Coogans großer Bluff

Coogans Bluff (1968)

Plot In A Paragraph: Coogan (Eastwood) an Arizona deputy, goes to New York City to escort a fugitive back into custody.

Before Hang Em High had been released, Eastwood had set to work on this movie, a project which saw him reunite with Universal Studios after an offer of $1 million, more than doubling his previous salary.

The thing I like most about this movie was it's tag line "Clint Eastwood gives New York 24 hours to get out of town"

Outside of saying it's the first time Clint worked with Don Siegel, there is not much to say here, it's a pretty generic fish out of water cop movie. We do get a decent motorbike chase at the end, with Clint visibly doing his own stunts. His character seemed a bit like James Bond early on, in that he handcuffs a prisoner to a porch so he can go and have sex with a woman. Once again we get early shades of Dirty Harry in Clint's character, as Coogan does not have much respect for his superiors or the rules and prefers to go it alone. Future Dirty Harry actor Albert Popwell has a small role here too.

Coogan's Bluff continued the trend of each Eastwood movie grossing less than the last, with a $3 million domestic gross.

The film borrows from the older city crime dramas adding a new twist, Eastwood's character, a police lieutenant from Arizona who will use any means to apprehend his prey. This film, shot on a relativley tight budget in New York City, captures the dark side of New York City in the late 60's, amidst the "free love" atmosphere. Particularly notable are the sharp fight sequences, the amazing sequence at the "Pidgeon Toed Orange Peel" dance club, and the chase sequence at the Cloisters. This film inspired the "Dirty Harry" series, and also paved the way for cowboy in the big city flicks such as "Midnight Cowboy" (and there are a few interesting resemblances). An overall exciting picture that should keep your interest.

In this breakout year when films could dump most of their restrictions, this inspiration for the hit television series McCloud, dumped a couple and went the low road on a few things.

The language still was pretty tame but it had a big-time sleazy atmosphere with a bunch of unlikeable characters. Susan Clark played a lot of these kind of roles in the late '60s to about 1980. Clint Eastwood and Don Stroud are the male leads and Eastwood fits the mold as a tough Arizona lawman going to New York City to bring back an escaped convict. This kind of set of the stage, I think, for his Dirty Harry series which began a couple of years after this.

The story moves well and has some good action scenes, but, man, you can tell it is the late '60s and no longer the "classic era" in Hollywood with the nudity and no one with any moral standards.

Exciting Don Siegel cop thriller plenty of thrills, action , fights and emotion . Brave , tough cop , Clint Eastwood , goes to N.Y in order to transport a killer fugitive , Don Stroud , but the murderer escapes. Then , the killer on the loose through the N.Y.City streets . The deputy sets out in pursuit and to track him down by suffering a dangerous , risked pursuit.

First Siegel-Eastwood teaming and subsequently following : ¨Two mules for Sister Sara¨, ¨The beguiled¨ , ¨Dirty Harry¨ in which Clint also played a cop , and ¨Escape from Alcatraz¨. This one results to be a tense actioner containing some extremely thrilling chase sequences at its final , while Eastwood and Stroud riding motorcycles . The famous and successful TV series MacCloud with Dennis Weaver was based on this movie ; in fact , Herman Miller had written the story for Coogan's Bluff and then later changed a few details to create McCloud . Support cast is frankly well. Don Stroud shines as a violent murderous . Lee J Cobb as chief inspector gives an strong and outstanding performance, as usual . And enjoyable and attractive Susan Clark as a lovely parole officer who falls in love for him . Furthermore , brief but agreeable acting from Tisha Sterling , last film role for veteran Betty Field , James Edwards , Seymour Cassel and David Doyle , previous to Charlie's Angels .

It features a moving and adequate musical score by Lalo Schifrin in his ordinary style of the seventies . It packs an evocative and atmospheric cinematography by Bud Thackery and uncredited Robert Surtees . This tumble and rough motion picture was professionally directed by Donald Siegel (Telephon , The shooter , The Black Windmill , Madigan , The Killers) though has a few gaps and flaws . However , original filmmaker was Alex Segal , who withdrew shortly before production began . Rating : acceptable and passable . The yarn will appeal to Clint fans . Well worth seeing.

Coogan's Bluff marked the first of six films that Clint Eastwood was to do with director Don Siegel, the most famous of them being of course Dirty Harry. The film will also contain no shots of the former location of the legendary Polo Grounds which were at that spot on Manhattan island.

Clint Eastwood's charisma is what carries this film through because he's playing one of the most dislikeable characters he ever essayed on the right side of the law. He's a deputy sheriff from Piute County, Arizona who has his own way of doing things. When we first meet him instead of following sheriff Tom Tully's orders and staying at a roadblock, Eastwood follows a hunch and captures fugitive Indian Rudy Diaz in the inimitable Clint fashion.

That he got the man doesn't cut it with Tully. He sends Clint on assignment to New York to extradite Don Stroud wanted in Arizona. When he gets to New York, Stroud is in Bellevue Psych Ward. There are procedures to get him out says Police Lieutenant Lee J. Cobb, but Clint cuts through them and while Stroud's in custody, he effects an escape.

Seduce them for clues is Eastwood's investigative technique as he works on parole officer Susan Clark and Stroud's girlfriend Tisha Sterling. Tisha proves to be a formidable adversary and bed partner, yes she's both. Tisha's pretty unforgettable as the amoral hippie chick from the era.

Also unforgettable is Betty Field in what proved to be her final big screen role as Stroud's tramp of a mother. Clint doesn't quite have to get down and dirty with her, but I think he would have been up to it if needed.

A lot of attitudes that were later exhibited in Dirty Harry are in Coogan's Bluff. Walt Coogan has the same attitude towards criminals and the rules that prevent him from dealing with them as he'd like.

Some nice location shots of New York, including an unforgettable chase scene through Fort Tryon Park in the upper reaches of Manhattan. Not as good as some of Clint Eastwood's other films, still Coogan's Bluff is a must for his fans.