Rent Coogan's Bluff (1968)

Brings back period memories - I like it! - Coogan's Bluff review by RP

'Coogan's Bluff' is a film that marks the transition between Clint Eastwood's western roles and his cop role as 'Dirty Harry'. In fact, it combines both of them as he plays a young Arizona deputy sheriff sent to New York to collect a prisoner - he's at home in the Arizona deserts, but like a fish out of water in 1960s New York, with its hippies, drug culture and - to him - far too little emphasis on getting the job done.

Finding the prisoner in hospital after an LSD overdose, impatient Clint springs him but loses him, and the rest of the film is spent tracking him down in the alien world of New York, culminating in a motorcycle chase around The Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park.

I like it - it's most definitely of its time and has a period feel to it, a period now lone gone - perhaps enhanced by the view from some 45 years on. Just a few: hippies, the song 'Pigeon Toed Orange Peel', the dancing in the nightclub with body-painted characters, a lesbian kiss (in 1968!), the projection on the screen in the club, including a clip from 'Tarantula', the 1955 sci-fi film in which Clint has an uncredited role as the squadron leader on the final napalm attack on the creature, the motorcycle chase using Triumph bikes, the helipad on the Pan Am building (Pan Am went bankrupt in 1991 and the building is now the MetLife building) and the New York Airways helicopters (New York Airways is now defunct, and the helipad closed after an accident in 1977).

Clint went on to make several more films with director Don Siegel, including 'Dirty Harry'.

The DVD is pretty grainy and has been cut from the cinema version leading to jumps in continuity, most notably where Clint is (apparently) never given any assignment but cuts straight from Arizona to his helicopter flight into New York. But these are minor quibbles...

I like it. It's a pretty average film but I'll give it a bonus for the period memories it brings. 4/5 stars.

Good 60s Cop Thriller/Contemporary Western - Coogan's Bluff review by GI

A gritty cop thriller and the first Hollywood film starring Clint Eastwood after he became an overnight star appearing in the famous and iconic spaghetti western 'dollars' trilogy. This is a clash of cultures themed story that also clashes the cinematic genres of the western and the cop film, which is interesting as Eastwood came to dominate both genres throughout the 70s and beyond and the film is littered with sly and funny digs at westerns. Eastwood plays Arizona deputy sheriff Coogan, an uncompromising and tough cop, expert at tracking fugitives and a big ladies man. He is sent by his boss to New York to bring back a prisoner, Ringerman (Don Stroud). But Coogan faces the processes and bureaucracy of NYPD and struggles with what he sees as deliberate obstacles designed to impede him. Deciding to bypass all the rigmarole of court orders etc he sets out to get his man and clashes with the local police. When Ringerman goes on the run Coogan will use any means to get him even though he's out of his depth in the big city. This is obviously a contemporary western in so many ways but it also signals the waning of that traditional American screen hero and the advent of the tough cop figure. Coogan uses casual violence even against women whom he sees as figures to seduce or use at his whim (he does get a teeny bit of redemption towards to end) and the film ends with mutual respect by the modern cop. It definitely pushed boundaries with the violence and the depictions of the drug and gay scenes of New York. This is a good solid cop thriller and set Eastwood on course to be the top box office star for many a year to come. Lee J. Cobb is as excellent as ever as the cynical and frustrated NYPD boss and Susan Clark supports as the love interest. This film was the basis for what became the 'McCloud' series with Dennis Weaver. If you like the 'Dollars' trilogy then this is certainly a film to check out if you've never seen it.

Interesting - Coogan's Bluff review by sb

FILM & REVIEW The first of 5 films that Eastwood and Siegel would make together - it’s the story of maverick Arizona Sheriff Coogan sent to New York to bring a felon back to face trial. Once there he gets bogged down in paperwork as Ringeman (Stroud) has overdosed and is now in hospital. Coogan bluffs his way into getting him released but along with his friends escapes . Coogan has already arroused the aminosity of NYPD cop Macelroy ( a suitably gruff Cobb) but sets out to hunt his prey down regardless. It’s the old fish/cop out of water scenario and Eastwood with that hat and cowboy boots plays it to the hilt. It’s interesting that Coogan is a proto Harry Callahan so they were working on that persona even then. Th film does get bogged down with a romance with a pretty probation officer (Clarke ) which really stalls the pace considerably with some really clunky dialogue but picks up with a cracking chase sequence on real life Coogan’ Bluff a promitory that overlooks New York City. It’s also worth to see the long closed PanAm helicopter shuttle that flies from the roof of the PanAm building to JFK. - so overall a 3/5