John Milius's story has a vigilante force operating from within the San Francisco Police Department, "Like those death squads in Brazil", which is a good idea. Only Dirty Harry can stop them. Milius then went off to direct Dillinger, so Michael Cimino took over rewrites.
Only the very ending is somewhat underwhelming, in which Harry overpowers one of the cops on board a ship - but then empties his gun rather than taking it with him. Also not quite sure who the people are in the swimming pool who are massacred. Or maybe I wasn't paying attention.
Clint Eastwood, Hal Holbrook, Felton Perry (Harry's partner), Mitchell Ryan, David Soul (probably what brought him to the attention of the Starsky and Hutch people), Tim Matheson, John Mitchum (ex cop now hamburger salesman), Christine White, Adele Yoshioka.
Frank Stanley shoots some interesting SF locations, Lalo Schifrin's score is fun. Edited by Ferris Webster, produced by Clint's mate Robert Daley for Malpaso / Warners. With a $20 million US gross it was a huge hit. Ted Post was somewhat put out that Clint was co-directing, at times overriding him with the actors, and - being the production company - ultimately his boss.
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| "If you're not with us, you're against us." "I'm afraid you've misjudged me." |
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