

[Wayne]

'The Dead Pool' is just starting on C4.
I don't recall this one, so i'm giving it a whirl.

Pretty average, really. Ok in a throwaway kinda sense, but even Clint seemed to be going through the motions at times. It felt more generic, & didn't seem to have as much Dirty Harry flavour as the previous films.
On the plus side, i thought Patricia Clarkson was pretty good, & the model car chase, although faintly ridiculous, was the most entertaining part of the movie!
Overall, 5/10.

[Ralph]

This one Eastwood has agreed was the weakest and Harry had been fully played out. It's the only Dirty Harry movie I'd seen on the big screen. The mini car chase is a bit of fun and definitely one of the highlights. I watched this on DVD again myself about a month ago but wasn't particularly inspired to give it a right up. I enjoyed seeing Eastwood in the role again but I definitely recognised it's tired lacklustre delivery in comparison to the hey day. I'd have to reluctantly agree 5/10 is fair