Doux, dur et dingue

Sure, 'Every Which Way But Loose (1978)' is silly, but there's just something inherently endearing about seeing an orangutan and his truck-driving best buddy drink beer, get laid (yes, the ape sees some action) and bare-knuckle brawl their way through bent coppers and members of a Nazi biker gang as they traipse across the country after a girl who's up and vanished with both Eastwood's heart and a fistful (seven thousand) of his Dollars. It is a delightfully light flick. It's brazenly bizarre core concepts are gleefully glossed over to the point of pure passive acceptance on the part of the audience; as such it's highly entertaining throughout. It settles into its loose plot with a relaxed pace that pushes it from fun set-piece to fun set-piece, constantly keeping a smile on your face and burrowing its own private place within your heart. It's an unexpected joy. 7/10

I know what you're thinking- I'm such a huge Eastwood fan so my opinion isn't that significant. Honestly though, this has got to be one of the most underrated movies of all time. I laughed harder and had a better time watching this movie than just about any "comedy" I can think of. Clint did an excellent job in a different role for him as a guy who isn't so clever and great with the ladies. His best friend Clyde turned in an awesome performance as well. I also loved Geoffrey Lewis and the gorgeous Beverly D'Angelo and Ruth Gordon does a typically great act as the tough old lady. I agree with an earlier writer with respect to the one negative here- Sondra Locke's acting and singing. The only justification is that in the movie her character is just as bad. I have to believe that even people that aren't major Clint Eastwood fans would still like this one. Big fans should love it.

Right turn Clyde. A man, a monkey, some hells angels wannabee's and some dude named Orville. What more could you want? Throw in some bare knuckle action of Clint breaking everyones face loose and its a classic. This is without a doubt one of the all time late night classics. The story, (its fluff), revolves around blue collar tough guy Filo Beddo and his buddies. One of which is Clyde, an orangatan and Orville, a greasey tow tuck driver. Which is worse is up to you. The gang gets into some bare knuckle boxing fights for cash and heads out on the road. Running into trouble with a hilarious wannabe biker gang and ending up with a showdown between Tank Murdock and Philo for some sort of tough guy championship. The movie is dated, has some cheasy music, (at least its not disco) lots of fight scenes, some great running gags at bikers, cops, rhinestone cowboys, and generally anyone clint doesnt like, but its very enjoyable and definitely worth a trip to blockbuster.

Clint Eastwood finally shows a funny, soft side to his macho persona in this humorous action/comedy about a good-hearted brawler who adopts a sneaky orangutan named Clyde and they embark in a funny journey for reasons God only knows why. With the gritty brawl scenes and the constant redneck humor, this would make the viewer wonder why did old Dirty Harry himself would be in a movie like this? It looks like something from the weird minds of Burt Reynolds and Hal Ne

In Every Which Way But Loose, Clint Eastwood not only shares the screen with lady love Sondra Locke, but with an orangutan named Clyde. He had to call on all his skills to keep the film from being stolen by an ape.

This and its sequel Every Which Way You Can will never be at the top of Clint's cinema achievements, but it's a nice rollicking comedy about a bare knuckle fighter. If it were set in today's times instead of the Seventies, Eastwood's Philo Beddoe would be on the extreme fighting channel.

Seeing Clint's living quarters reminded me of John Wayne's similar arrangements in True Grit with Chin Lee and General Sterling Price the cat. Clyde's quite a bit more the handful than a cat. He lives with Geoffrey Lewis who is his second and corner man in the bare knuckle fighting business and handles all the wagers and Lewis's mother a 'helpless' little old lady with a shotgun, deliciously played by Ruth Gordon.

Making his living as a bare knuckle fighter, Clint just seems to run into people determined to take him down. That includes an involvement with aspiring country singer Sondra Locke whom he spends a good deal of money on and who then takes a powder on him. She's heading east so Clint, Lewis, and Clyde are as well. Along the way they pick up sharp shooting Beverly D'Angelo who saves them on one occasion.

The legendary bare knuckle champion is Denver Tank Murdoch and as that 20th century philosopher Ric Flair opined, to be the best you have to beat the best. So Clint is heading to Denver to find both Locke and Walter Barnes who plays Tank Murdoch with his three amigos.

He also manages to arouse the anger of John McQuade and his Black Widow Biker gang. These people are the sorriest biker gang ever depicted on the big screen. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE manages to best this crowd of losers. But they never give up.

Best in the film are Ruth Gordon and Clyde, not necessarily in that order. I've often thought that the Academy Awards should have a best animal performance in a given year. That year the Oscar gold would have been taken by the orangutan. I wish the film had elaborated a little more on when Eastwood and Lewis break into a zoo to get Clyde's male needs satisfied.

For a lighter and brighter side of Clint Eastwood, don't miss Every Which Way But Loose.